2014 USPS Postal Promotions Rob Nowak Feb 11, 2014
Agenda Why USPS continues these promotions? Why would you want to participate? 2014 USPS Promotion Calendar Promotion Details Examples Steps to Success Q&A
Why Offer Incentive Programs? Post Office Dire financial position Mail Volume Decline: 25% from 2007 to 2012 Loosing Money Revenue Down $10B (13%) from '07 to '12 $41B of Net Losses In FY2012, the USPS reached its $15 billion statutory debt limit.
Why Should you Participate? Save Money on postage Provides an opportunity to test technology at the expense of the post office Shows your consumers you re tech savvy
Can you identify a Mobile Optimized Website? Source: http://www.viedigital.com/news/blog/mobile-optimised-websitesare-the-way-forward-for-your-business.htm
Holding your finger down invokes the copy-and-paste function rather than creating a hover state.
USPS Incentive Programs for 2014
Branded Color Mobile Technology (Feb-Mar) To encourage marketers to move beyond basic QR code and develop mailpieces that add marketing and creative value and encourage mobile engagement. A discount on Standard Mail and commercial First-Class Mail letters, cards and flats containing a creative QR Code or digital image recognition. Move beyond black& white & boring.a creative QR code must be functional and incorporate at least one of the following: A: 2 or more colors set against a background B: a trademark or graphic Potentially include other non-visible mobile technology that including: Image recognition technology Watermarks Standard (B&W) QR codes would not be eligible
Branded Color Mobile
Branded Color Mobile Steps for Success Must have a mobile optimized website Google branded qr code generator Generate QR code Place QR code on any page in your catalog Link QR code back to your mobile optimized website Add directional copy next to code Register for program
Directional Copy
Earned Value Reply (Apr-June) Encourage USPS customers to continue to provide Business Reply Mail (BRM) and Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM) as options for consumers to communicate with them. Similar to the 2013 Earned Value Reply Mail promotion. Mailers who BRM and CRM enclosures will earn a rebate credit when the reply pieces are returned. Reply pieces are scanned and counted during regular mail processing. Mailers select a permit account and rebate credits can be redeemed for postage for future mailings on this permit.
Earned Value Reply
Earned Value Reply Steps for success Must have a BRC/CRC Only returned cards get counted $0.02/return Register for program
Mail and Digital Personalization Both the mailpiece and PURL/website must be personalized to qualify for this promotion (variables may include: name, birthday, custom offer or different envelope, etc). The website or landing page must correspond to the physical mailpiece and enhance the overall experience for the consumer. Mobile optimized landing page is required. Either an URL or mobile technology (watermark, AR, QR, etc.) can be used. Must have a unique url that enables the mailer the ability to track and monitor individual mail recipient response and web activity
Mail and Digital Personalization
Mail and Digital Personalization Steps for success Must have a mobile optimized landing page Requirements don t call for a fully functional site Must use a PURL Personalized QR codes Personalized URL address Placed any page Add directional copy next to code/url Register for program
Emerging Technology featuring NFC Promotion (Aug-Sept) Similar to the 2013 Emerging Technology Promotion (Other potential technologies still being considered). Potential existing or new technologies to highlight are: Augmented Reality Image Recognition Watermarks New paper/printing technologies Mobile payment technologies (NFC, mobile wallets, etc)
Augment Page(s) - How it Works! Upload final print-ready PDF to Dingley Dingley Scans page(s) - Image recognition used to uniquely ID page(s) Add page to database Every time the page is viewed using the Layar app it finds your unique page, then overlays the content you selected =
Key Features Call Us Now Original Page Augmented Page
Key Features YouTube video Original Page Augmented Page
Key Features YouTube video Image Carousel Original Page Augmented Page
Key Features Two Videos Like us on Facebook Click to Call Original Page Augmented Page
Key Features Like Us on Facebook YouTube video page Follow on Twitter Call Us Now Visit our Website Original Page Augmented Page
Emerging Technology Steps for success Must have a mobile optimized website Must use image technology such as AR, or NFC Can be on any page in your catalog Add directional copy next to code Register for program
Mail Drives Mobile Commerce Promotion Encourage holiday shopping by encouraging marketers and retailers to utilize state of the art mobile purchasing technology with direct mail and catalogs to facilitate purchases. Leverage current relevant technology (mobile barcodes, NFC, mobile wallets, etc.)
Mail Drives Mobile
Mail Drives Mobile Steps for success Must have a mobile optimized website Generate a QR Code Place on any page in your catalog Link QR code back to your website Add directional copy next to code Register for program
Postal Updates Earned Value Promotion Requirements posted on RIBBS Registration opens February 15 Questions can be sent to: earnedvalue@usps.gov Mail and Digital Personalization Promotion Requirements posted on RIBBS Registration opens March 15
Postal Updates Emerging Technology Promotion Requirements posted by end of January (not posted yet) NFC and other non-app driven technology focus Potentially expanding promotion to include Enhanced Augmented Reality Continuing to define these parameters/requirements Mail Drives Mobile Commerce Promotion Requirements posted early February (not posted yet) Further definitions of enhanced mobile purchasing requirement (# of clicks/time to complete purchase)
Key Points Technology and Mail working together USPS is supplementing Tech testing Don t forget to register Promotion Requirements still changing Make it interesting
Q&A Post Office Contact Info Email: mobilebarcode@usps.gov Fax: 202-268-0238 Mail: US Postal Service Post Office Box 23282 Washington, DC 20026-3282 Web: https://ribbs.usps.gov/mobilebar code Rob Nowak rob.nowak@dingley.com www.dingley.com 443-852-4949