It is no secret that people are sending less mail than ever before. The USPS has a sneaky little way to get people to send more mail. They are using the principles of Content Marketing to entice marketers to send more mail without them even knowing it!
How you ask? They are highlighting the success stories of Direct mail marketers in a printed "magazine" called "Deliver." The magazine is sent out 6 times a year to marketers in order to convince them to send more direct mail advertising.
The interesting thing is that the magazine is actually quite valuable. The content is well written in an editorial format and has a lot of unique content. When I first read the issue you see above, I had no idea it was not a real subscription based magazine.
What Lessons Can We Learn From the USPS?
- Content about and for your customers is better than any sales pitch or advertising
Use this to your advantage when creating content. How can you help the reader achieve their goals? How can You provide solutions in a new and useful way. Focus on the facts and put them in a story format. Show successes alongside facts and figures.
- Keep Your Content Entertaining
The USPS mag is entertaining to read and not just a brochure. Focus on your customers, but be sure to write in a personal and fun tone when possible. Be sure to add relevant graphics to keep visual interest.
- Find a unique way to Present your Content
The way USPS chose to present their content was unique and engaging. The magazine format not only proved their point about direct mail (by actually being direct mail), but it was I'm a format not traditionally used for advertising. Being different yet familiar goes a long way with your customer.
- Target the right customer with your Content
One of the most interesting things about the magazine format was that they chose to target marketers in order to increase the amount of mail they send.
They could have tried to target consumers about sending more letters or billing companies to send more bills by mail, but they didn't. They chose a target market that could potentially send a huge amount of mail. One marketer could send thousands of pieces of mail a month. This sure beats the one card I mailed to my mom for her birthday!
- Send the right Message to the right Customer
When choosing your audience you need to make sure you are targeting the right customer and solving their most pressing need. This in turn solves your own objective. The USPS wanted to marketers to send more mail and marketers want to get more customers to see their message.
They also know that marketers want a better Return on Investment for their marketing dollars than the current marketing methods they are using. USPS makes use of that fact by writing articles focused on the increased ROI of direct mail.
Now that you know what Content Marketing can do for the US Postal Service, how are you going to use content in your marketing?