USPS Delivers Direct Mail Without Expensive Mailing Lists
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. CREDIT: Postal truck image via Shutterstock |
The U.S. Postal Service is launching a new campaign this week aimed at reminding small businesses that it’s there to help – and in the process help build a new customer base among business owners.
Through a series of television, print and mail ads, the Postal Service is stepping up efforts to promote its Every Door Direct Mail program, a Web-based service that helps small businesses prospect locally to new and existing customers without the need for names or addresses.
The suite of mailing and shipping services is tailored to the small businesses’ needs with an eye toward helping them compete for customers and run operations more efficiently, according to Paul Vogel, president and chief marketing/sales officer for the Postal Service.
"Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and the Postal Service plays an important role in enabling their growth and commercial success," Vogel said.
For fewer than 15 cents apiece, the Every Door Direct Mail program lets small businesses send highly targeted fliers, menus, brochures and advertisements.
"The Web tool is free and easy to use, enabling restaurants, doctors’ offices and other small businesses to map their coverage areas online, so they can really zero in on the streets and neighborhoods they want to reach," Vogel said.
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Maryland's John DePaola said his family-owned home improvement business has benefited significantly.
"This program allows us to deliver our valuable message with pinpoint accuracy to the exact neighborhoods we wish to target for our products and services," DePaola said. "It provides an efficient way to achieve market coverage by focusing on the key areas where there is a need for home improvements."
The Postal Service also announced this week new enhancements and tools to help small businesses ship their products, including a redesign of Click-N-Ship, which enables small businesses to ship their products in four online steps.
Set to relaunch next month, "Click-N-Ship for Business" is designed for small- and medium-size businesses that have 10 to 100 pieces of mail to ship per day. New features will include a downloadable desktop application and expanded payment options.
Chad Brooks is a Chicago-based freelance business and technology writer who has worked in public relations and spent 10 years as a newspaper reporter. You can reach him at chadgbrooks@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @cbrooks76.