The United States Postal Service is in a world of hurt. With projected losses of some $10 billion this year, little room left in its debt limit, and an internal revolt happening in response to the Postmaster General’s plan to close more than 3,500 post offices, the Postal Service is a victim of the recession, new competitors, and changing dynamics. It’s facing the perfect storm.
Americans have high expectations from an institution whose services to towns of every size we all take for granted. But 80 percent of post office locations operate in the red, with some doing as little business as $50 per day. Clearly something needs to be done.
Given our niche of working with stalled, stuck and stale brands, we have a sweet spot in our hearts for the USPS. Its problems run deep, and the institution clearly suffers from all seven growth-killing factors I document in When Growth Stalls. We would love the opportunity to help the Postal Service address the fundamental issues it faces.
That said, there is something we all can do for the Postal Service today: Write a letter.
Think about it. If, say, 50 million Americans determined to write just one new letter a month, over the course of a year they’d send six hundred million letters. With each sporting a 44-cent stamp, the Postal Service would generate $264 million in new revenue. That’s $64 million more than the projected savings from closing all those post offices.
Beyond that, just think of all of the information, affection, love and respect that could be shared between friends and family members, in a form that could be treasured forever. Facebook isn’t really a book, after all, and you can’t keep a tweet in a hope chest.
We’re proud to have created AmericansLoveLetters.com, a simple site that not only asks people to commit to writing one letter a month but provides helpful ideas about to whom we can all write and what we can say. It’s our way of helping an American institution that means so much to us all.
I encourage you to check out AmericansLoveLetters.com and add your name to the list. Then get writing. The Postal Service–and your letter recipient–will be glad you did.