MEMO TO MAILERS - JULY 2005(text)
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
VOLUME 40 NUMBER 7
JULY 2005

WHAT'S INSIDE
FLATS AUTOMATION
FLAT RATE BOXES
SALES PROGRAM HONORS
KEEPING POSTED
POSTAL NEWS BRIEFS

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TARGETED, TAILORED AND TIMELY
Advertisers know a good deal when they see one — and that’s Direct Mail. Marketing by mail is healthier than ever and increasingly popular with advertisers, who are sending more offers through the mailbox than through the digital inbox or telephone.

Make that targeted, tailored, timely — and terrific!

According to Universal McCann, a marketing research company, direct marketing is second only to television as an overall advertising medium.
For the past several years, Direct Mail has sustained at least a 19.3 percent share of total direct marketing expenditures. During 2004, Direct Mail expenditures grew to 19.8 percent and 96 billion pieces of Direct Mail were sent out — a 12 percent increase in volume from 86 billion pieces in 1999.

In today’s fragmented media market, businesses have more options than ever before for allocating their marketing dollars. Patterns of media consumption have changed dramatically over the past decade — thanks to the multitude of opportunities now available in the new media world. From text messaging to digital video recorders to satellite radio to blogs and more, there’s a wide array of opportunities for advertisers to convey their messages.

Direct Mail has withstood the test of time and advances in technology. Messages sent through the mailbox still deliver marketing value and return on investment (ROI).

Industry analysts attribute the growth of the $52 billion Direct Mail industry to recent developments in blocking spam e-mails and marketing phone calls due to the “Can-Spam” act and national Do-Not-Call Registry. But that does not completely explain the change.

“There is currently a shift toward what remains tried and true in advertising,” says Nick Barranca, vice president of Product Development for the Postal Service. “Mail is the one marketing medium that advertisers know they can rely upon to reach consumers in a unique and compelling way. And it allows for the application of quick and accurate metrics so marketers can assess the cost-effectiveness of their advertising campaigns. Direct Mail is an effective medium in driving ROI because it’s inexpensive, measurable and customizable.”

Consumers have a unique relationship with their mail, unlike their relationship with any other medium.

The value of mail, as seen through the Mail Moment research conducted in fall 2004 by InnoMedia, Inc. for the Postal Service, is that people really value and pay attention to their mail.

On average, people spend 30 minutes several times throughout the week reviewing and acting on the mail they receive. Ninety-eight percent of households collect and sort mail for follow-up the day it’s received, even among the under-30 crowd (by comparison, only 57 percent of all consumers reported checking their e-mail on even a weekly basis). Seventy-five percent of respondents say they value the privacy of their mail and 63 percent said they enjoy browsing through catalogs they received in the mail.

To better understand the relationship between hard-copy mail, specifically catalogs, and online sales, the Postal Service conducted another study with comScore, a market research firm, of more than 5,000 consumers, tracking their actual Internet sales behavior with or without a catalog mailing. USPS found that catalog recipients made 16 percent more visits to a retailer’s website, viewed 22 percent more pages on those websites and spent 15 percent more time on the website.

The most significant finding? Customers were twice as likely to buy from a retailer’s website after receiving a print catalog and they spent more on each purchase.

“In today’s rapidly changing communications world, mail is more powerful and relevant than ever,” says USPS Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Anita Bizzotto.

Many business advertisers agree. The latest report from the Direct Marketing Association shows that 22 percent of businesses plan to spend less on telemarketing to consumers in the next 12 months while 45 percent plan to spend more on Direct Mail.

Direct Mail delivers results.

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TAGGED FOR SMOOTHER DELIVERY
It's all about better service. With its eyes on the future of flat mail automation, the Postal Service has introduced technology that will support flat delivery point sequencing and intelligent mail initiatives.

The Flats Identification Code Sort (FICS) program applies an identification (ID) tag to non-barcoded flats that move through the Postal Service’s Automated Flat Sorting Machine (AFSM) 100. Deployment of FICS to all AFSM 100s was completed last month.

