Latest News
Elections boost USPS revenue
Postal software could be particularly important during the 2014 election season. Although the United States Post Office has struggled through the past few years and not a great deal of progress has been made to reform it, Congress is supporting the agency by sending large amounts of direct mail during the lead up to election season, according to The Business Journals.
Citing data from the Center of Responsive Politics, the article said politicians have already spent $17.5 million at on direct mail campaigns during this election cycle through the postal service. While this is not enough to fill USPS's deficit, it does help.
Political direct mail is one of the most effective election resources
Members of Congress spend a great deal on marketing efforts to maintain their seats in the mid-term elections. Direct mail is one of the best choices for political campaigns because it costs less than many other channels and carries a higher degree of visibility. The USPS reported that during the 2012 election season, 2.8 billion pieces of political direct mail were sent, and these cost less than 19 cents each in postage. In addition, USPS can reach the vast majority of addresses in the U.S.
Because of the major shift to Internet marketing, direct mail stands out compared to other forms of advertising. Nearly all mail pieces are at least viewed by recipients, and 78 percent of people check their mail every day. While it may seem like this is only a way to reach older voters, USPS said 40 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds not only read mail immediately, but also find it helpful and informative. Young voters are an important consideration because there will be 44 million eligible voters in this demographic in 2014.
Direct mail is beneficial for the election cycle because it allows politicians to target specific voters and communicate a story, which can be especially effective with swing voters. In addition, recipients can save direct mail for later, and some voters may even take mailers to the polls with them. This makes mail a highly influential channel.
Through the use of direct mail software, marketers can use micro-targeting to reach highly specific audiences with a relevant message. Understanding voter demographics and the issues they care about most allows politicians to highlight their platform with persuasive mail pieces.
