google_groups@excite.com wrote:

>I've got a bunch of questions and thoughts regarding promotion of my
>website using flyers, but I will start off with a couple of related
>questions.
>
>I plan to print on each flyer a unique number - which can be entered at
>my website, and serve many useful purposes - such as tracking
>responses, and also as an entry into a sweepstakes.
>
>(Q1) PRINTING COMPANIES. I've started to send out enquiry emails to
>printers, but has anyone had experience of doing the same or a similar
>thing with flyers and if so, how did you do it? One local printer I
>phoned recently said they could accept an Excel file of all my numbers
>(thousands of them), and print each one to a different flyer.

Just insert a column in the database/spreadsheet, and make up one number
for each row. Then tell your printer to use that column to mailmerge
the number onto your postcard. Usually it is cheapest when you do that
on the same side that has the address.

>(Q2) NUMBERING SYSTEM. Although internal to my DB, numbering will be
>sequential, I DON'T plan on the printed numbers being sequential 0001,
>0002 ... 5000 etc. The number that GETS PRINTED on a flyer will be a
>sequential number encoded using some algorithm plus a checksum digit
>(like credit cards.) This is so that if a visitor enters it incorrectly
>they get informed of a bad digit somewhere. My question is - how do I
>decide on an appropriate numbering system? I don't want too few digits,
>or too many. For example, UPC codes are usually 12 digits, US phone
>numbers and eBay item codes are 10 digits, and a number of credit cards
>are 16 digits. And I may also want the numbering system to be
>expandable in the future - say I choose 8 digits now, but go to 12
>digits in the future, but still want the new system to be backwards
>compatible with the previous system.

If you use digits and numbers, then it will be shorter. Be careful of
confusion between zeros and the letter "o" and the numbers 1 and the
letter "i" or "l". Usually you can just leave these out of the
numbering system to cut down on the errors. Unless it is a very good
mailing and sweepstakes, people will not be happy about having to enter
long and confusing numbers. Best thing to do is hire a programmer to
make a random number generator for you using a six digit alpah-numeric
number 2-9,A-H,J,K,M,N,P-Z. a 7-digit number will yield about 1 million
combos. They can write it in VB for applications so you can use it in
Excel. Put your cursor in the correct column, at the first row of data,
push a button, and it is all filled in. Most programmers will charge
between $250 and $750 to write it. Less for overseas, but that you have
to explain yourself 10 times.

Cliff.
--
_____cliff_rayman_________________________________ ____
Business Consulting and Turnaround Management
[web] http://www.rayman.com/
[web] http://all-clear-turnaround-management.com/
[eml] cliff _at__ rayman.com
[phn] 888-736-3802 x701
[fax] 818-743-7404
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