PrintFor Immediate Release
Contact: Media Relations (202) 268-2155
April 5, 2005
Release No. 05-028
www.usps.com
POSTAL SERVICE HELPS BUSINESSES "STICK" TO THEIR MESSAGE
St. Paul, MN - On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Post-it® note, the United States Postal Service has launched a national program that allows similar "sticky notes" to be placed on all cards, large letters, catalogs, magazines and newspapers.
Business owners, advertising agencies and marketing professionals now can add power and impact to their direct mail piece by adding a Repositionable Note (RPN) to an envelope, catalog, newspaper or postcard. RPNs help position mail as an innovative medium that can be the cornerstone of a marketing mix.
"Repositionable Notes are billboards for a business' mail and they extend the life of the mail piece," said Stephen Kearney, USPS national vice president of pricing and classification. "They add value by highlighting important sale dates and information, contact phone numbers, coupons and other key points that companies want their customers to remember and act upon."
Repositionable Notes are removable, 3-inch by 3-inch paper advertising messages that leave a lasting impression and generate sales and repeat business for companies. Easy to peel off, RPNs can be placed on a variety of surfaces, including paper calendars, telephones, computer monitors and refrigerators.
"We expect Repositionable Notes to stick with the customer, long after the mail piece is gone," said Mike Sidders, director of eCommerce and New Customer Acquisition for Fingerhut Direct Marketing Inc. Fingerhut is the first national customer to use RPNs on catalogs. "The notes should extend the lifespan of the message, creating a lasting opportunity for Fingerhut to connect with a potential customer."
The Postal Service worked with engineers at 3M to develop the RPN prototype that was used during a one-year test to see if the process was compatible with the Postal Service's automation. The success of the test allowed RPN applications to be extended to other forms of mail.
"For 25 years, consumers have seen the impact of the Post-it ® brand as the world's greatest resource for repositionable communications. Now, as a major enhancement to direct mail initiatives, Post-it ® notes will continue to carry messages across the world right into your mailbox," said Dr. Jack Truong, 3M Office Supplies Division vice president.
During the test period, customers using RPNs reported significant increases in response rates and revenues:
- First Charter Bank in North Carolina tested RPNs on direct mail to both existing customers and prospective customers. First Charter reported a 40 percent increase in response rate in both categories.
- By calling attention to its medical coding books with a RPN, Medical Management Institute lifted its response rate by more than 45 percent.
Customers are charged ½ cent for RPNs on First-Class Mail and 1-½ cents for RPNs affixed to periodicals or standard mail. Extensive testing proved that mail with RPNs attached move along the normal mail stream without the need for additional or special handling.
"Repositionable Notes add value to direct mail and give it an extra edge," Kearney said. "They let you grab your customers' attention quickly, improving open-and-read rates, making direct mail more actionable."
Since 1775, the Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 142 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $69 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume- some 206 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year- and serves seven million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide.