In this episode of The Lawyerist Podcast, Jess Garza, CEO of Earth Class Mail, sat down with Sam Glover, of The Lawyerist, to discuss how a virtual mailbox or digital mailroom can help attorneys keep postal mail and paper out of the office and enable

In this episode of The Lawyerist Podcast, Jess Garza, CEO of Earth Class Mail, sat down with Sam Glover, of The Lawyerist, to discuss how a virtual mailbox or digital mailroom can help attorneys keep postal mail and paper out of the office and enable them to operate a more efficient practice.  

Earth Class Mail Featured on The Lawyerist Podcast: Episode #256 | Earth Class Mail

Earth Class Mail Featured on The Lawyerist Podcast: Episode #256

Virtual Mail Address

Virtual Mail Address2

Virtual mailboxes make postal mail paperless. With a virtual mailbox, your incoming mail gets sorted and scanned, and you receive a digital copy.  Once you have a virtual mailbox, you can access your mail 24/7 from any device, anywhere. 

What is a virtual mailbox? And how does virtual mail work?

PO boxes and virtual mailboxes are more different than alike. Both give a non-residential address to share, but similarities end there. A virtual mailbox gives customers a full-range of options to manage their mail, important documents and packages online.

From locations offered by your service provider. Very often, business owners ask: "Is it possible to get a virtual PO Box near me?" Yes, it's possible; you should ask the service provider about availability. You can also set up virtual P.O. Boxes in multiple locations to create a broader market presence.


Pick your virtual P.O. Box address

According to your mail needs, and pay the fee.

Choose a plan

To authorize the service provider to receive mail on your behalf and have it notarized. You should submit two forms of ID.

Fill out a USPS Form 1583

Online or at a local post office. You can also redirect senders directly.
You can start receiving mail at your new virtual PO Box. You can view and manage your from anywhere 24/7 and receive mail and packages from any carrier.

Apply for a change of address

PO boxes and virtual mailboxes are more different than alike. Both give a non-residential address to share, but similarities end there. Virtual mailbox gives customers a full-range of options to manage their mail, important documents, and packages online.

What’s the difference between a PO box and a virtual mailbox?

For many reasons, traditional mailboxes aren’t right for everyone. Fortunately, many alternatives could fit your lifestyle or your business’ needs. One of the most common alternatives to a regular mailbox is a Post Office Box (PO Box). 

A traditional PO Box can certainly help address any security concerns you have about your current mailbox. However, you'll have to make some adjustments if you want a PO Box and you don't have a street address. Visit our blog to learn more.

PO Box Without a Street Address I Earth Class Mail

How to Get a PO Box Without a Street Address

Virtual addresses give individuals and businesses significant flexibility — they can receive and respond to postal mail items from anywhere in the world. Plus, freelancers or independent business owners can use a virtual address to keep their personal

Before you buy a virtual address and let someone else open your mail, make sure they take your privacy and security very seriously. Learn more.

Virtual Address - Privacy and Security

Virtual Address Privacy and Security

A virtual address can give you many things: a chance to register a business in a different city, freedom from limiting you to a physical space, and give you access to your mail remotely if you combine it with a virtual mailbox.  

