from reachhispanic.com

It was bound to happen again. And this will not likely be the last time either. The U.S. Postal Service is asking for another rate hike. Regardless of how you feel about the USPS, they probably need it. The proposed increases that will go into effect in 2011 are needed to address a $7 billion budget deficit, and the increases would generate about a third that much. So it is warranted but will likely NEVER be enough. And it will very likely save some needed postal service jobs. But what affect will the increase(s) have on marketing professionals?

Despite the oft mentioned perception that the digial revolution will eventually kill the snail mail business, the direct marketing industry is alive and still doing pretty well. Mail is still a crucial part of the equation. So ANY increase in cost has some effect on jobs. More and more however, smart companies are using “integration” specialists that may know as much about digital marketing tools and the web as they do about direct mail. Those that haven’t diversified probably fall short in more than one area and should probably expect some discomfort, if not outright failure. But for those of us who have plied our trade internationally over the past couple of decades, we probably recognize that our postal service is still a bargain and is one of the most reliable in the world.

So before you start buying into stories about people “going postal” over this latest round of rate hikes, spend some time studying just how effective a combination mail and online marketing can be to most campaigns. Put a stamp on that and you will probably be looking at some real job security for the foreseeable future.