Leadpile's Blog» mail

Postage Prices Going Up?

Natasha Aronov — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 03:16:26 +0000

Can it be true? Is the cost of sending a letter going to be raised again? Investing now in the “Forever Stamps” may be a smart move to make in the near future. The postal service which has thrown around many ideas such as limiting mail delivery to 5 days a week, has announced that it would like to raise the cost of a first-class stamp 2 cents, from .44 to .46 cents starting in January 2011. Consumers who purchase the Forever Stamps at .44 will continue to be able to use these stamps for the full cost of postage even after the change.

With the changing time, economy, email, and so many things being taken care of over the internet the postal service has seen a steady decline in profits facing a potential $7 billion dollar loss in 2010.

5 Simple Tips on How to Increase your Email CTR’s

Christina — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:51:33 +0000

There are many challenges when it comes to email, what converts for 1 list may not convert for another. Lets look at 5 ways to increase your Click-through.

1. Text-only email: Majority of the emails people deem important are text-based emails from family, friends and co-workers. If you are currently only sending flashy HTML email creative try and A/B test on your next drop.

2. Story Format: You must provide something of value to your audience to gain their attention. Tell a relevant story to create interest in your topic.

3. Big Button: If your offer is compelling enough sometime all you need is somewhere for people to click. A “Learn More” button will bring in more clicks but less qualified traffic then a “Shop Now” button.

4. Multiple CTA’s: When mailing to large aggregated lists including multiple calls to actions can help increase click-through on the basis that different people may be interested in different aspects of a topic.

5. Digest: If you are offering a lot of content in your email newsletter try a digest format where you have several links at the top f the article navigating users to sections of your content.

I hope some of these tips help increase your email ROI!

Internet Hurting Our Nation’s Post Offices?

Natasha Aronov — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:03:49 +0000

According to the Associated Press, the number of items handled by the post office fell from 213 billion in 2006 to 177 billion last year – the volume is expected to continue to shrink to 150 billion by 2020. Post office hours and delivery times are possibly changing, as the loss of a predicted $7 billion dollars this year is becoming reality. The post office is asking for a decrease in delivery days from 6 down to 5 cutting delivery on Saturdays.
The demands for mail delivery are increasing as new homes and businesses continue to develop and the number of places needing mail delivery increases. The type of materials sent are also shifting from first-class mail to the less lucrative standard mail. The thought of closing post office locations worries many people due to the lines and wait times that are frequently at current locations. Suggestions of opening post office facilities in places like convenience stores and supermarkets has been discussed as the average post office has 600 customers per week, and the average supermarket brings in 20,000 people each week. In addition to being open longer hours and more days having post services in places that you frequent is a benefit to many people!
So what is causing the change in the use of our nation’s post offices? Is it because of the use of the internet? Do we see the use of the post office totally going extinct? That seems a little far fetched but who knows what the future of the USPS really is!

Postal Service Going Tech!

Natasha Aronov — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:50:05 +0000

The US Postal Service has just launched an iPhone and ipod Touch application! In an effort to make it’s services more appealing to a younger demographic and attract more mobile web using consumers, the application features a GPS equipped post office locator, maps, directions, a Zip Code locator and provides the ability to track and confirm packages. The second edition of the application being created currently will include a rate calculator.
According to dmnews.com the USPS is planning to consolidate many bricks-and-mortar location due to a reported $3.8 billion net loss for 2009.

Our Nation’s Post Offices In Trouble?

Mari Woods Holt — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:03:06 +0000

I don’t know about you, but can you remember the last time you went to a post office or mailed something? In the wake of email, online banking and other electronic methods of paying bills and communication, our post offices are suffering. MSNBC is stating that our nation’s post offices are looking at a potential loss of $7 billion this year. This means that the ability to operate all these post office locations is in jeopardy. There are nearly 33,000 post office locations and my guess would be the ones that could be in trouble would be the less populated areas. That only makes sense, but I think that we need our post offices to deliver to those that do not have computer access, those that need to still deliver registered letters/packages, and for those that still choose to receive “paper” copies of their bills.
So what is the resolution to this money issue with the post office besides just closing down offices? Could we see mail getting delivered less than 6 days a week? Leadpile and other lead generation companies are not necessarily focused on direct mail, however this is something that we are considering utilizing as a source of lead generation. I don’t really see the post office issue as affecting that decision.