What is A Virtual Address?  A virtual address can give you many things: a chance to register a business in a different city, freedom from limiting you to a physical space, and give you access to your mail remotely if you combine it with a virtual mailbox.  A virtual address is a real street address that you can use as a mailing address or business address without the need for you or your business to physically occupy that space.  For example, if you are living in California but want to establish your business presence in Delaware while working remotely, you could sign up for an Earth Class Mail small business plan, then choose our Wilmington address at 2810 N. Church St.  You can start using your new virtual address for mailing purposes as soon as you fill out the USPS 1583 form and have it notarized.   Why a virtual address can help your business A virtual address can save you time and money, while providing several key solutions, at any stage of your business.  If you want to protect your privacy while starting a business, a virtual address can keep your home address private. This public-facing address adds to your professional credibility and eliminates the need to pay for office space or to change addresses if you ever move - your virtual address goes wherever you do. You can use our virtual addresses to register your business right from the beginning or switch your established business to one of our addresses. Alternatively, if you live abroad or travel often, choosing one of our 80+ U.S addresses will ensure that you can access your business mail wherever you go. If you already have a business established, adding a virtual address can allow you to expand to multiple markets and appeal to niche locales, without having to purchase expensive real estate.  Scaling your business with Earth Class Mail software also comes with  a dedicated team of customer support. You may have a virtual address, but you can get your business questions answered by real address experts!   Virtual Addresses for Individuals  Earth Class Mail offers individual virtual mailbox plans for those who are looking for a place to send their personal mail, with our virtual Beaverton, Oregon location. Solopreneurs, freelancers, and frequent travelers can use a personal virtual address while living life on the go.   What’s the difference between a virtual address and virtual mailbox? Virtual addresses give you ownership over your own custom mailing address.  Virtual mailboxes include a virtual address – but they also offer a few more options and added flexibility. Virtual mailboxes allow you to view and manage any mail you receive at the address from any device, anywhere. Your virtual mailbox provider will receive and scan any mail you receive.  Do I need a virtual address or a virtual mailbox? Earth Class Mail offers both address-only plans with its Virtual Business Address plans and virtual mailbox plans. The difference? The address-only plans allow you to select from any one of our 80+ addresses, but these plans fit those who don’t expect to get much mail. That’s because you incur charges for each individual item of mail scanned. If you need a virtual address just for marketing purposes, or to register a business that you plan to operate online-only, an address-only plan might work for you. A virtual mailbox gives you both the address and the mail processing. You can select either an introductory plan, which includes our flagship location in Beaverton, Oregon. Even our basic plans include a minimum of 50 mail pieces automatically scanned each month. (That doesn’t include junk mail, which we automatically shred and recycle.) You can use our check deposit feature to have payments deposited automatically.  If you want the mail processing and a custom address, you have two options: You can select a basic plan at $19 a month and add-on any of our addresses for $30 a month.  You can select a Premium Mailbox plan for $79 a month. This includes a custom address and up to 20 recipients. We also offer business mailbox plans, which automatically come with a virtual business address and higher mail volumes and recipients.  Ready to explore exciting virtual address options? Click here to view all of our locations and pick a plan right for you. 

What is a Virtual Address?

Integrations screenshot

Integrations menu

 We give you the power to take documents you receive in the mail and use them in other ways through a selection of software integrations and our API key. 

Earth Class Mail does more than just give you a way to view and manage your mail from any device, any time. We also give you the power to take documents you receive in the mail and use them in other ways through a selection of software integrations and our API key. 

How to make your mail do more with API and easy integrations

Here are three ways to plan your business goals for 2022 

Goal setting can set your pace for yourself or your business for the year.  When I managed a social media and creative content team a few years ago, we collaborated on an overall team goal.  We brainstormed ideas and took a good look at our competition in the market.  We also took into consideration the mission and vision of our company to align our goals with our brand.  Once we decided on the goals, we made it a point to review them each week during our meetings to see how well we were staying on track as a team. At that time, we broke the goals up by quarter, midyear, and overall year.  I also had them write three individual goals for themselves.  When I would have my one on one meetings with them, we reviewed their goals and made sure they were still working towards meeting them. I have always felt that goal setting reminds you to stay on path.  The individual goals each team member set for themselves ranged from professional growth, working on communication with coworkers,  getting better at Instagram videos, to creating a trending hashtag.   As one of my college professors always told us, “when you are knee deep in alligators, you tend to forget that the main reason you are there is to drain the swamp”.  Goals are a great reminder to drain the swamp! Here are three different ways you can plan out your 2022 goals: Write a letter to yourself Last year my friend told me about how he writes a letter to himself and writes out what his plans are for the year for his business.  It isn’t a long letter,— it is basically a short bulleted note to yourself with your goals.  You want to make sure you read the letter to yourself weekly or daily.  This will help you remain on track.   The letter can start out by saying, “Here are your goals for the year 2022” then you can begin listing them out.  You can have them be short and to the point or you can go into detail.  For instance, if your goal is a new vehicle, you can write down the color, model, and year.  Because you know exactly what you want. Items in the letter can also include charity, partnerships, team goals, business growth, just to name a few.  The key to this is the repetitive reading of the letter to yourself.   I tried this technique for myself mid-year and would you believe that I achieved my top goal within five months of daily list affirmations to myself and the second goal is in motion.  I kept my letter in my email and saw it everyday when I would check my phone.  You can also keep it on a note.  The main thing is to see it daily.  Vision boards  Vision boards allow you to create a visual representation of what you want to achieve.  You can cut images out of magazines, print them out, and place them on a poster board. If you want, you can use a design app to help you create your vision board.  The visual aspect of the board appeals to your senses.  You see the board daily and see your purpose.   The vision board sets the mood for your year (or whatever length of time you are choosing to focus on.) .  Some people make yearly ones, others plan out up to five years on their board.  Many celebrities including Oprah Winfrey boasted how they loved vision boards and how it helped them in their careers. Here is a link that can help you get started on creating your vision board for 2022. Vision boards are great for team building.  When you get your team members to work on a vision board, you get their input on where they see not only themselves in the company but where they see the company going.  This can introduce team members to new ideas they didn’t envision.  Plus, a vision board is something that can be placed around the office and remind everyone to work on those goals! One Word Goal Setting This is a popular one! Choose one word that will define your year.  It can be anything you choose to put an effort towards during the year.  Gratitude, focus, organization, are some of the words that people who practice “the word of the year” and work on in all aspects of their life.   At times, vision boards, setting goals, or even writing out your goals can become an overwhelming process.  Choosing one word is a simpler way to achieve individual and business success.  Think of it as your theme for the year!  Here is a good resource link to learn more about your one word.

