Australia Post reduced deliveries should be seen as a big threat to direct mail

Many charities have spoken about the impact of a saturated direct mail environment and there is a level of criticism of the industry for sending too much mail - much of which lands in letter boxes on the same day.

If you are of the opinion that charity mail is being lost in the clutter, imagine what the situation will be like if Australia Post is successful in it's campaign to reduce the number of delivery days from five to three. Visit this link to read my article last month which encouraged people to acknowledge the importance of daily mail delivery as a public service which is still necessary for thousands of Australians. 

If Australia Post is allowed to make this change, direct mail responses will be impacted. If a supporter is forced to receive a week's worth of mail in three days rather than five, or worse, if their mail is held at a post office to be picked up in person, the clutter will increase and individuals will be far less likely to respond and donate.

Already the most significant expense in any direct mail campaign is the postage and these costs are unlikely to decrease as a result of reduced delivery days. More certainly, the number of responses received by charities - and therefore the amount of funds raised - will shrink. 

Are charities concerned about the potential impact? Should the not-for-profit sector be involved in the debate? Let's start talking: #charitymail