Does Using Paper Kill Trees?

If you receive any bills by mail, you have probably received the message that "Paper Kills Trees." If so, you are the target of a marketing campaign by NACHA, The Electronics Payment Association. In their efforts to convince people to receive and pay bills electronically, they found that the message, "Paper Kills Trees," was a strong motivator to switch to electronic bill pay. Although a large part of the public believes this message, it is far from accurate.

In understanding the environmental impact of any product or service, it is necessary to delve into the upstream and downstream impacts. In the case of paper made from wood pulp, the source of the product is trees, a 100% renewable resource. The demand for paper and other wood products insures that forests remain valuable - as forests. And in fact, the Society of American Foresters reports that forested lands in the U.S. increased by 49% from 1953 to 2006. Every year, private landowners plant 3 to 4 times as many trees as they harvest. Using paper and other wood products provides an income from these forested lands which is an economic incentive to maintain and manage them. Without this income, there is an economic incentive to convert the forests to farmland for more valuable crops or to sell it for development.

In contrast, electronic devices require minerals, metals, plastics, hydrocarbon solvents and other non-renewable resources to produce. Some of these resources are classified as "conflict metals" and their use from the Congo requires reporting to the U.S. government.

Approximately 89% of the electricity in the U.S. comes from non-renewable fossil fuels. But paper in the U.S. is made with about 60% renewable energy. Printed products have a one time carbon footprint. But electronic devices and data centers require a constant supply of electricity. Many of these centers are located where power comes from coal, some of which may be supplied through mountain top removal mining, with devastating ecological consequences.

Paper is totally recyclable and some 63.5% of all paper used in North America is recovered for recycling. In contrast, only 13.6% of electronic waste is recycled. The bulk of electronic waste is shipped overseas to be dismantled, often by processes that are unsafe for workers and surrounding communities. Some of it is burned to recover metals.

In ecological terms, using paper does not "kill" trees. Of course, there are environmental impacts from both electronic media and paper. The impacts from paper can be, and are being, reduced and minimized. An informed public can further reduce these impacts, as they can with electronic media as well. Misleading or oversimplified marketing slogans are not going to help in that effort.

Every Door Direct Mail

A year after launching its "Every Door Direct Mail" program, The USPS has unveiled a new marketing campaign designed to promote EDDM along with a suite of other services specifically targeted to small businesses. Included is the flat rate shipping program, "If it Fits, it Ships," that has been heavily promoted through TV advertising and a re-launch of the "Click-N-Ship" program now made more accessible to small businesses. The Postal Service is hoping to tap into the small business shipping market long dominated by UPS and FedEx.

We would suggest that the EDDM could be made a lot more attractive to small businesses if it were simplified even further. There are currently two versions of EDDM, EDDM and EDDM Retail. Both provide saturation mailing to city routes using a simplified address format. The post office doesn't require the name and street number since the mailing goes to every door.  EDDM Retail differs only in that you do not need a mailing permit, and mail can be taken to the front counter of the post office instead of the bulk mail platform at the back.   The USPS provides a online guide for those wishing to take advantage of the program. Click here to access the guide.

In theory, EDDM Retail allows any small business to easily and inexpensively reach every door in its specific market area. This seems an ideal marketing tool for small retailers like neighborhood restaurants, cleaners, maintenance services , etc. But there are some obstacles that may discourage potential users. Although EDDM Retail does not require a mailing permit, it does require a USPS issued Mailer ID. Also, any piece mailed through either EDDM version must fit the postal definition of a "Standard Mail Flat." This effectively rules out the 6 x 9, 4 x 6, or 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 postcard sizes that are the most popular with direct mail customers. The Standard Mail Flat must "be more than 11.5" long OR more than 6.125" high OR more than 0.25" thick," and less than 15" long or 12" high and .75" thick.

Most mailers who want to take advantage of EDDM with a postcard mailing will need to go to a minimum 6.25" x 10" postcard. But standard paper sizes of 8.5 x 11, 11 x 17, or 12 x 18 for digital printers and small presses do not readily accommodate the sizes for a Standard Mail Flat. That is, you can only get one 6.25 x 10" postcard from an 8.5 x 11" sheet as opposed to four 4.25 x 5.5 postcards from the same sheet. Because of this, any savings in postage may be lost to an additional cost for printing.

Even with this drawback, however, EDDM is a good way to promote a neighborhood business. You don't have to buy a mailing list or have the specific address of everyone you want to reach. You can outline the geographic area that is your target, and get your message out to every door in your area.

NPR Reports on the Business of Spying on Internet Users

The following is from a story titled "How Companies are Defining Your Worth Online" broadcast on Fresh Air from WHYY and published on the web at NPR Books.