FICS reads the ID tag and sorts the mail using the stored ZIP Code information. It’s helping USPS further automate flat sorting operations, helping to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

The ID tags are placed on mailpieces in the following scenarios:

Tags will be applied to all mailpieces without barcodes.

Tags also will be applied if there are deficiencies in pre-printed barcodes, such as (correctable by mailer when detected) barcode readability, incorrect barcode print or undefined ZIP Code.

Tags are applied when there are localized AFSM 100 system issues (correctable by USPS when detected), such as camera problems or a jam during the run.

FICS tags were placed on all flats during initial acceptance tests in order to “stress” the system. The tests have now been completed.

For more information, go to http://ribbs.usps.gov/flatstrategy/research.htm.

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GET IT THERE FAST — AND FRESH
They know their onions. We know our boxes.

When Dixondale Farms, a produce grower in south Texas, needed to ship its onions and other products to customers quickly, safely — and freshly — it turned to the U.S. Postal Service and its Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes for a unique shipping solution.

Call it a breath of fresh air.

Dixondale already was sold on the convenience of the flat-rate boxes and the visibility of co-branded packaging. But the company needed ventilated packages to keep produce fresh.

USPS Sales and Package Services Expedited Products worked together to create a customized box with ventilation holes that would not impact the size or shape of the box.

“Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes have allowed us to get more packages to our customers in a professional, timely manner,” says Dixondale Farms President Bruce Frasier. “With perishable products it’s essential that my customers get their packages within three days. USPS provides a simple, professional product.”

The result: Dixondale is shipping up to 6 pounds of produce at one flat rate. Sweet!

Want to make Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes work for your products? Go to www.usps.com for more information.

Talk to your USPS sales representative about customization.

The Priority Mail Flat Rate Box is $7.70 for any U.S. destination.

The inside dimensions for the two boxes available are 11" x 8.5" x 5.5" and 13.625" x 11.875" x 3.375".

The contents of the flat-rate box must be neatly contained inside the box.

The box must close securely and retain its shape when taped.

The shape of the box may not be changed or enlarged to fit its contents.

Extra services such as Delivery Confirmation, Signature Confirmation and Insurance are available to use with Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes and Boxes. Note: Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelopes and Boxes can hold a maximum of 70 pounds.

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QUOTABLE
“Advertising mail is a bargain. A typical piece of presorted advertising mail costs 18.2 cents — and it goes directly into the household. It gets opened and viewed by one or more household members who can put it aside to look at it again. And that happens every day in millions of households nationwide.”

— Postmaster General John E. Potter

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MOVING FORWARD WITH INNOVATION
Are you benefiting from the latest address quality products available from the United States Postal Service?

The National Customer Support Center (NCSC) in Memphis, TN, has announced the retirement of FASTforward mailing list correction (MLC) effective Sept. 30, 2005. The NCSC is accepting and processing applications from current FASTforward MLC licensees for the new NCOALink technology.

This is great news for mailers currently using the FASTforward MLC technology who will experience improved deliverability of mail and reduced costs with NCOALink.

At this time, FASTforward multi-line optical character reader is not involved in the transition to the new technology.

Since October 2004, NCOALink has been successfully providing increased data security, protection of customer information privacy and ease of use for its licensees. The data security of NCOALink enables it to be used by more mailers, more often, more conveniently — and use of this important tool is growing rapidly.

If you’re still using FASTforward MLC you’re missing out on the enhanced security and other great features available with NCOALink, including 18 months of change-of-address data compared to 13 months available with FASTforward. In addition, licensees will enjoy ownership of all hardware. The FASTforward MLC “black box” is rendered obsolete with the conversion to NCOALink.

Visit http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/ncoalink/NCOALINK_INFO_DOC.PDF or contact the NCSC at 800-589-5766 to begin the licensing process to convert to NCOALink. And be sure to check the list of licensed distributors and service providers at http://ribbs.usps.gov/files/ncoalink/CERTIFIED_LICENSEES/ .

The Postal Service is committed to providing mailers with cost-effective and secure technology for their address quality needs.

