Shocker!! USPS is cutting out a day of mail.
Today, the Postmaster General told Congress that they may need to cut one day out of postal delivery.(full article here) Only ONE?? Although I am a proponent of an integrated marketing campaign which can include direct mail, I have know for quite a while now that the physical delivery of paper mail pieces is going away. And soon….Many large companies have already given people the option of going green by not receiving paper bills. I for one, welcome the alternative: a quick email with a pdf of my bill. It is much easier to track and less of a hassle. With online bill pay systems in place as well, I never even have to respond to the bill. The money comes straight out of my bank account. Talk about convenience!Direct mail is not far behind. For years, people have complained about all the “junk” mail they receive on a daily basis. Because they are so inundated with it, the vast majority of it goes directly to the trash can. In fact, at my mailbox, there is a trash can directly next to the rows of boxes and is full everyday!
If these pieces didn’t interest me from a design perspective, I, too, would place them directly in the round file cabinet.
In addition to that, the green trend isn’t going away anytime soon and some people see direct mail as wasting earth’s resources, which I can partially agree with. So Direct Mail will also be facing an increased campaign against it. That is a very uphill battle and backers of direct mail better start to prepare for it, if they even want to fight. Long term, direct mail is going to lose.
Social Media is also rising in relevance and people are using that medium as a very successful marketing tool. This tool will start to cannibalize direct mail even more than it is now. Direct mail utilizes a lot of resources: material and financial. Social media takes place in the virtual world and is free, it’s reach is broader and more relevant. Which one would you choose?
So, unfortunately for postal workers, your days of job security are limited. Please read the writing on the wall and start pursuing new skills. This will be an opportunity for you to start a career that you have always wanted. This is the push you need. Otherwise you will be part of the millions on unemployment.
adam-oleary
Adam is a graduate of Colorado State University (bachelor’s degree in marketing), and he has experience on both the client and agency side of the marketing world. These experiences led him to come up with a unique, more efficient business model, which he’s incorporated into Encite Marketing. Adam sets the strategic direction for all Encite projects, developing integrated marketing campaigns that bring results. He takes a consultative approach with clients, educating them about how the process works, and keeping them in the loop about end goals, steps, and tasks.
3 comments
Comments are closed.
Michael Newman
January 30, 2009I see it as unlikely that the USPS will cut out a day of mail delivery because there are too many idiots in congress as The Washington Post points out in the article below. I personally would rather have USPS mail service cut to three days a week and cut postal rates in half. I wonder how many people still check their mail every day. The only thing it would really affect for me is my netflix subscription.
That said, workers unions will likely band together to ensure no postal worker loses their job. Since Democrats control Congress and they tend to support more socialization than Republicans, I don’t see this happening–no matter how much I may want it to.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/29/AR2009012903745.html
Joe Flasher
January 30, 2009I think that the Post Office is in trouble in general, not just because of the tough economic times. The real problem, as I see it, is that the Post Office isn’t even highly regarded for their ability to do their sole task, that is to deliver messages. If you really need to get a message somewhere quickly, who do you use? I’d probably use FedEx or UPS. USPS? Nope. Add to that the fact (as Adam mentioned) that a lot of that junk mail is going to be on its way out (replaced by other crap to be sure), USPS is going to see a decline in what it needs to deliver.
Generally, I don’t see these sorts of things as huge problems. The USPS could just adopt some new technology, move in a different direction with their services and come out of this fine. However, in this scenario, I am really not sure which way the USPS could mold itself. I think it will continue to exist as a low cost carrier of unimportant mail that’s not urgent. Sad really, I liked seeing my postman outside my house every day growing up.
notebook driver
March 14, 2009I have learned a lot from your site. Thanks!!