Address labels, Sample letters, etc...
MAIL MERGE:
Don't "freak out", it's actually quite simple. Really! Definitely worth the 5 minutes that it will take you to familiarise yourself with it
(I didn't know about it either, until I got frustrated enough to give it a try!)
Here's the detailed step-by-step:
- Download and save on your computer the following 2 things:
1) The following word document, that contains info that you are going to need just now: mail-merge-codes.
2) the list(s) that you want. Don't bother opening these documents directly: all you would see is gibberish.
Here are the options available at present:
- list for all the networks: click here.
Please note that the networks file will be updated regularly, so come back here to download it whenever you need it!
- list of sponsors / "advertisers" from Moonlightline & Moonlight-army (it's the same):
- just the company and address (as given on these sites): click here
- same list but with "Attn: Consumer Relations": click here
- list of companies but for the Fanbase-Sponsor Partnership Project: click here
Print labels for your envelops & postcards using mail-merge:
(Note: to buy labels online click here: this is the cheapest I found... let me know it you find better!).
- Open a blank word document.
- Click on "tools" on the word tool bar, select "letters and mailings" from the menu, and then "mail merge" from this second
menu. A vertical window then opens on the right hand side of your screen: for the next steps, this is where you must be looking.
- At the top select "document type: labels"
Then click "next" at the bottom.
- At the top select "change document layout", and then underneath "label options".
A window appears in the middle of your screen: select the type of labels that you have and click "ok".
Then click "next" at the bottom.
- At the top for "select recipient" choose "use an existing list"
Below that click "browse", and select the file that you downloaded (the same one as above; you will have to get it from wherever
you saved it on your computer).
A window will open in the middle of your screen.
If you want to use the entire list as it is, just click "ok".
If you want to use only some of the addresses, first untick those that you do not want in the window. Note that you also have the
option to edit the list in all sorts of other ways (you can add other addresses to it for example).
Then click "next" at the bottom.
- Just place the cursor in the first cell, and open the word document that you downloaded, "mail-merge-codes". Just copy what
is in black under "code for labels"; it includes the job title, whereas the "address block" option in mail merge does not), and
paste it into the first cell, the first "label".
- Click on "update all labels" on the right hand side of the screen, towards the middle in the vertical direction.
Then click "next" at the bottom.
- Click "next" at the bottom again (for "complete the merge").
- Here again you have the option to edit individual labels if you need to, but otherwise you are (almost) ready to print.
- Before you print on labels however first print on paper and check how far off your margins are: you will probably need to adjust
the margins in your document for it to print correctly on the labels (that's the irritating part), by clicking on the ruler bars (on the
left and/or top).
Further trick:
- Reduce the size of your font so that the addresses fit more easily on the labels (just click select all and proceed as usual for
word).
Personalise the content of your letters (greeting line, etc...):
- Prepare a letter that you can use for a group of recipients (networks, or sponsors...). It must be in a word document.
- Click on "tools" on the word tool bar, select "letters and mailings" from the menu, and then "mail merge" from this second
menu. A vertical window then opens on the right hand side of your screen: for the next steps, this is where you must be looking.
- At the top select "document type: letters"
Then click "next" at the bottom.
- At the top select "use the current document"
Then click "next" at the bottom.
- At the top for "select recipient" choose "use an existing list"
Below that click "browse", and select the list file that you just downloaded in 2) (you will have to get it from wherever you saved
it on your computer).
A window will open in the middle of your screen.
If you want to use the entire list as it is, just click "ok".
If you want to use only some of the addresses, first untick those that you do not want.
Note that you also have the option to edit the list in all sorts of other ways (you can add other addresses to it for example).
Then click "next" at the bottom.
- At the top you should see the option "write your letter" (which you already have done).
Just place the cursor where you want the address of the network/company to appear in your document, and open the word
document that you downloaded, "mail-merge-codes". Just copy and paste what is in black under "code for address in letters +
greeting line"; it includes the job title, whereas the "address block" option in mail merge does not).
Then click "next, preview your letter" at the bottom.
- You should now see an example of the letter. If you are unhappy with something, click "previous" at the bottom and make the
necessary changes (reposition the address block or greeting line, etc...)
- Once you are happy with your letter, click "next, complete the merge" at the bottom.
- You can then print, or if you want to personalise further the individual letters (to talk about the shows that you like on the
different networks for example, or the products of the advertisers, etc...), click on "edit individual letters" first. You will get all
your letters one after the other in the same word document. Note that in the case of the sponsors that's about 50 of them!
Further tricks:
- if your letter is longer than one page, you have convenient access to a photocopier and suffer from a slow printer like mine,
you can do the mail merge on the first page of your letter only, and just photocopy the other pages since they are usually the
same.
- if you want to edit the list file and you get an error message, a trick that usually works is the following: copy and paste the file
under another name, and try again with the new file.