Why Data Hygiene Is Essential
At Mailings Unlimited, we understand that the foundation of successful Direct Mail marketing lies in maintaining clean, accurate, and current mailing lists. With people frequently relocating—due to career moves, education, family, or lifestyle changes—address data can quickly become outdated, leading to wasted resources and missed connections.
This is where National Change of Address (NCOA) processing plays a vital role. It ensures your address lists remain up to date, improving deliverability, reducing waste, and supporting effective customer communication.
What Is NCOA and How Does It Work?
The NCOA database, maintained by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), contains updated address information for individuals and businesses who have filed change-of-address notices within the past 18 months. When someone moves and informs USPS, the new address is recorded and added to the NCOA database.
By comparing your mailing list against this database, you can correct outdated entries before mail is sent—ensuring your communications reach the right recipients.
The Costs of Neglecting Address Updates
Ignoring address accuracy can have serious financial and operational consequences:
• Wasted spending on printing, postage, and processing undeliverable mail
• Lost marketing opportunities when messages don’t reach their audience
• Damaged brand credibility and strained customer relationships
• Compliance issues in regulated industries where up-to-date contact records are mandatory
Key Benefits of NCOA Processing
Integrating NCOA processing into your mailing workflow brings several advantages:
• Improved deliverability: Mail reaches the right people, enhancing the effectiveness of your campaigns.
• Higher customer satisfaction: Accurate mailings ensure timely and relevant communications.
• Reduced UAA (Undeliverable-As-Addressed) mail: Less returned mail means fewer manual fixes and better efficiency.
• Lower mailing costs: Avoid spending on mail destined for the wrong address.
• USPS postage discounts: Businesses using NCOA processing can qualify for significant discounts, especially on high-volume campaigns
Ensuring Compliance
In industries like healthcare, finance, and government, maintaining accurate addresses isn’t optional—it’s a compliance requirement. NCOA processing supports adherence to regulations and minimizes audit risks. Additionally, USPS mandates that lists be NCOA-processed at least once every 95 days to maintain eligibility for discounted mailing rates.
Mailings Unlimited’s NCOA Process
Our NCOA process is designed for simplicity and effectiveness. Clients share their current mailing list—whether it’s customer data, donor records, or prospect lists—and we securely process it against the NCOA database. We then return an updated list, along with detailed reporting that shows which addresses were changed, unchanged, or unverifiable.
Comprehensive Data Hygiene Solutions
NCOA is just one element of Mailings Unlimited’s full suite of data hygiene services, designed to enhance data integrity and mailing performance. Our experts are ready to help you implement broader solutions for superior results.
Real-World Success
One nonprofit client struggling with high mail return rates saw a major turnaround after adopting our NCOA and data hygiene services. Returned mail dropped, donor engagement increased, and substantial savings were realized in both postage and printing. campaigns
Partner With Mailings Unlimited
If you haven’t implemented NCOA processing yet, now is the time. At Mailings Unlimited, we offer trusted guidance and proven solutions to make your mailing list a reliable, results-driven asset. Let us help you improve your deliverability, ensure compliance, and maximize ROI.