"One of the fastest-growing online businesses is the business of spying on Internet users. Using sophisticated software that tracks people's online movements through the Web, companies collect the information and sell it to advertisers.
Every time you click a link, fill out a form or visit a website, advertisers are working to collect personal information about you, says Joseph Turow, a professor at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. They then target ads to you based on that information."

Click here to read the entire article: NPR

U.S. Postal Service Still the Best

 

The Oxford Strategic Consulting firm (O.S.C.) ranks the USPS as the best among the world’s 20 largest economies. O.S.C. reviewed the postal systems based on efficiency, access to services, and public trust.

It might surprise a lot of people that the USPS is held in such high regard considering the blow dealt by internet communications and resulting financial struggles. But all postal systems within industrialized nations are facing the same challenges. When all the study factors were taken into account, the US came out on top. Factors considered included the number of people served, the number of letters and parcels delivered per employee, reliability of service and public trust.

Rounding out the top 5 were Japan, Australia, South Korea and Germany. The USPS delivers almost double the number of letters per employee as Japan, and five times as many as fifth place Germany’s Deutsche Post. China finished at the bottom of the list behind the postal services of Mexico, 14, and India, 15.

In spite of increasing use of digital communications, the postal service isn’t going away anytime soon. It is a major component of e-commerce providing fast, reliable and efficient delivery of printed material and other goods ordered online.

Karj's Myth #7

The following is an excerpt from Eric Karjaluoto's blog, Ideas on Ideas , a collection of essays on design, brands and experience. In this particular essay, Karj comments on claims occasionally made by advertising agencies, and labels them as "myths." Here is his myth number seven:

"Myth #7: Everything Needs to be Digital"

"Actually, a lot of it is digital—in that most campaigns need to eventually circle around to digital at one point or another. That said, it’s one part of a whole. Radio still works. Billboards still work. Television ads still work (sometimes). Product placement still works. Coupons still work. Newspaper ads still work. Direct mail still works. Handing out food samples at the grocery store still works."

 Eric Karjaluoto is Creative Director at smashlab.

Hidden Hazards of Email Marketing

Should you abandon your direct mail marketing in favor of an email campaign? The lower cost and instant dissemination of your message may sound appealing, but keep in mind that there are drawbacks. Emails are considerably less effective than direct mail for getting a response. A high percentage of emails are dismissed without even a minimal glance at the benefits your product or service is offering. Today’s decision makers are inundated with email and are quick to hit the delete button. 

And here is something else to consider; Some email providers, like Google and Yahoo, sell advertising space with each email. G-Mail uses keywords within your email to target ads to the recipient of that email. Whatever you are selling, Google will pick up on that keyword and deliver your message along with a column of ads from companies who may be selling the same thing! You may want to tell your customers or prospects about your special offer on fishing gear, but you may also be sending them “sponsored links” from potential competitors in the fishing gear business. 

We are not suggesting that you abandon email marketing altogether. On the contrary, use all the tools at your disposal. But when you consider the advantages, don’t overlook the limitations of your media. We use email marketing here at CR Print, but we also continue to use direct mail. The combination, or integrated marketing, works far better than either media by itself. Call us to see if your business can benefit from a multi media approach.

Combining Color, Text and Graphics gets Envelopes Opened

The following article is reprinted in its entirety from Print in the Mix, a clearinghouse of research on  the effectiveness of print media published by the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Pitney Bowes commissioned a study to identify factors that could influence when and whether recipients would open their mail and read it. The April 2010 study by Leflein Associates, examined preferences, attitudes and behaviors about mail as received at home by approximately 1,500 U.S. adults.

Participants were presented with graphic depictions of envelopes to determine which features would make them most likely to open them. Respondents examined an average of 16 screens, each containing 4 randomized envelopes, to test for variables including the presence of text, graphics and color on envelope fronts and backs. The key survey findings included the following: What’s printed on the front of the envelope strongly influences when and whether people open it. Participants were 69% more likely to open a mail piece with color text and graphics on the front before opening pieces with no headline or graphic; Given a choice of color graphics or black-and-white text, participants indicated they were 2.5 times more likely to open envelopes with color graphics first.

What’s printed on the back of the envelope is less influential. 57% of participants indicated they hardly ever noticed what was printed on the back of the envelope when sorting through or opening their mail; However, as with the front of the envelope, the study indicated that the presence of color text and graphics on the back was significantly more likely to influence their decision than black-and-white only.

Participants said they prefer physical mail to e-mail for bills, invoices and financial statements, as well as most catalogs and promotions.

66% of participants preferred to receive catalogs by physical mail;
61% preferred to receive bills and invoices by physical mail; and
59% preferred to receive financial or bank statements by physical mail.

About: A total of 1,503 opt-in research panelists (age 18+) completed the online survey between February 23 and March 3, 2010, resulting in a sample margin of error of +/-2%.

Source: Pitney Bowes, Color Makes a Noticeable Difference, July 27, 2010.

The Above article is reprinted from Print in the Mix.