5 Ways to Support USPS this Fall

Picture this: While working from home, your dog’s ears perk up. He excitedly trots (READ: frantically rushes) the door where he howls and hollers while envelopes and parcels are pushed through the slot. The mails here. And while you sift through the junk and weekly coupons, a twinkle of excitement overcomes you when you see that item you ordered online has arrived. The USPS serves every single American. From heavily lined city blocks, to rural parts of the country where neighbors are miles between, postal couriers show up everyday but Sunday to make sure your orders are delivered to every address in the United States.

The United States Postal Service is a non-for-profit business focused on getting Americans the things they need. But with hand-written letters being exchanged for emails and texts, bills and invoices going paperless, and marketing campaigns going digital, it’s no surprise to hear USPS has been having issues with funding. In an effort to stay afloat, USPS has annually raised their rates on shipping and stamps. If you want to learn more about their new pricing click here.

It’s easy to take services for granted that have always been around. Even as kids we learn “Here’s the mail, it never fails!” But as cultural behaviors change and we continue to move into a more digital world, it’s more important now than ever to support this vital function of our society.

Here are some easy tips to help support your post office:

BUY STAMPS

USPS offer a variety of stamps for both personal and business uses. They have stamps that last forever, international stamps, and fun stamps with prints on them – perfect for tying in your branding. Buying a booklet of stamps right now and holding on to them is a great way to support USPS. If you are a small business, think of all the thank you notes you could send to your customers to add that personal touch!

TEAM UP WITH AN INDUSTRY PARTNER

We get it, when you are dealing with orders on the daily, going all the way to the post office, attempting to calculate shipping costs, and dealing with lines at the post office during a pandemic doesn’t seem like a good use of your valuable time. That is why you should sign up for an Industry Partner, like Pitney Bowes.

The perfect partner for your USPS shipping needs, Pitney Bowes helps you create shipping labels and negotiate for the lowest shipping price based on route, days to ship, package size, or weight. You print the label from your home office or warehouse, and have it ready for your USPS worker to pick up.

Utilizing a shipping solution like DesktopShipper? Don’t forget to integrate your Pitney Bowes account!

SEND PACKAGES VIA USPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

We know when it comes to delivering packages there are a lot of great carrier options out there. Whether you are personally using USPS to have your holiday gifts delivered, or decide that USPS is your best option when shipping orders to customers, don’t forget to utilize Flat-rate Priority Mail boxes. Through USPS.com, small businesses can have empty boxes delivered to them for free, print shipping labels, and schedule pick up times for all packages to be sent out.

And don’t forget to send a thank you note to your local postal worker! It’s a great way to show their work doesn’t go un-noticed.

SEND AN OLD FASHION MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Everyone knows that the best way to get a customer to come into your store or visit your website online is by sending exclusive deals. Nowadays these deals almost exclusively come in the form of an email. Although Email marketing is a great tool and offers a huge return on investment, this holiday season consider offer mailers with unique discount QR codes to encourage the customer to visit the store or website.  This is a great way to support USPS while giving customers a premium offer that they won’t be able to find in the sea of digital deals flooding their inboxes. Not only is this a great way to get more information on your customers (i.e.. their address) but it helps customers feel special and keeps them purchasing from you.

ON A PERSONAL LEVEL: GET A PEN PAL

There is nothing more exciting than getting a letter in the mail with handwritten script on the front (it’s finally not a bill!). No matter your age, it continues to bring a sense of joy. Adopting a pen pal is a great way to brighten someone’s day and a cathartic way to speak to others. Its proven that writing things down helps improve your mental health. You can write to strangers in other countries who want to learn English, your best friend, or a senior at the local retirement home. Want to be the favorite grandchild? There’s no better way to win grandma's heart then to send a handwritten thank you letter!

Here at DesktopShipper, we love USPS. They are not only a staple to our market, but they have continued to be a great supported carrier. We’d love to hear about how you’re going to support the USPS. Comment below!