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USPS SALES PROGRAM GETS TOP HONORS
The Postal Service’s Branding Through the Mailbox sales program was named Best Specialty Ad/Campaign at the American Business Awards, which honor great performance in the workplace.

Branding through the Mailbox beat four other finalists in the category to earn a 2005 “Stevie Award” trophy.

The sales program helps USPS promote Direct Mail among top U.S. companies.

“Direct Mail is an innovative way to help strengthen brand integrity,” says Susan Dow, manager of Sales Strategy and Integration for the Postal Service. “Our program also is intended to position the U.S. Postal Service as a strategic partner in the development of effective customer communications using Direct Mail.”

The Postal Service also was a Stevie finalist for the USPS Branding Through The Mailbox CD in the Interactive Multimedia Marketing category.
Dow says the awards are the result of a “team effort that also included the Postal Service’s Advertising group, our partners at Campbell-Ewald Advertising and our Field Sales team who generated the business results.”

Contact your USPS sales representative for more information.

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FAST NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT BEGINS
Are you ready for FAST?

The national deployment of the Facility Access and Shipment Tracking (FAST) system is now under way. FAST replaces the Drop Shipment Appointment System (DSAS). The deployment will be conducted in phases, beginning with the New York Metro Area.

CUSTOMER REGISTRATION IN POSTALONE!
DSAS logon IDs will not work with FAST. All drop shippers, including those who make appointments by telephone, must register for a FAST ID through PostalOne! at www.usps.com/postalone. Customers who already have a PostalOne! account and also need access to FAST must register by calling the PostalOne! Customer Care Center at 800-522-9085.

RECURRING APPOINTMENTS
All drop shippers who currently have recurring appointments must re-apply using PS Form 6241, Recurring Appointment Request, available at http://www.usps.com/forms/allforms.htm. It’s recommended that recurring appointment requests be submitted to the Postal Service three weeks before the facility’s scheduling start date. Due dates for recurring appointment request submission are shown in the FAST deployment schedule posted on the Postal Service’s Rapid Information Bulletin Board (RIBBS). The FAST/Surface Visibility link at http://ribbs.usps.gov has the deployment schedule.

FAST CUSTOMER TRAINING
FAST customer training is being offered. A registration form can be downloaded from RIBBS. E-mail any questions about FAST training to FAST_Training@usps.gov.

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INFO@USPS
SMALL BUSINESS TOOLS
Get new customers.
Meet customer demands.
Around town or around the world.
www.usps.com

SIMPLE FORMULAS
Use the mail to grow your business.
Order a Simple Formulas kit.
800-THE-USPS, ext. AD4433

SEND MAIL FROM YOUR PC
Send postcards, letters,
flyers, booklets or greeting cards.
www.usps.com/netpost

THE POSTAL STORE ONLINE
Open 24/7. Stamps. Subscription services.
Digital scales.
www.usps.com/shop

SHIPPING INFORMATION
Express Mail, Priority Mail
and package support line.
800-222-1811

PRINT POSTAGE ONLINE
Your shipping label is just
a Click-N-Ship away.
www.usps.com/clicknship

CARRIER PICKUP
From your home or office.
www.usps.com/pickup

QUESTIONS?
We have the answers.
Rates and mailing information.
ZIP Codes. Post Office locations.
Much, much more.
800-ASK-USPS

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KEEPING POSTED
News from and for Postal Customer Councils

PCC MAIL SERVICE PROVIDER DIRECTORY OPENS FOR BUSINESS
A first-of-its-kind mail service providers directory — limited to members of local Postal Customer Councils (PCC) and assembled by the national
PCC Network — will launch this month.

The PCC Directory of Mail Service Providers, hosted on www.usps.com, is being incorporated into the national PCC directory and locator technology. It will be accessible by going to www.usps.com/nationalpcc and clicking a link to any local PCC.

Mail service providers in the local council’s area who are members of the PCC and who have enrolled in the directory program through their local council will be featured with contact information, service descriptions and a hyperlink to their own website.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance the partnership we have with the Postal Customer Councils and their members,” said Marty Emery, manager of Customer and Industry Marketing for the Postal Service. “This directory will provide a new way for customers to access mailing expertise and services, while adding value to both the PCC membership and the Postal Service website.”

