In the first and second quarters of the fiscal year, the USPS has reported significant losses. In the second quarter overall, the USPS reported a $2.5 billion dollar loss, an increase of $1.8 billion compared to last year’s same quarter. Total operating revenue was $19.3 billion, down $484 million dollars, or 2.4% from last year’s same quarter. First-Class, Marketing Mail, and Shipping and Packages all saw a decrease in pieces shipped as well.
While this might seem concerning, or that physical mail is dying, there is a silver lining in this for businesses who are looking to add direct mail into their media mix. Recently, studies have show that about 64% of consumers were inspired to take action because of a piece of direct mail. And a study done by Postalytics shows that response rates for direct mail are higher than other avenues—5.3% compared to the 0.1% of emails that are opened.
These numbers are also applicable to Millennials and Gen-Z. In fact, Millennials and Gen-Z see direct mail as a refreshing break from the clutter of the digital inbox. An email is easily deleted, while mail is physical and unique. And older generations such as Gen-X and Boomers are still interacting with physical mail as well.
With mail piece delivery low, now is the perfect time to start investing in direct mail—not only will there be less competition in the mailbox, consumers are responding to mail pieces surprisingly well, and companies are seeing higher customer retention and ROI.
There are a few tools that can help you see direct marketing success, such as:
Address Verification: Sending out hundreds or thousands of mail pieces can be costly. Make sure that you’re only spending the money that you need. Reduce waste and costs associated with undeliverable or returned mail by verifying, correcting, and standardizing addresses before sending mail. You can also add latitude and longitude coordinates up to the rooftop level for precise delivery.
Along with address verification, you can also verify names, phone numbers, and emails to enhance your omnichannel marketing.
Personalization: The more personalized the mailing piece, the more likely you’re going to attract long-lasting customers. Enrich your data by adding demographic and consumer appends to your already existing database for more personalized targeting. Demographics that can be added include marital status, children present, or homeowner status, among many others.
Lists: Make sure that you are reaching the best audience for your message. If you want to reach more people with specific interests—for example, dog owners or people who are really into woodworking, create a list that will help you reach the people who are most looking for your product or service. We offer high-deliverability and a lowest-price guarantee, so try it out!
Since 1985, Melissa has specialized in address verification and data quality solutions—that's why we're The Address Experts! For more information on our global address verification solutions, data cleansing, or high-quality mailing lists and sales leads, visit www.melissa.com or call 1-800-MELISSA. Don't forget to subscribe to our blog for everything related to data quality!