Creating greater opportunities
PMG Pat Donahoe and a team of USPS officers and executives are visiting more than 100 local Postal Customer Councils during PCC Week. They’re telling PCC members the mail continues to be vital to the American economy and is successfully meeting the challenges of a changing marketplace.
“Changes in technology are enabling greater opportunities for integrated marketing,” Donahoe told a meeting of the Atlanta, GA, PCC. “The real power comes when mail is combined with other channels for reaching customers, especially when integrated with digital channels.”
The convergence of mail and digital technology begins with the mail’s appeal. Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Nagisa Manabe said direct mail likely will be 15-20 percent of all marketing dollars next year, because it works. “Most people at least look at the envelope to see what they got,” she said. “Many people open that envelope, and that’s the defining difference with direct mail, something that we should believe in.”
USPS is not standing still, waiting for integrated marketing to happen. It’s pushing the envelope when it comes to innovative ideas. “We’re a catalyst for growth,” said Domestic Products VP Gary Reblin. USPS this year has created new products and promotions that are increasing use of the mail. This summer’s Mobile Commerce and Personalization promotion, for example, generated more than 620 million mail pieces in just two weeks.
Intelligent Mail is the technology supporting this kind of volume growth. Jim Cochrane, Product Information VP, says Intelligent Mail isn’t just about tracking — it’s about information. If a company knows its catalogs will arrive at customer homes the morning of a certain date, it can send its customers an email offering a discount if they buy that same day. “We’re building systems that’ll better provision data to our customers,” says Cochrane.
Mailers are the ultimate beneficiaries of integrated marketing, and the Postal Service wants their help to make the future a reality. Donahoe said PCC members can be advocates for the Postal Service as it moves into the future. “The PCC network is incredibly important,” he said. “By working closely together, we can shape a strong future based on growth and leveraging new technologies.”
via USPS News Link