A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
|
| ACS |
|
Address Change Service is a method provided by the USPS to electronically update your mailing list. Using special coding, the USPS provides a file of updated addresses specific to your mailing list. |
| ASCII |
|
American Standard Code for Information Interchange - A standard interpretation of the 1's and the 0's a computer understands to the alphanumeric characters humans understand. |
| Barcode |
|
A set of vertical bars and half bars translated from the nine-digit ZIP code. The barcode is used to accelerate the sorting of mail and allow mailers to take advantage of postage rates. |
| CASS (Common) |
|
Coding Standard Support System - As commonly used, CASS is a process of updating addresses with ZIP, ZIP+4, DPBC, Carrier Route, and LOT data. Optionally, addresses can be standardized. |
| CASS (Technical) |
|
Technically, CASS is a USPS program that certifies software to match addresses, update the address elements, and standardize the addresses. Addresses aren't "CASS'd"; computer programs are. |
| Comma-Delimited |
|
A type of ASCII computer file where data fields are delimited (enclosed and/or separated) by commas. Field containing commas must be surrounded by quotation marks. |
| Database |
|
A file that contains important information such as names and addresses of clients or prospects. The file is maintained on a computer where it can be used to serve various applications and be manipulated for assorted purposes. |
| Database Analysis |
|
Interpreting information within a database in order to gain customer insight and improve marketing efficiency. |
| Demographics |
|
Statistical data on social and economic status of human populations including age, gender, income, education, type of residence, marital status, etc. |
DMA Preference
Service |
|
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) collects and makes available information from individuals that do not want to receive direct mail, so that individuals can be removed from mailing databases. |
| EBCDIC |
|
Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code - IBM's notion of ASCII (see above). |
| Enhancement |
|
Information that is added to a list to improve it's value for the mailer. Examples would include source codes for tracking purposes and demographic information. |
| FASTforward |
|
Process similar to NCOA (see below), except the FASTforward database contains only 13 months of moves. |
| Lettershop |
|
A company that assembles direct mail printing, labels, and inserts. The lettershop can tag, sort, transport the mailings to the post office for delivery, and provide a receipt of post office delivery to the mailer. |
| List Broker |
|
A list consultant that arranges the use of other companies' lists. Brokerage services usually provide: suggestions, list selections, research, and parameters for ordering & receiving rented lists in a timely manner. The brokers commission is typically a percentage of the list rental fee. Usually 20%. |
| List Cleaning |
|
The method of renewing a list by removing undeliverable addresses from the list. Other additional services for cleaning can be: the removal of duplicates, delinquent debtors, names/addresses on the DMA preference list, undesirable ZIP codes, etc. |
| Matchback |
|
The matching of 2 or more lists that have equivalent addresses or names for the appending of ones list's demographic or geographic information to another. Many times a matchback will be used to recover valuable list performance information. |
| Merge/Purge |
|
Process of merging mailing lists and purging duplicates, even if not exact. Quality merge/purge reports facilitate list tracking and response analysis as well as reveal list secrets. |
| Move-Update |
|
US Postal Service requirement that all First Class Presorted mail be updated for address moves and changes. This requirement is satisfied by using NCOA, FASTforward, ACS, or AEC processes within six months of the mailing date. |
| NCOA |
|
National Change Of Address - Process to update addresses where the addressee has notified the Postal Service of a new address. The NCOA database contains 4 years of data and satisfies to USPS move-update rule. See also FASTforward and ACS. |
| Nixies |
|
Mail that is determined to be undeliverable by the USPS. |
| Outsourcing |
|
Using a service outside of the company, instead of working within the company to perform the work. Typically this would include a service bureau and/or lettershop. |
| Postal Presort |
|
Process by which mailing addresses are sorted to USPS schemes for maximum postage savings and improved delivery. |
| Seeding |
|
Dummy or code names are added to a mailing list to confirm delivery quality of mailing service and to notify the list owner of any unauthorized list usage. |
| Sorting |
|
The process of reordering a list from one series to another. For example, the list can be sorted by ZIP code, last name, firm name, most recent buyers, highest donors, etc. |
