We have two wonderful marketing choices — Xpressdocs and Max Magic Marketing.
Max Marketing will provide you with the following:
- Database for your contact information
- Templates for postcards, newsletters, greeting cards, sports schedules, brochures and flyers in various sizes
- E-mail component for all your contacts
- E-mail campaigns that are professionally written
- Print and mail fulfillment through SHUTTERFLY.
Printing via Shutterfly in Max is basically the same as before; however, the windows have changed. Once you hit the ORDER PRINTING button on the Action Screen to the Right, Your Print Cart window pops up:
When you click the “Add Mailing List” link, you get the following window:
To upload your own mailing list, you must follow these guidelines:
Upload File Guidelines for Shutterfly — Acceptable Mailing List File Formats:
Please make sure that your files are submitted in one of these formats. Please contact Shutterfly’s Customer Service at 866-952-3340 if you have a file in a format not listed below. Improperly formatted files may result in a delay for your order.
- Tab Delimited – Files will have extensions such as .txt
- Comma Separated Values – Files will have extensions such as .csv
- Microsoft Excel – Files will have extensions such as .xls*
Please ensure that address files submitted in .xls format have only ONE tab/sheet total with all the required address information. If files are submitted with multiple tabs/sheets, there is a chance that your order will print with unexpected results.
Format your list to include the following required fields:
Name, Address, City, State, Zip.
When no headers are provided for records with multiple addresses, Shutterfly will determine which addresses to use.
They have prepared a CSV template file with the correct headers already setup for you to download and use from the VIEW GUIDELINES link. This template can be downloaded from the window to ensure your CSV file meets Shutterfly’s specifications.
You either keep shopping or are ready for the check-out screen:
After you fill in your shipping and billing information in (Step 1) the Choose Options screen, you will review your order (Step 2) and print your receipt (Step 3).
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Xpressdocs is an on-demand printer and provides the following:
Templates for creating postcards in the following sizes:
- Small 4.25 x 5.5
- Jumbo 5.5 x 8.5
- X-tra large 11×5.5
- Mega 8.5×11
- Mega fold-over 8.5 x 11
Brochures and Flyers:
- 8.5 x 11 (1 page)
- 8.5 x 11 (2 page)
- 11 x 17 (4 page)
Business Cards
Print and Mail fulfillment
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Both Max and Xpressdocs have an UPLOAD YOUR OWN component.
The Xpressdocs print quality with the UV coating is extremely professional. Max’s mail quality in the past (Mailprint.com) has paled to Xpressdocs. Now that Max has teamed up with Shutterfly, perhaps Max will give Xpressdocs some friendly competition.
Quick sample compare of the prices:
8.5 x 5.5 Jumbo postcards (2 sides) full color, UV coated, mailed first class:
Shutterfly (MAX): (0-99 ordered) 80¢ per card
Xpressdocs: (100-499) 77¢ per card (100 minimum order)
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Flyers (UV Coated) 2 sided
Shutterfly (MAX) (0-99) 80# ………………94¢
Xpressdocs (50-99) 100#………………….$1.20
Please note that Xpressdocs requires a minimum of 50 whereas Shutterfly does not seem to have a minimum.
Please note that both Shutterfly and Xpressdocs utilize different types and weights of paper which will also be a determining factor of the price per piece.
Both services allow you to upload your own mailing lists. The procedures for uploading lists are fairly similar to those outlined above. Both services will sell you a list if you prefer. Xpressdocs also CASS certifies your lists to minimize returned pieces.
In looking (cross-eyed) at the two pricing charts, there seem to be penny differences — except that Xpressdocs does have a minimum. When you spend time and energy creating your masterpiece, to mail fewer than 100 pieces would be a crime.
I would love your feedback as you use these services. The pricing charts are easy to access in the first screen of each of the programs. If you need any assistance regarding accessing these charts, please feel free to contact me.