Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman!

March 8, 2010  |   Posted in Blog, Integrated Marketing   |   1 Comment   

Attention all snail mail users, those currently waiting in line at the post office and direct mail marketing professionals: get ready to say goodbye to postal service on Saturdays.

Faced with growing deficits and dwindling business, the United States Postal Service last week reintroduced proposals to cut costs, close post offices, raise rates and eliminate some services, most notably Saturday mail delivery. BUT. Eliminating Saturday delivery would take an act of Congress – let’s face it, not the most expeditious government entity, especially in an election year.

But how big of an impact will stamping out Saturday service have on direct mail marketing? One-third of the postal service’s revenue comes from advertising mail, according to Linda Woolley of the Direct Marketing Association trade group. She said her association, which includes magazine and catalog publishers as well as direct-mail marketers, supports the service’s proposals because its members, too, depend on the Postal Service remaining viable without sharply raising rates.

And although the move will present a challenge to the direct mail marketing industry, Advertising Age reports that many marketers are bracing themselves and preparing to adjust.

Of course, this all begs the question whether email marketing is slowly replacing direct mail marketing all together. Campaign dollars have dramatically shifted to online ventures and limiting the number of mail delivery days isn’t exactly helping the cause.

So, what’s going to happen next in this delivery drama? The Postal Regulatory Commission first must offer an official advisory to the service on significant changes like reducing mail service to five days a week. The Postal Service will formally propose its changes to the commission later this month, said Ruth Y. Goldway, the chairwoman of the commission.

We’ll keep you posted. Pun intended.

Author: Lindsey