Can YOU Solve the Real JunkMail Dilemma?

The dark side of my brain wonders if we all saved our junk mail for 30 days and then returned it all to the post office on the same day, would “they” get the message.

When I am being rational I know it’s not the postal workers problem to solve and most of them probably hate junk mail as much as I do.  So who do we contact to STOP the madness?

The folks at ForestEthics have started a DO NOT MAIL campaign to petition congress. 

If you want congress to know you are frustrated with junk mail and want it stop, I recommend you sign the petition.

There are web sites organized around helping you stop your own personal influx of mail.

There is the free service Catalogue Choice.  It’s very user friendly.  It is only going to help reduce catalogues that you receive.

You can Cut Junk Mail up to 90%. Plant 10 Trees. All for $20.
www.greendimes.com  their service is designed to help you reduce all mail not just catalogues.
Green Dimes has also recently added a free version, where they will send you $1.00 to try it out.
Check it out www.greendimes.com

ProQuo is a free service designed to help reduce all junk mail and catalogues. 

41Pounds appropriately cost $41.00 and covers you for 5 years.

I think the bigger question we have to answer is why is something that seems so simple  really so complex?   

How did we get where we are and how can we get out?

In my former life I worked at a major financial institution that used direct mail solicitation on a regular basis.  The cost of direct mail advertising is so cheap compared to all other methods of advertising that to have a successful campaign the company only needed a 7-10% response rate.  I doubt that the rate is any higher today.

Simply put- Junk mail WORKS. 

Think about your own experiences, have you EVER been prompted by something you received in the mail to go out and make a purchase you were not planning?  I think if you are truthful the answer is yes.  Most of us, at least once, have seen an ad in the mail and said “I want that”. After all who doesn’t love a good coupon from their favorite store?

Accepting that fact that advertising works no matter how much we hate it, forces us to look at the junk mail problem from another angle.

A quick search on the USPS web site reveals that the bulk rate postage paid by advertisers is about half what we pay as consumers to send mail. 

My search also revealed the USPS web site is barraged with information about how to start a direct mail campaign to increase business.  Should the government be encouraging direct mail ads?

I think eliminating bulk mail rates for businesses may be a start.  I realize eventually the increased cost of mailing advertisements may filter down to us, the consumer, thru the cost of the products.  However; maybe an increase in mailing cost will cause each company to look for and find alternative advertising methods.

What do you think the answer is? 
Please post your comments maybe together we can find the real solution to stop junk mail.