There is still a high level of uncertainty about the status of mail delivery in Canada. And while there has been lots of talk about the impact a mail stoppage would have on everyone from banks to brides, a potential strike or lockout would have a major implication that we haven’t been hearing as much about: during a work stoppage, Canada Post won’t deliver direct mail. Here’s why that matters for your business.
Direct mail is a powerful marketing tool that drives action among customers and potential customers. In fact, according to a recent BrandSpark survey, 79% of people strongly agree that flyers impacted their purchase decision – with 75% of people stating that what they saw in a flyer drove them into a store within a week.*
And although there have been increases in the use of digital flyers from sites like Metroland’s own Save.ca, print – which requires household-to-household distribution – remains the preferred flyer format for more than 75% of people.
Metroland is already working with businesses including IKEA, Bell and Canadian Tire to put contingency plans in place in the event of a Canada Post work stoppage. So what can you do to prepare for – and market through – a potential strike or lockout?
Think ahead. A work stoppage means you won’t be able to access any of your direct mail pieces that are in storage with Canada Post – even if they haven’t been delivered yet. That could mean losing access to thousands of dollars of marketing materials that could be irrelevant by the time job action is complete. Plan now to get your materials back in hand.
Add digital to the mix. If your business has never tried digital flyers or coupons, this could give you an opportunity to try an alternate channel to reach consumers. Our research shows that heavy users of online flyers are also users of print, meaning the two channels can and should be complementary, not exclusive.
Seek out flexible alternate partners.
