Three USPS officers spoke about the growing market for direct mail advertising during a session at the National Postal Forum last week.
Tom Foti, the Postal Service’s product solutions vice president, said that it is clear marketers have confidence in direct mail as a way to reach customers.
Direct mail advertising is expected to grow from $41.7 billion in 2022 to $43 billion in 2023, reaching $43.7 billion in 2026, according to research from Winterberry Group that Foti shared.
Customers say reliability, trust and personalization are the key benefits of direct mail, he said.
While more than 90 percent of marketers use direct mail as part of their advertising strategy, there is opportunity for innovation.
Advertisers can present their customers with relevant products and services “at the right time,” said Shavon Keys, the Postal Service’s sales vice president.
“Consumers continue to want experiences that are personalized to their preferences,” she said.
The number of Informed Delivery users has significantly increased, rising from 36 million to 55.5 million over the past two years, said Gary Reblin, the Postal Service’s innovative business technology vice president.
He also told attendees that the organization planned to install 450 parcel lockers in 10 markets, which will allow customers to have packages sent to a secure location.
The National Postal Forum is the mailing and shipping industry’s largest annual conference. It was held May 21-24 in Charlotte, NC.
