This May, the National Postal Forum (NPF) was held in Charlotte, North Carolina and PMG and MailSmart Logistics representatives were on hand to engage with their fellow industry experts. The NPF partners with the USPS to produce this event each year which brings together the mailing industry for a one-of-a-kind educational and networking experience. This year’s NPF theme was “Delivery for America” which is also the name and theme of the USPS’s 10-year transformational plan that was published in 2021 and focuses on changing and adapting to the future.

Collaborative sessions were led by industry experts and USPS employees. PMG’s Leigh Ann Doyle attended several sessions on topics including direct mail in a digital world, USPS promotions, the supply chain, the “perfect address”, industry trends, and more! Here are our top takeaways from the NPF:

  • As we know, the state of direct mail is strong and direct mail is still important and relevant AND has the highest ROI of mass-marketing channels!
  • Direct Mail success is still driven by the foundational elements of knowing your audiences, clean data, data-driven decisions, and testing.
  • Technological innovations within USPS operations have improved the ability to personalize offers and consumer response has benefitted from the proliferation of these personalized, targeted messages.
  • The USPS wants mailers to utilize promotions. The USPS Promotions and Incentive programs are great ways for mailers to earn promotional discounts and take advantage of various print techniques and technologies that drive innovation!
  • Omnichannel and multichannel marketing is critical to maximizing results of direct mail in a digital world. Informed Delivery is the USPS’s primary integration service and was the topic of many sessions.

The NPF was a great experience and we look forward to next year’s event in Indianapolis! In the meantime, please reach out to your PMG representative for any additional information on omnichannel marketing solutions, innovative formats and postal savings opportunities.