Junk mail is useful.

So says Canada Post in a direct pitch to Canadians to take down their “no flyers” signs, arguing that they are missing out on coupons, catalogues and community notices.

Addressed to Occupant, letters from Amanda Maltby, Canada Post’s chief privacy officer and general manager of compliance began arriving this week in some residents’ mailboxes across the country.

Maltby notes that these customers are in Canada Post’s Consumers’ Choice database of those who have declined unaddressed mail. She argues this type of mail “can save you money and keep you connected with your local community.”

Maltby goes on to list items that are not delivered as a result, including product samples, coupons and savings offers, catalogues, fundraising appeals from local and national charities, and municipal and community notices.

People can sign up to receive this unaddressed mail by mailing in an enclosed “postage paid envelope”, and they are urged to remove their “no flyers” notice, the letter says.

Experts are skeptical about how effective this appeal will be.

“Most people who put up those signs up have very strong views about that,” said Ian Lee, a business professor at Carleton University. “They tend to be environmentalist types who don’t want to cut down trees.

“I doubt you’re going to change their position,” he said, arguing the mailing is part of Canada Post’s efforts to boost direct-mail sales as consumers turn away from the post office for bills and letters.

But Lee cautioned that Canada Post would probably need to get 15 pieces of unaddressed mail to make up for a single first-class letter, whose volumes are in steep decline.

The post office, which earned $98 million in profit last year after a loss in 2011, delivered 4 billion domestic letters in 2012, down from 5 billion just six years ago. But it has already warned it expects a loss this year.

Canada Post spokeswoman Anick Losier said the mailings are part of an effort to update the database that began in 1997 and has not been updated since.

With 850,000 households changing addresses each year, Losier said these letters are meant to ensure Canada Post is giving consumers the chance to opt in if they want.

“For the people who paying for the service, the senders who are mostly small businesses, it’s to make sure they have the most accurate list possible,” she added.

“Direct mail has evolved considerably, and there are all kinds of offers made through unaddressed ad mail, and some people actually like it,” she said.

Queen’s University business professor Ken Wong argues that Canada Post missed an opportunity to make a strong pitch for direct mail.

“It’s a terrible piece of direct mail,” he said, adding the letter itself doesn’t even explain Canada Post’s need to update its database.

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“If they did that, it would have been genuine and authentic,” he added.

As well, by using the generic Dear Occupant salutation, it appears to be a form letter. Wong said if it had been personalized with a name, and perhaps included three or four examples of specific recent deals that the recipient missed, individuals might reconsider.

“It would create regret and motivation to get on the list,” he said. “It’s all in the context … Direct mail and flyers, they work. Otherwise, companies wouldn’t use them.”

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