Losing sight of the US Postal Service’s holiday closures is the easiest way to delay your bulk mail campaigns. This post will help you keep track of when the USPS is closed in 2018.
Most businesses are open during several of the federally-observed holidays, so it can be easy to overlook the days that the U.S. Post Office will be closed.
An important detail to note about postal holidays in 2018 is that seven of the ten days that the U.S. Post Office is closed are on Mondays. If you don’t get your campaign mailed by the preceding Friday, you’ll have to wait at least three days to get it in the mail. These dates are essential for marketers, and bulk mail campaigns should be planned to avoid them where possible.
Here are the days that the USPS will be closed in 2018:
- Monday, January 1 New Year’s Day
- Monday, January 15 Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Monday, February 19 President’s Day/Washington’s Birthday
- Monday, May 28 Memorial Day
- Wednesday, July 4 Independence Day
- Monday, September 3 Labor Day
- Monday, October 8 Columbus Day
- Monday, November 12 Veterans Day
- Thursday, November 22 Thanksgiving Day
- Tuesday, December 25 Christmas Day
Please note that, as Veterans Day falls on a Sunday, the USPS will be closed the following Monday, November 12.
Anything else I should know about postal holidays?
If you’re in a smaller market, there may be additional days that the Business Mail Unit will be closed due to staffing issues. Most Business Mail Units will post a notice, but it’s always a good idea to ask if there any additional closures or restricted hours around holiday periods.
Bulk mail or presort standard mail (often referred to as 3rd class mail) is the last in line for attention by the USPS. Nonprofit bulk mail is treated the same as standard bulk mail from a delivery urgency point of view.
During postal holidays, the whole mail system can get backed up. In addition to the day lost for the holiday, there’s a very good chance that an additional day or two can be lost as the USPS gets back up to speed. With this in mind, it’s always a good idea to avoid scheduling time-sensitive mailing projects to drop the day before a USPS holiday.
Can I drop my bulk mail campaign on a Saturday?
Although the USPS currently delivers mail on Saturday, the Business Mail Unit of the US Post Office is not opened on Saturdays. You can, however, drop Every Door Direct Mail Retail campaigns on Saturdays.
Bulk mail projects involve successful coordination of many small steps, with delivery to the post office being the final step. Showing up at the post office on a postal holiday is a nightmare. Dropping your bulk mail project the day before a postal holiday can substantially delay delivery. Don’t risk blowing your critical deadlines by being unaware.
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The post When Will the USPS be Closed in 2018? appeared first on The Direct Mail Man.
