Postal Indicia For Direct Mailings

Canada Post requires a postal indicia for any Machineable or Special Handling direct mail pieces. This is a special marking used to categorize the mail, and to show that the postage for direct mail has been paid. A printed indicia replaces the need for a stamp or postage meter imprint, making mass mailings easier and more affordable. An indica box is printed directly onto the mailer, which also provides space for your customer number and the postal product category. While an indicia is convenient and easy to implement, there are a few design specifications. Here’s what you need to know about Canada Post indicia.

Printing Requirements for Postal Indicia

Troi Mailing Services helps you meet all of the requirements for Canada Post indicia. Although there are special guidelines to follow, we can assist with templates that allow your designers to understand what areas must be left clear for postage purposes. Since an indicia must reference a postal account as well, we can also help you save time and paperwork by using our indicia and mailing on your behalf. Some of the more important requirements for indicia design are:

• The area must be at least 19 mm x 36 mm and no larger than 39mm x 73mm
• The area where the information is applied must either be printed on, or attached to, the address side of each item in the upper right corner
• The characters used must be between 2 mm and 5 mm high (uppercase characters of nominal 7 point meet the minimum character size)
• The best colours to use would be black or darker inks; however, the more important rule is to ensure there is sufficient contrast with the background
• The postal indicia must also be bilingual, so space considerations must be given to this requirement

During the direct mail printing process, you should keep in mind the postal indicia must:

• Be made by a mechanical or photographic printing process and applied on the mail item or self-adhesive labels that cannot be removed easily from the mailpiece
• Appear on each item mailed
• Contain Canada Post’s corporate identity, product name, and customer or permit number

How does an indicia work?

There is no need to run your mail pieces through a meter, or to buy and manually affix stamps to them. Troi can InkJet or press print a static postal indicia for convenience and cost‑effectiveness.

Customized Indicia

In 2014, Canada Post revisited the customized postal indicia so that marketers could introduce eye-catching designs that complement the overall appearance of a direct mail package. The introduction of the customized postal indicia is exclusive to Postal Code Targeting (PCT) and Personalized Mail (formerly known as Addressed Admail). It is another unique element that can help represent your brand and improve brand awareness. A customized indicia allows you to add an image to create a more streamlined look, instead of sticking to the standard transactional indicia look. This new feature allows you to get creative with how you use direct mail marketing; different designs could even inform a specific program type or category. Best of all, you are not charged an extra fee for custom indicia. You can add a custom image to your indicia for free.

Latest Updates

One happy note to remember is the fee elimination for Return Postage Guaranteed with Personalized Mail (formerly known as Addressed Admail). You can still indicate that you want undeliverable mail returned to you through an RPG indicia, but there is no longer an additional fee for this feature. Please let Troi know if you would like to use an RPG indicia in order to have any undeliverable pieces returned.

At Troi Mailing Services, we’ve got your back. Our dedicated representatives can manage every aspect of your direct mail campaigns from designing your customized indicia to acquiring mailing lists and addressing envelopes. We understand the nuances of direct mail processing and can help you plan a successful campaign with the best possible outcomes. We also specialize in aligning your printed direct mail campaigns with your digital marketing efforts, allowing you to easily track your success and drive customers to your website and social media pages. Today’s direct marketing has to keep up with changes in technology from a production standpoint, and for your overall marketing strategy.

For more information about indicia and our direct marketing services, please Request Information at the top of this page.

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