Initially, 10 PCCs are expected to enroll as many as 200 mail service providers. By Sept. 14, National PCC Day, USPS hopes to have several thousand local service providers enrolled from the 216 PCCs in the network.

The new PCC Directory of Mail Service Providers will offer six categories of service: Mail Preparation, Mail List Providers, Mail Printing, Mailing Support, Mailing Supplies and Mailing Equipment.

WORKSHOPS-IN-A-BOX SERIES ANNOUNCES NEW RELEASES
Shipping Made Easy,” a comprehensive seminar that looks at the innovative, new shipping options and services being offered by the United States Postal Service, is scheduled for release this month.

“Shipping Made Easy” is the latest “workshop-in-a-box” to be developed as part of the Business Seminar Series, a program designed to deliver do-it-yourself education sessions for PCC audiences (as well as to other mail-interested organizations).

Also expected to receive summer releases as part of the Seminar Series are workshop presentations developed by the Marketing Technology and Channel Management group for the Business Mail Acceptance (BMA) Days Program. The weeklong program runs from July 25 to July 29.

The presentations are expected to focus on topics of particular interest to business mailers, including the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM 300), bundle integrity, postage payment methods and other topics.

By summer’s end, the Customer and Industry Marketing group expects to release “Simple Formulas,” a seminar based on the Postal Service’s highly successful collection of brochures with the same title.

Each workshop-in-a-box includes a PowerPoint presentation, speaker’s notes, facilitator’s guide and advertising support. The seminars will be mailed to the postal co-chairs of every PCC and to USPS Area marketing managers.

This program leverages the power of our national PCC Network to educate our customers about mail’s value. It's been getting great feedback from PCC audiences, and the Postal Service plans to continue to develop the seminar library, using that input as a guide.

ADVERTISING WITH MAIL SEMINAR SETS SUMMER SCHEDULE
The renowned Advertising with Mail Made Easy (AMME) seminar series, which already this year has inspired more than 200 business owners to join their local PCCs, may be coming to a city near you this summer.

Nine cities in Michigan, Colorado, Utah, Ohio, Georgia, Florida and Washington state will host AMME seminars. The July-September schedule kicks off July 12 in Troy, MI.

This seminar shows participants proven Direct Mail tactics to get new customers, create customer loyalty and help their bottom lines.

Targeted to small- and mid-sized business owners, each seminar lasts four hours. Twenty-four seminars have been scheduled in major metropolitan areas across the country for 2005.

The summer schedule includes:
Troy, MI (7/12)
Ann Arbor, MI (7/13)
Denver, CO (7/26)
Salt Lake City, UT (7/27)
Columbus, OH (8/23)
Akron, OH (8/24)
Atlanta, GA (8/30)
West Palm Beach, FL (8/31)
Tacoma, WA (9/13)

Attendees can choose from a number of easy ways to register:
Web: uspstracker.com/registration.html
Phone: 866-479-2667
Fax: 800-627-0811

Registrants also receive five important tools to help create powerful Direct Mail pieces: Direct Mail by the Numbers, Simple Formulas kit, Simple Steps kit, Mailtown, USA CD-ROM and DESTINATION: DOOR TO DOOR.

Audience surveys continue to indicate a high level of customer satisfaction. The latest survey data shows 98.5 percent of the attendees leave a seminar with a better understanding about different ways to use the mail to advertise. Many also are exposed to the benefits of their local PCC for the first time. During the first 10 seminars conducted this year, more than 200 business owners signed up to become PCC members and to take advantage of the membership benefits, which include:
Networking — Hear how to put others’ best practices to use for you.
Information — Help your business be more productive.
Communications — Interact with mailers, vendors and Postal Service personnel.
Education — Learn how the Postal Service can help your business become more profitable.

