Susquehanna University Outgoing Mail Service

Outgoing Mailing Services

Susquehanna University
Outgoing Mailing Services

Mail Preparation

Addressing Abbreviations

Mail Preparation

Mail Trays and Bins

Addressing

The address should be typed or LEGIBLY printed with blue or black ink.
USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS and no punctuation.
Place the delivery address parallel to the longest side of the mail piece.
The last line of the address should contain the city, state and zip code.
ALWAYS include a return address!
Important! When using Excel to prepare mailing addresses, please format the cells so that the zero prints if it is the first number of the zip code. We often receive mailings with the zeros omitted from addresses where the zero is the first digit. Mail prepared this way will not get to its correct destination.

Envelopes

Use the proper envelope! If you do not have an envelope large enough, please contact our office. We carry a wide variety of envelope sizes.
DO NOT overstuff the envelope. It’s simple. If the contents do not fit into the envelope, use a larger one. By doing this, your mail will look more presentable. Envelopes that are overstuffed may also jam postal equipment or even damage it.
When using window envelopes, the ADDRESS ONLY should be visible.
Other information showing up under the city, state, and zip will delay your mail.
DO NOT use regular (non-padded) envelopes for items such as pens, pencils, buttons, keys etc. that could easily poke through the envelope. Surcharges could be added to the mail piece and most importantly, the mail could damage postal equipment. Use a padded envelope when mailing the items listed above.

Postcards

Follow these specifications when preparing postcards for mailing:
Minimum size: 3 ½ x 5 and at least .007 inches thick
Maximum size: 4 ¼ x 6
Postcards may be larger than 4 ¼ x 6. However, they will not qualify for the postcard rate and will be processed at the First-Class letter rate.

Packages

Addresses must be large enough to read from 30 inches away and should not be easily smeared or washed off by water.
When reusing a box, remove or cover up old addresses or any other markings with a black permanent marker or label.
Use packaging tape (at least a 2 inch minimum width) to seal packages.
Do not use string or twine of any kind as they will jam postal equipment.
Padding such as newspaper, “peanuts”, or bubble wrap should be used to cushion fragile items and to prevent the contents from shifting and breaking.
ALWAYS include a return address. The return address and a list of the contents can also be included inside the package in case it opens during transit.

Mailpiece Design

Questions regarding the design of your mailpiece? You may contact our local mailpiece design analyst directly at 717-257-2107. OR give our office a call and we will make the necessary arrangements to ensure that you are preparing your mail correctly and in the most cost-effective manner.

Addressing Abbreviations

The following is a list of abbreviations recommended by the Postal Service to use when addressing mail.

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