Fax Machine

It is an odd phenomenon. And so unpredictable. New tools and technology, no matter how impressive initially, often lose some of their sheen over time. Then, owing to some unpredictable human behavior, the ancient takes on a new life and effectiveness. Take the telephone for example. Many predicted that the telephone would kill mail as a form of communication. Not so. In fact, from a marketing perspective the telephone probably actually increased the use of mail to deliver certain messages to consumers and businesses alike. Don’t believe that? Reflect on the number of “offers” you’ve received from telecommunications companies over the past decade or so in your mail. Old tool. New application. Still works. Drop a hand-written letter or note to someone hard to reach by phone these days and you may experience this phenomenon first hand.

The same might have been said about email and the personal computer. It was widely speculated that email would end the need for much phone use. Turns out, it only enhanced it. Now the two are inexplicably tied together (along with the internet) in the evolving communications form known as “smart phones.” And guess what? Yep. Telecommunications companies are spending more and more money on good old mail to help market that type of device to more and more of us. Is it effective? Must be. They keep on coming.

The phone didn’t die, it evolved. The use of regular mail didn’t die (although the Postal Service model has its problems) we just changed the way we use and consume it. As long as we can find a way to deliver our messaging in effective and efficient ways, the tools at hand are worth keeping around. Don’t throw out that facsimile machine just yet ….

Mark Stacey