When to Include “Or Current Resident” on Postcards

When you send a direct mail postcard campaign, how can you make sure you don’t mail to names and addresses that are out of date?

There are several ways to ensure your message reaches the right addresses. One of the most effective ways is to make sure you use a mailing list that’s recent and 100% up to date, as opposed to an older mailing list that may contain out-of-date entries.

Another way is to use “Or Current Resident” in the address field of your direct mail campaign. You can do this by checking the “Print Or Current Occupant” option when you use our direct mail postcard printing and delivery service.

When you print “Or Current Resident” on your postcards, your message will always be delivered to the addresses you specify, even if the residents you’re trying to reach have moved to a new home.

The mail won’t be forwarded by the postal service, even if the resident has made it clear that they would like mail to be forward to their new address. In certain cases, this can benefit your campaign; in others, it can be a disadvantage.

When should you use “Or Current Resident” for your campaign?

In general, it’s best to use “Or Current Resident” when your campaign is targeted on a specific area.

Some offers are more relevant to people within a specific area than individuals. For example, a direct mail postcard advertising a local business is more likely to appeal to people that live within a certain area than specific individuals.

If someone used to live close to a local business but has moved away – even within the same city – they’re far less likely to respond positively to the campaign than the individual or family that now lives at their old address.

The more important proximity and location is to your campaign, the more you will usually benefit from using “Or Current Resident.” On the other hand, the more you need to target specific individuals, the less helpful “Or Current Resident” will be.

When should you not use “Or Current Resident” for your campaign?

Not all direct mail campaigns target based on location. For example, if a business wants to mail its database of customers and clients, it’s far more important that their mail reaches the correct person than the once-correct address.

If you’re mailing to an audience that’s made up of individuals, especially a mailing list that you’ve uploaded yourself using My List upload, you should usually select “Do Not Print Or Current Occupant” for your campaign.

If you select “Or Current Occupant,” there’s a chance your campaign will reach the wrong people. This can be particularly troublesome if you’re delivering a message that your clients or customers need to receive.

Which option is best for your campaign?

When used for the right type of direct mail campaign, “Or Current Occupant” can ensure your message reaches the largest relevant audience and isn’t forwarded to people that are no longer likely to respond.

For the wrong type of campaign, it can result in your message being delivered to addresses when you’re really trying to target individuals. Choose carefully to give your next direct mail campaign the most relevant target audience available. When you're ready to send your next engaging mail piece, simply go to QuantumPostcards' order page to get started -- we'll send high quality postcards to your ideal target audience with next-day turnaround.