FY12 PQ2 Business Connect Kit Contest Guide 508 FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY Every Door Direct Mail™ The Direct Mail Hub™ Can Help Tools to Reach More Customers Promote Direct Mail for a chance to win. SEE INSIDE! Win a 4-day, 3-night trip for two to the Stamp Dedication Ceremony of “The War of 1812: USS Constitution” in Boston, MA. By promoting Every Door Direct Mail – Retail™ and the Direct Mail Hub™ website to small businesses in your area, you can help the U.S. Postal Service® boost mail revenue – and earn an entry into the grand prize drawing! Every Door Direct Mail™ The Direct Mail Hub™ Can Help Business Connect Kit® 2012 – 2nd Quarter Contest This quarter, you’ll be promoting Direct Mail to small businesses and demonstrating how it can help them grow. We have two products to help businesses do this: the Direct Mail Hub™ and Every Door Direct Mail™. Both of these make it easy to take advantage of the benefits of Direct Mail. Create targeted mailings via the Direct Mail Hub. The Direct Mail Hub website lets businesses create targeted Direct Mail. The Direct Mail Hub supplies two options: a do-it-yourself tool that makes it easy for your customers to create their own Direct Mail and a supplier-network tool that helps them find a provider who can create the mailing for them. Business Connect users should spend some time at uspsdmhub.com to learn more about the tools available to your small business customers. The Do-It-Yourself Tool. Using this online tool, businesses can create their own mailpiece from start to finish. They can select a format by industry, marketing strategy, or type. Their mailpeice can be revised after choosing a template and customized to include their unique message. Then they can add recipients by renting a mailing list right on the do-it-yourself tool or by uploading their own list. When they are finished, the mailing is professionally printed and delivered by a mail carrier. The Supplier-Network Tool. This tool helps businesses find a provider who can create a mailing for them. The business owner will need to select a targeted mailing date. After answering a few simple questions online and providing their contact information, they will receive competitive quotes from Direct mail providers. Tear Pads. For your Letter/ Rural Carriers to share with customers who express interest in Direct Mail. Presentational DVD. Includes an overview of Direct Mail, an overview of the Direct Mail Hub, and an EDDM™ tutorial. Play at group events. Leave-Behind Brochure. Enclosed are five copies to leave with customers. If you need additional copies for group events, order them from the BCDC order site. Sample Retail Flats. Included for group events. Pass around to customers in attendance. Every Door Direct Mail™ The Direct Mail Hub™ Can Help Business Connect® 2012 – 2nd Quarter Contest Reach every address with Every Door Direct Mail – Retail™ (EDDM Retail™) On top of promoting the Direct Mail Hub, we also ask that you discuss Every Door Direct Mail – Retail. EDDM Retail lets businesses send up to 5,000 mailpieces to reach every customer in their target area without needing names or street addresses. Remember: If a customer wants to send more than 5,000 pieces, you should recommend our Business Mail Entry Unit option, Every Door Direct Mail™. Benefits of EDDM Retail include: No postage permit needed – This saves your customers the annual cost of purchasing one. Businesses can bring up to 5,000 properly prepared mailpieces to the Post Office™ in the neighborhoods they want to reach. Cash, check, or debit card are all accepted when paying for postage, which makes it simpler for businesses to send their mailings. Postage is as low as 14.5 cents apiece. We also offer an online tool to help prepare EDDM Retail mailings at usps.com/eddmtool Standard Mail® flats provide a lot of space for your customer’s message. A flat cannot be more than 15” long OR 12” high OR .75” thick, and cannot be less than 11.5” long OR 6.125” high OR .25” thick. They are great for announcing sales, sending coupons, or promoting a new product. We’ve included samples to pass around during group events. If you have customers who currently do not use Direct Mail, discuss some of the benefits. For example, let them know that Direct Mail is: Powerful – Their message gets sent directly to the target’s home. Tangible – It can be kept for future reference and passed along to others. Measureable – By including coupons, the business can determine how many recipients are responding to their mailpiece. Detailed – It provides the space to go into greater detail about their product or service. Go to usps.com/everydoordirectmail to familiarize yourself with EDDM Retail. Need additional materials? Visit BCDC order site for additional materials to support your efforts (while suppliers last). Every Door Direct Mail™ The Direct Mail Hub™ Can Help Business Connect® 2012 – 2nd Quarter Contest The Goal: Promote the use of Direct Mail with Every Door Direct Mail™ and the Direct Mail Hub™ website. The Reward: Win a 4-day, 3-night trip for two to the Stamp Dedication Ceremony of “The War of 1812: USS Constitution” in Boston, MA, August 17-20, 2012. Contest Overview: Quarter 2: January 1-March 31 Goals: Complete 5 Business Connect activities on the topics of EDDM™/Direct Mail Hub to show the value of Direct Mail. Prizes: After you complete and enter your 5 qualifying activities, your name will be entered in a random drawing for a chance to win: Grand Prize – 4-day/3-night trip for two to the Stamp Dedication Ceremony of “The War of 1812: USS Constititution” in Boston, MA, August 17-20. Additional prizes – $50 gift certificates for 50 runner-up winners. Contest rules: In order to receive credit for the contest, document your qualifying activities in the Business Connect Data Center (BCDC) by selecting EDDM/Direct Mail Hub (BC Contest) from the drop-down menu. Here’s what you need to know: Contest Rules 1. Meet your goals. Meet the Business Connect activity goals listed to the left in the contest overview. A Business Connect activity can be an individual meeting, a group presentation, or a lobby event. When you meet the goals for this quarter, your name will be entered into the official grand prize drawing. 2. Stay connected. You must document all activities in the BCDC. Select EDDM/Direct Mail Hub (BC Contest) on the individual or group activity screen. All activities must be entered by March 31, 2012, 11:59 p.m., CST. 3. Increase your chances of winning. Once you’ve met and documented the required number of customer activities, your name will be entered into the drawing an additional time for each sale of at least $5,000 in annual revenue. 4. Eligible participants. Postmasters, Station Managers, Managers of Customer Service, Branch Managers, and Supervisors are all eligible for prizes. 5. Support. Customer Relations Coordinators, Business Development Specialists, and Sales Team members are not eligible to enter but will be critical in the support and success of participants. 6. Questions? Send an e-mail to: BusinessConnect@usps.gov. Include “Contest – ” in the subject line. You just might win! United States Postal Service® ©2011 United States Postal Service®. All Rights Reserved. The Eagle Logo is among the many trademarks of the U.S. Postal Service®.