Pay bills? Do that online. Write a letter to a camper? Ditto. Submit a contract? Send it by email and then fax it back, scan and email it back, or use an electronic signature and email it back.
With increasing stamp rates and email taking over, it’s no surprise the U.S. Post Office (USPS) has a campaign promoting the use of mail in conjunction with email and the Internet. The organization understandably fears it’ll become obsolete as technology continues to help us do things without using snail mail.
I wish I can remember where I found this Mail and the Internet brochure. (Yes, I searched for them).
Then within a couple of days of getting the files, I got a direct mail piece: “The Direct Marketer’s Inside Guide to Outsmart the Office” from USPS. I’m not impressed by these files or the direct mail. They point to different places on USPS.com, but unfortunately, they all require entering personal information before you get the Direct Marketer’s Outsmart the Office kit or anything else. One link is broken. I’d like more information before I give mine away.
I’ve got no problem with an organization requesting personal information in exchange for a download or something of value, but the USPS doesn’t provide enough to push me into taking action once I get to its Web site.
I recently read that brochures sent by themselves are usually a miserable failure from a ROI perspective. Based on my observations, I doubt this direct mail piece will do well.
Snail mail isn’t going away. Invitations rely on snail mail. The idea of emailing wedding and bat mitzvah invitations feels wrong even if you create a beautiful electronic invitation. Thank you notes rely on snail mail. Thank goodness, I’ve yet to receive a thank you note for a gift or donation by email.
Many rely on snail mail to get their bills as they’re not ready or comfortable with using the Internet to get bills and pay them. The wind may change direction as the younger generation ages, but not 100%.
Snail mail may not go away. Where are the statistics where I need them? I read that old-fashioned direct mail is still successful, which is why the USPS campaign focuses heavily on direct mailers.
Whatever happens, I hope there’s always a way to get handwritten notes from writer to recipient.