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Office Junk Mail"Thirty percent of the mail that comes to the San Mateo County offices is junk mail." - Larry Pinckney, San Mateo County Lead Mail Services Driver |
Junk mail costs time, money and natural resources. Whenever you order a product, attend a conference, donate money, or fill out a warranty card, your name, address and preferences are compiled by direct mailing companies and sold to various advertisers. To reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, you must actively remove your name from these lists.
Junk mail at your business or organization must be dealt with differently than junk mail at home. Certain direct mail companies focus on businesses and others focus on residences; therefore, you must be sure you are contacting the appropriate direct mail companies in order to reduce the flow of junk mail into your business. Also, because mail is generally addressed to individuals in the office, that individual must take steps to reduce their mail, or notify an appointed junk mail champion. Following are some effective approaches for reducing junk mail at your office.
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Getting the Job Done!
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Direct Mail Contacts.
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Get off lists for free or using a fee for the service
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Make it a habit!
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Junk those faxes!
There are two basic approaches for getting employees off junk mail listings: appoint a Junk Mail Champion who will compile information and contact direct mail companies, or develop a system for individuals to contact the companies they receive mail from directly.
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Junk Mail Champion Approach:
This person will send letters to the three direct mailing contacts listed in the next section on behalf of a particular department, gathering necessary names and signatures. This process should be done on an annual basis. To take it a step further, have employees give their unwanted junk mail to the Champion, who can then contact these mailers (using the 1-800 number listed on the mailing) with the names of all individuals who want to be removed from their mailing list.
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Individual Approach:
At a staff meeting, inform staff that they will be responding personally to the junk mail they receive on an on-going basis. Provide postcards for employees to mail to catalogues and other companies that send unwanted mail. A postcard template (Word) can be printed and copied on cardstock. Employees can also contact companies by calling the 1-800 number on unwanted mailings and requesting to be removed from their mailing list.
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Contact: |
Ecological Mail Coalition |
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Services: |
Ecological Mail Coalition helps business-oriented marketers "clean" their lists by informing them of former employees. |
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Method: |
Send a list of former employees to Ecological Mail Coalition via their website. |
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Web: |
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Phone: |
1-800-620-3975 |
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Contact: |
Dun & Bradstreet |
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Services: |
Compiles information from over 60 million business establishments and creates and sells business marketing lists. |
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Method: |
To remove your department from Dun & Bradstreet's lists, have a representative from your department call requesting that your organization be "delisted." In a large company, addresses are compiled by department, and each department must make the request separately. If you write, provide your company name, phone number, department and department head. |
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Email: |
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Phone: |
1-800-234-3867 |
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Contact: |
Info USA |
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Services: |
Compiles information on over 14 million business establishments and creates and sells business marketing lists. |
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Method: |
To remove employees at your business from Info USA's lists, send a letter including the complete company name, address and phone number as well as the name, title and signature of each person requesting deletion. At the top of the letter write, "Attention - Content Feedback Department." Changes will go into effect in 30 days, and full removal will be complete in 90 days. |
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Mail: |
Info USA
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Email: |
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Phone: |
1-800-321-0869 |
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Fax: |
(402) 836-3993 (Please send on company letterhead) |
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Contact: |
Catalog Choice |
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Services: |
Acts on your behalf to stop requested junk mail of all types, either through on-line registration or via purchased envelopes to mail in requests. |
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Method: |
Sign up at website. |
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Web: |
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Ordering products: |
Whenever you order a product, make sure to tell them, "DO NOT SELL MY NAME." |
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Purchase Orders: |
On all purchase orders, attach a standard form stating: "In the interest of reducing waste, do not add this name or address to your mailing list." You can order a rubberstamp or print up a sticker to use on order forms. |
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Registration: |
When registering at conferences, trade shows or large meetings give your name, phone number and email, but not your address. |
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Writing checks: |
On the bottom of checks write, "DO NOT SELL MY NAME." |
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Subscriptions: |
Share magazine and catalogue subscriptions in the office. |
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What to do with junk mail that you do get: |
RE-USE:
Use blank return envelopes for outgoing mail. Re-use large envelopes in the office. Re-use one-sided letters for scrap paper.
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Contact: |
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) |
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Method: |
You can file a complaint at no charge with the FCC using an online complaint form. You can also file your complaint with the FCC's Consumer Center by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY or faxing 1-866-418-0232. For more information, please see the FCC website. |
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Mail: |
Consumer Information Bureau
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For information on how to reduce junk mail in your home, please see our Reduce Residential Junk Mail page .
