My Mailing Room have been supplying mailing equipment for over 20 years and our team has over 100 years combined industry experience. Using this knowledge, we created this easy to follow list to help anyone looking to buy a folding and inserting machine.
Who needs a machine that puts documents into envelopes?
If your customer base has increased, or you have begun a new business venture, or several departments/offices have merged then your old way of sending post by folding each item one by one, by hand, is likely to take up too much of your companies most valuable commodity- time.
So, if that sounds like your business/office and if you are sending your customers batches of mail then the answer is a folding and inserting machine. These types of machines are known by several different names including: folding and inserting machines, letter folding machines, envelope inserting machines, or stuffing machines. Lots of businesses don’t know these machines exist and how easily they can be adopted into an office.
If you are processing mail by hand each page takes approximately 12 seconds to fold, then insert into a DL envelope and seal it. Our latest models will handle your mailings 10x faster than your team can!
In short, a folding and inserting machine can make a big and very positive difference to your business if you send out post including: invoices, statements, reminders, brochures and other marketing material.
Please read on to find out how you select the right one for you…
Choose the best folding and inserting machine for your business
Folding and inserting machines can be very clever or very simple. The right machine will allow you to process complex runs with little staff intervention using the latest software. The machine will understand that one recipient gets one page and a brochure, but the next recipient gets two pages and doesn’t need a brochure.
Alternatively, if you just want a machine to send an A4 page and an insert or prepaid envelope then it is much simpler. Either way, at My Mailing Room we are dedicated to helping you choose the right machine.
To assist with your machine selection, you should take the time to think about these 4 things:
Tip 1: Understand your volumes
If you enquire to My Mailing Room, we will ask you about volumes. When we do this, we are trying to understand how many pages you will process each year. This can be difficult to calculate but we only need a rough idea to make a start. Begin with your customers and think about how often you will be mailing them letters, reminders, invoices, statements, etc. Next step, marketing. How many contacts are in your marketing lists? How often will you be communicating with them? And how many pages are you likely to send them? Once you have finished you should now have a rough idea of your annual volumes.
Tip 2: What would you like to mail?
This may not seem easy, but you should think about this as you are going to be asked about this too. Make a start by asking your marketing department what they want to send, e.g. catalogues or flyers and what type of paper they use (shiny, perforations, thick). Next would be the accounts or administration departments. What do they need to send? This could include statements with detachable remittances, cheques, payslips or reply envelopes.
In addition to what you currently send why not think about what you would like to send. This is the perfect opportunity for a money off voucher/coupon with their next order or a product flyer/information sheet. A machine can add this to invoices or statements with very little effort and free postage which is why it is called a ‘free ride’.
Collect samples of all these documents and inserts (ideally a good quantity of each) as any good supplier will want to see/test them.
Tip 3: What envelopes are needed?
If you are inserting paper into envelopes, then the type of envelope you use is crucial to making your folding and inserting equipment work. Mailing envelopes need to be gummed with seams on the outside and are generally oversized (C5 162 x 238mm and DLs 114 x 235mm). Don’t be concerned if you don’t yet use mailing envelopes as your envelope supplier will stock them and so do we. Machine envelopes are priced very similarly to standard ones but possibly cheaper when buying in bulk.
If you use custom or printed envelopes then carrier information, colours and designs can be added to machine envelopes too. If you think you may already be using these envelopes then keep a few samples of these and we can test their suitability.
Tip 4: See a machine working (with your samples)
This is our favourite tip. We carry out demonstrations for our customers either at their premises, or for bigger equipment you can come to see us. A live demonstration is great for you and us. We get a detailed understanding of what you’ll be asking the equipment to do while you get to see exactly what the machine can do. The demonstration is perfect for testing as our trained engineers will take the time to demonstrate how easy our new machines are to program and use, but they will also tell you if your samples will not work. Our job is to be thorough as a different option or an extra feeder could make all the difference.
We wrote this for people who are not currently using a folding and inserting machine but if you are already using a machine but looking for a new one then I hope this post can help you too. You’ll also need to make decisions about your next machine, and don’t let your old one put you off. Our new inserters are quiet, they automatically program jobs, have colour touchscreens and are far easier to use.
Why choose My Mailing Room
A folder inserter from us will fold your letters, insert then seal your documents. For you this means they will have been processed accurately, quickly, quietly and they are now ready for collection or for franking. Our equipment pricing includes delivery, installation and training for your staff along with ongoing support.
When it comes to mailing, we are the experts and it’s our job to provide you with the facts, advice and all you need to get the right machine and the best value. To speak with one of our experts call us on 01322 643825 or contact us.
