A Detailed Guide on How to Successfully Send Certified Mail For Business

If you’re a business or a person who needs to send sensitive documents through the mail, certified mail should be your only choice.

It’s more secure than regular mail, so you can offer peace of mind to your customers. It also shows that you have the utmost care about them and their documents. These and more are the reasons why 56% of all Americans have used certified mail at some point.

But, how do send certified mail? Read on to find out the different ways you can do this.

1. Take a Trip to the Post Office

Going to the post office is the traditional way of sending certified mail. In this option, you’ll have to take some time off your day to line up in the post office.

Get the Certified Mail Form

Once in your local post office, ask for the standard certified mail format. It’s the Certified Mail Form 3800.

First, you have to address the envelope. Make sure you’re familiar with the standard address formatting. After filling out the form, remove the backing.

Then, take the green and white sticker included in the form. Stick it along the top of the envelope – to the right of the return address. Remember that there must be enough space at the top right corner for postage.

Choose the Type of Delivery

You then have to choose the type of delivery; in this case, choose Basic Certified Mail. It’s an added service on top of first-class mail and priority mail.

First-class mail is available for envelopes or even packages that weigh up to 13 ounces. Priority mail delivers your documents within two to three days.

With the Basic Certified Mail option, you’ll be able to see the record of shipment or delivery attempt. You won’t get physical signature confirmation, though.

You can select add-ons, which would cost you more. You can get proof of delivery or other benefits by selecting more services, such as Certificate of Mailing or Email Return Receipt Service.

The Restricted Delivery option is helpful when you want only one person to receive the mail. The specified person is the only one who can receive and sign for the letter. As such, you get the peace of mind from knowing your envelope will be in the right hands.

Get the USPS Certified Mail Tracking Number

Once you’ve filled in the correct details, hand the mail forms and documents over. Make sure to keep the receipts for future reference.

Give USPS some time to process the mail. Once they’re done, you’ll be able to track the status online.

You can confirm the delivery online as it will contain details like the delivery date and the person who signed for it. You will also see the signature on the postal service website.

If you opt for the Return Receipt service, you’ll also get the signed receipt. Keep this one o file, too.

2. Use an Online Certified Mail Service

Aside from the USPS, third-party mailing providers are also a good option. They allow you to complete the whole process online.

Research the Best Vendor For You

The USPS leaves a lot of room for third-party vendors to operate. That’s why you’ll see many options when you do your research.

Although all of them provide the basic USPS mailing services, many of them have extra services, like advanced tracking and automated mailing.

Check several mailing providers and check their services as well as fees. You should also check for reviews from those who have already sent a USPS certified mail online.

Once you have chosen a provider, you have to set up an account on their site. You’ll do all the mailing using this account, so use a formal email address.

One of the best things about online mailing providers is that you can pay them online. You have to set up a payment method first, though, as they would require an upfront payment. Credit cards are a given, but some may offer other payment options. They may accept checks or bank wire transfers.

Use Their Certified Mail Service

Your chosen vendor might give you the option to mail the letter for you. This is, by far, the easiest way of sending certified mail.

In this case, you must have a digital copy of the document. If you only have a physical copy, you can digitize it by scanning it. You then have to upload them to your account then choose a delivery option. Provide the other necessary information, like the name and address of the recipient. You pay for it, and that’s it.

The instructions might be different from other providers. For example, some will require you to email the documents to a specific address. Make sure to read their instructions with care as these also cover the types of documents you can send.

The options are the same as in USPS, so you can also get the same add-on services. You can always add a Return Receipt service and Restricted Delivery among others.

If you don’t want them to handle the mail for you, you can use their service to print a label and buy certified mail envelopes. You can then submit the letter to the post office yourself.

Track Your Mail

They’ll give you a certified mail tracking code, which you can use on their website to track your mail. In some cases, you have to go to the website of USPS to track your mail.

They should also be able to send you a confirmation email after delivering the mail. Because all the receipts and confirmation are online, you don’t have to make storage space for physical receipts.

If you need them for future reference, you can log into your account or look for the confirmation email.

3. Why Use Certified Mail

There are other ways to send mail and receive proof of delivery. What makes certified mail the better option? Read on to find out.

Cost-Effective

One of the things where USPS’ certified mail stands out the most is its cost. Getting the same service from a private shipping company is more expensive.

Virtually, there are no differences between the two options. You can enjoy the same benefits using USPS’ service and you save money doing it. When you often send a lot of documents, these savings will add up.

Location Tracking

We’ve mentioned earlier that when you use the certified mail service, you will get a tracking number. This helps you monitor every point in the journey of your mail.

When the recipient wants to get an update about the status of their mail, you can quickly go to the USPS website and enter the tracking code there. It will also show the expected delivery date of the mail.

Proof of Mailing

With certified mail, you get proof that you sent the mail. This is important for sensitive documents, especially for the time-sensitive ones.

If you’re in a pinch and the mail gets delayed, you will at least be able to clear your name. After all, you have proof that you sent it on a certain date.

Proof of Delivery

Once it gets delivered, you can get a confirmation that someone has received it. If a client or customer tries to tell you otherwise, you can show that you sent it and it didn’t get lost in the mail.

If you purchased add-ons, you can even have an email or the physical receipt with the recipient’s signature on it.

Retention of Record

Even if you don’t have added services, you can still get the delivery on record. USPS keeps the tracking record of certified mail for two years. As for the other services, USPS only keeps the tracking record for four months.

You can access these records anytime via the website.

Certified Mailing Label

Using third-party services, you can create and print certified mailing labels at your convenience. This is preferable to going to the post office in person, wherein you’re limited to its short office hours. You might also have to wait long in line.

Such services are easy to use, so you don’t have to be tech-savvy to get a certified mailing label online.

Higher Priority

The delivery time depends on whether you choose first-class mail or priority mail. However, the certified mail sticker adds a bit of sense of urgency to it.

You can usually expect the mail to get delivered earlier in the given timeframe.

Extra Protection

Mail theft has soared over the last three years, which can be why many people are hesitant to send important documents via USPS. However, certified mail adds a strong layer of protection.

It requires a person to receive the mail, unlike in other types of mailing. If a post office worker leaves the mail in the mailbox, it’s prone to theft.

Use Certified Mail For Your Business Now

The benefits above are important for any business. If you want the convenience, security, and peace of mind that certified mail can offer for you and the client, don’t hesitate to use certified mail using the ways we described above.

Of course, there are other tips and tricks to master when it comes to optimizing certified mail for your business’ success. To learn even more, check out our other in-depth guides right here, today!