Goal setting, vision boards, and planning your new year 

Goal Setting, vision boards, and planning your new year

Mail notifications in Earth Class Mail

We can’t see in the future or use X-ray vision, but we have a few new tools that get us close to that when it comes to something far from the cutting edge of technology - your postal mail.

ou can receive instant notifications or summaries daily, weekly, or monthly (or both!) New mail delivered New parcel delivered New check detected When we process your mail, you also receive notifications about these account activities. Like the other events, you can decide how often you receive notifications. Mail scan completed Shipment sent out Forwarded check deposit Mail auto-scan skipped Canceled scan Mail has been returned 

Where is my mail? Find out with instant notifications 

With the holidays in full force, the spike in shipping demands overload USPS and other mail delivery services. At the same time, USPS reduces  hours of operation during the holidays. 

With the holidays in full force, the spike in shipping demands overload USPS and other mail delivery services. At the same time, USPS reduces  hours of operation during the holidays. Plan ahead if you need any to send mail and packages or check your PO box before Christmas.

Is the post office open on Christmas?

USPS First-Class Package

If you ever needed to ship a package quickly and conveniently, you probably wondered what the easiest and most convenient delivery option was.

Preparing domestic shipments is easy. However, a very important thing is how you will prepare your boxes. First, measure your package so that it will fit through automated processing equipment. If the size is ok, you will not have to pay extra fees. Don’t forget to use a box that is big enough to safely fit what you are sending.

Measure your package

Then, pack your box to protect your contents and make sure the box arrives intact. It is usually helpful to tape the box so that it closes flat on all sides. Once it’s packed, address your package. Choose a mail service and then, calculate and apply postage. Correct postage will help your package arrive on time.

Pack your box

If you need to get postage prices for different services, you can enter your package information into the USPS Postage Calculator. 

Get postage prices

The final step is shipping your package. You can request free package pickups, drop small packages in a blue collection box, visit a post office station, or leave your box with an Approved Postal Provider.

Earth Class Mail Featured on The Lawyerist Podcast: Episode #256

In need of a digital mail and paper solution?

Find out more with The Postcard

Most Read

What is a virtual mailbox? And how does virtual mail work?

What’s the difference between a PO box and a virtual mailbox?

How to Get a PO Box Without a Street Address

Virtual Address Privacy and Security

What is a Virtual Address?

How to make your mail do more with API and easy integrations

Goal Setting, vision boards, and planning your new year

Where is my mail? Find out with instant notifications

Is the post office open on Christmas?

USPS First-Class Package

Access postal mail anywhere with a virtual MailBox

Find out more with The Postcard

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