One clerk wrote to me, aghast at the money we spend on advertising. The ever-present Letter Carrier Al is grabbing attention through television and print advertising. To this one employee, it seems a waste, especially when supplies are cut back, hours reduced and operations contracting.
But one Montana Postmaster wrote with an opposite opinion.
"My post office is in a very small community and the one thing I have learned in the last seven years is that people don't read or have time for sales pitches. The Priority Mail advertising has educated customers to the level that they very rarely ask for Parcel Post mailing."
For her, it's money well spent. "National advertising works hand in hand with local Post Office service."
What do you think? Should we curtail advertising until we get our finances in order? Does it bother you that we spend million in advertising, yet we are rationing basic office supplies? Are the two even compatible? Comment here.
27 comments:
One of first things you learn in Business courses is, when sales are dropping that it NOT the time to cut advertising. It is important to get your product in front of customers so they choose YOUR business and not the competitor's. The Priority Mail ads are a huge success; customers are always asking for "that if-it-fits-it-ships" box.
Yes, I do like it. And I believe it does work. I have the same people in my office (a level 13) always asking for the boxes they saw on TV!
What I dont like is the money spent on office POP. A HUGE waste in any office that is under a level 18. And it makes me mad everytime it shows up. NO one pays attention to the counter cards and leaflets.
The huge waste of money we spend on a company to measure our EXFC. Really?! I can measure it for them everytime I have another PO send me something and I dont get it for a week! Or a customer that shows me mail that was delayed for one reason or another. Or there is no reason. We have to save more money internally, and not just cutting budgets, and closing offices.
I think this ad campaign has been one of the most effective we've had. The commercials are entertaining, and the message gets across. I have customers come in all the time looking for the "it fits, it ships" boxes! The first poster is right...when business is down, you ramp up your advertising to get your brand in front of potential customers.
Now, THAT's how to grow the business!
I agree with the post about POP signage....way over the top. When the "Green Stamps" display came my why.....I took it down on 5/31 without one flyer being taken out. That is the same with every POP signage we get. I can only imagine the costs associated with printing and distribution of these products. Lets focus our efforts on where it does the best good.
I agree the advertisements featuring Al the Letter Carrier have been informative. The Al ads are also on You Tube. I think it is important for USPS to continue to remain visible and innovative. As USPS continues to streamline and develop new products, we must also continue to remain visible and educate our consumers. Sincerely,
Businessgal
(www.twitter.com/Businessgal)
I know we have to advertise, but does it have to be run so often? We've got the idea. How many different commercials do you need to say the same thing? So go ahead. Cut some more jobs to pay for the advertising, as long as the execs get theirs.
I think the comercials with Al the letter carrier are great, but the POP signage is way out of line. In my level 16 office we get lots of signage and handouts only to be thrown away. STOP sending the POP signage and we can save lots of money.
I love Al, the carrier. If it fits it ships is great advertising--my brother-in-law is a pilot for Fed Ex and he says everyone was talking about it at his company and they wondered how they could make a promise that with such a great ad, to compete with us. :>)
The Priority ads with Al are absolutley generating business. I went from ordering priority supplies every now and then to ordering them monthly. My sales reflect this need. And I also agree that the POPs need to go. Out of curiosity I counted the go green flyers I put out on display. On 5/31 when I removed them i still had every single one of them. : (
YES to the advertising...it is very effective in my rural area. "If it fits it ships" is very catching and my customers ask for it as well. AND I agree to the flyers on the counters...they are never taken in my level 13 office and I recycle them...I agree it is a great waste. The counter insert gets the most attention, the signs some attention.
I wholeheartedly support the ads. We cannot cut -- or save -- our way to profitability, but have to continue to try to increase revenues any way we can. The ads are very successful, too, based on the fact that Flat-Rate Priority is our biggest growth product. Furthermore, they are very high quality ads and help to counteract some of the negative comments made by those who are currently bad-mouthing USPS.
You have to spend money to make money. That's just the way it goes.
The Al ads are the best. How many people know what signage is actually up in the post office (or even care) yet you mention Al and they know right away what you are talking about. Spend the money on things that matter - POP is not one of them.
Yes, I think we should. When the customer comes in I explain the different choices we have for them to mail their items. I also think it costs money to make new stamps all the time. I feel they should limit the different kinds of stamps printed as well.
I, too, like the tv ads. I've had several people tell me that "Al" looks just like my oldest son. I think the ads are working. I do think they could limit how often they are aired. Anything to save money. I don't feel the customer should have to order some of the Priority supplies online. I live in a rural area also. Most of our older customers do not have internet. Just my two cents...
Few customers actually know what the Postal Service has to offer. They don't have time to look around or ask questions to things they don't even know about. Usually the post office is on thier errand list with other things they have yet to do. The Priority ads have brought us to their attention. Now that we have it, lets have Al inform them of other things such as passport offices, ordering stamps themselves, gift packaging, cards, etc. Our website should be more visible.
I think advertising is great. Let's advertise delivery confirmation.
I agree with our "Al" adds. We need to expand on them with "Al" telling about the some of our other products like Express mail and PO Boxes. I also hate the POP my small office receives. I opened the box I received yesterday and it is advertising for our PO Boxes which is fine BUT, The counter display with the applications will not fit on my counter and it takes up most of the space on my writing table. I received 7 packets of PO Box apps with 50 in a pack. I will never use that many in the next 5 years. And I almost forgot about the BIG floor cling. That won't last long on the floor. We use to only get a small amount of these. But now I get so many POP singage that I do not have any room for it all and it makes the Post Office small lobby look cluttered if I put it all out.
I agree 100% with the second post from the top. We need to advertise and the POP is a waste. You can't just sit back and let UPS and FedEx do all of the advertising. We need to go for advertising now more than ever.
Also received 200 PO Box Apps and only have a box section of 70. Maybe take 100 years to use them all up. Had thought of retiring before that though.
Wow, very seldom do we all agree on something, but I'm with the majority - Al is really getting the word out about Flat Rate Priority shipping and we need to drop the POP.
...it is apparent that POOP Signage needs to go. Along with the Western Area Update (or what ever it is called)magazine that I get monthly/quarterly. Mine goes right in the garbage...not to mention there are several of them tossed about in the break room.
Just because it may not amount to a ton of savings does not mean that it should be over looked....it all adds up.
Advertising - let's put our website address on the LLVs and rural carrier signage!
You would be surprised at the number of people who don't realize we have a website and also take credit and debit cards.
It's about time we started advirtising. Gotta get back the parcel business we gave away to our competitors years ago.
I really wonder how much they spend on the POP (POOP LOL) signage, I like the counter mats and most genereally the wall signs but the displays are normally ignored. And why in the world would I need 500 pamphlets if I am a small rural town. Why didn't they just do a mailng and be done with it. I really like the AL ads (the clown was my fav of all time)and I have customers always asking for the if it ships boxes. I really think they should take advantage of the LLV's and put our website and phone # on them.
I work in a plant, not a window office, but it really sounds like this POP signage thing is out of control. The commercials definitely work, people ask me about them all the time.
On the POP Signage, you should be able to go into your Facilities Database System under Retail Marketing and change your POP Kit Size.
For the POP signage, changing the kit size has minimal effect on the number of counter cards office receive. Those need to be in bundles of 25, not 50-100.
We can always get more from other offices. Throwing away, even through recyling, is a waste.
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