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POSTAL NEWS BRIEFS

POTTER TELLS ADVERTISERS: USE THE MAIL, IT WORKS
Postmaster General John E. Potter told more than 400 advertising professionals in Troy, MI, that mail is the fastest-growing traditional marketing medium and should be included in every marketing plan — because it works.

At a meeting of the Adcraft Club of Detroit and the Direct Marketing Association of Detroit, Potter said mail succeeds because of its segmentation capability. “Mail can be personalized, tailored to the needs and interests of small groups, even individuals, in contrast to ‘one-size-fits-all’ advertising.”

Another reason mail works is because of the privacy it affords. “With stories abounding about data compromises, ID thefts, spamming, ‘phishing,’ and unscrupulous telemarketing, it shouldn’t be a surprise that mail’s privacy and security are strong attributes. Americans know that what they put in the mail will get delivered — and safely,” said Potter.

CONSUMER-FRIENDLY WEBSITE
An independent organization has cited the Postal Service as having the most consumer-friendly website, honoring usps.com with a Best of the Web-Government Award.

WiredKids.com, a part of the WiredSafety Group, also gave the Postal Inspection Service the Wired Cops Award for its efforts in the successful recovery of a kidnapped child.

“We are honored to be among those recognized for this important work in improving Internet ease-of-use and safety,” said Mike Spates, acting Consumer Advocate and Vice President of Consumer Affairs for the Postal Service.

WiredKids.com and the WiredSafety Group, leaders among the world’s online safety organizations, presented the awards at a recent Washington, DC, summit that focused on helping keep the Internet safe for consumers.

TUNE IN TO NATIONAL PCC DAY
It’s unanimous! Every Postal Customer Council (PCC) in the country — 216 in total — will participate in the U.S. Postal Service’s National PCC Day.

The annual event, to be held Sept. 14, will include a satellite broadcast featuring a keynote address by Postmaster General John E. Potter.

The broadcast, distributed to local and regional meetings coast-to-coast, is expected to be seen by a projected audience of more than12,000 business mail customers, almost twice the number that tuned in to the 2004 National PCC Day presentation.

The Lakeland Mailing Expo in Middleton, WI, will serve as the host event for National PCC Day.

Mark your calendars and plan to be a part of this great celebration.

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VALUE OF MAIL ENHANCED BY TECHNOLOGY
The Postal Service has used the Internet to provide improved service to business customers and enhance the value of mail.

“We’ve improved our products and services to better meet the needs of our business customers. And we’ve introduced new technologies to make it more convenient for our customers to do business with us,” Postmaster General John E. Potter told the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors.

Business customers and consumers can go to the USPS website — www.usps.com — to print shipping labels, pay for postage and insurance, arrange for Carrier Pickup and Delivery Confirmation, and file Change-of-Address notifications.”

Last year, Nielsen/NetRatings named usps.com as the No. 1 brand among all U.S. government websites. During the past three years, Web transactions at the Postal Service website increased from 9 million in 2002 to more than 21 million per month this year.

“We continue to set new records in nearly every transaction category,” said Potter. In May, for example, “we hit a record 425,000 electronic change-of-address notices ... that demonstrates growing public acceptance of our efforts to use technology to increase customer convenience, while we drive down costs and add value to the mail,” said Potter.

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MEMO TO MAILERS
Volume 40 Number 7

Ilze Sella
Editorial Services

David Ostroff
Designer

Betty Shelton
Purchasing Specialist

Azeezaly S. Jaffer
Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications

John E. Potter
Postmaster General and CEO

Memo to Mailers
is published by U.S. Postal Service
Public Affairs and Communications.
USPS eagle symbol and logotype are
registered marks of the
United States Postal Service.

© 1966 United States Postal Service. The following are among the many trademarks owned by the United States Postal Service: USPS®, U.S. Postal Service®, United States Postal Service®, Postal Service™, Post Office™, Priority Mail®, Express Mail®, Standard Mail™, First-Class Mail®, Registered Mail™, Certified Mail™, Delivery Confirmation™, Signature Confirmation™, ZIP Code™, Click-N-Ship®, NetPost® and The Postal Store®. This list is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service marks.

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memo to mailers
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