PUBLICITY KIT

usps.com week — March 27–31, 2006

Events Guide

The following information contains a step-by-step guide to plan an event, sample letters, and feedback and checklist forms.

Step 1 - Plan the Meeting Logistics

Where and When to Have the Event

What is the best time for your customers to attend an event? Most of them are very busy and would likely attend an event in the morning before work or in the evening after work. If your event is at your Post Office think about logistical issues: When is your busiest time? Is there adequate parking at your office? You should start planning your event and getting invitations to your customers no later than 2 weeks before the event date. There are different locations to host an event. If you are on a budget, you can have an event right in your Post Office, or you can work with the local library, college, Chamber of Commerce, or Small Business Administration for free classrooms. You also have the option of renting a conference room at a hotel.

Step 2 - Invite Customers to Your Event

Send Customer Invitations

Once you have decided on the date and time of your event, it is time to get your Direct Mail piece printed. You can get a fully designed mailpiece from Message Maker. Please speak with your local district marketing or retail manager for help in ordering invitations and Take Ones from Message Maker. Then you need to decide how you are going to distribute the mailpiece. Again, please see your district advertising coordinator for details. You may send out saturation mailpieces addressed to "Postal Business Customer" with carriers in your target area or you may provide Take Ones in Postal Service lobbies.

Step 3 - Prepare for Meeting

Do a Head Count

Determine how many customers will be coming to your event and use this information to plan the room set-up and order appropriate materials and refreshments. (There is generally a 1 to 2 percent response rate to Direct Mail pieces.)

Order Enough Materials for Session

Depending on the number of participants, you will need to order an appropriate amount of literature for handout materials, giveaways (if applicable), and so forth. If you are printing the material from Message Maker, please give yourself enough time to contact your area advertising coordinator.

Step 4 - Set Up Computers for Demonstrations

Be sure you arrange for computers well in advance of your event and that you have the appropriate hook-ups. Also be sure you have trained employees who are helping you execute the demonstrations. Arrange for local personnel to attend. It's important to have local presence whenever possible in order to engage as many customers as possible. By leveraging your local resources, the event becomes a team effort. Some possible representatives include the following:

• District manager, district marketing manager, local postmasters, or postal ambassadors.

• Sales specialists to capitalize on sales opportunities.

• Customer relations coordinators to assist with presentation and customer relationship building.

Step 5 - Conduct the Meeting

Set Up the Meeting Room

You can display the literature/materials and set up the refreshments in advance. It will take some time to make sure things are properly set up. People will start to arrive up to 15 minutes early and you want to make sure you are prepared to greet them.

Welcome Participants as They Arrive

This will create a more relaxed atmosphere and give you the opportunity to learn about individual business challenges so you can better address real customer objectives during the meeting. Use a sign-in sheet. Right before you kick off the session, pass along the registered sign-in sheet on page 20 to verify attendance.

Collect Feedback Surveys with Action Items

After each session, create and distribute a feedback form. This feedback will help determine overall satisfaction and identify additional topics the participants would like to cover in future events.

Network

After you collect the feedback form, allow time for customers to network with each other and ask you questions.

Step 6 - Conduct Meeting Follow-Up

Manage Follow-up Requests and Items

Make sure you follow up. By developing strong relationships with other internal Postal Service resources, you can confidently refer to them for selling opportunities, support issues, and assistance in streamlining customer activities at Retail and in the business mail entry unit (BMEU).

Send Thank You Letters

Send out thank you letters promptly after the session. In building relationships, the thank you letter closes the loop and invites the customer to do more business with us.

Forward Appropriate Contact Information

If a customer has a follow-up request or item that requires additional information, forward that customer's contact information (name, telephone number, and address) to the appropriate area. Follow up with the appropriate internal contact to confirm that this customer has been contacted. In addition, you may want to follow up with the customer to see that he or she received the information needed.

Step 7 - Document Your Activities in Business Connect

How do postmasters and station/branch managers register and document their activities for usps.com week?

Postmasters will record their activities online the same way they do for all Business Connect activities. The steps are as follows:

1. Access the database via Internet at www.usps businessconnect.com.

2. Follow the simple prompts to log in/register for Business Connect.

3. Document your activities by entering the following information:

• Type of Activity: Select Group Presentation or Lobby Event.

• Presentation/Event Held: Select usps.com.

• Activity Description: Enter "usps.com week."