# Is scotch taping a flyer to a mailbox legal/ethical?



## PlowOrDie

i was just wondering if I can tape flyers to mailboxes without

A) getting in legal trouble?

B) looking like a schmuck?

what are your takes on this method?


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## Lubold8431

Don't mess with mailboxes. Period. Taping them to the outside of it is a SCHMUCK move. Do the right thing and pay the money to send them out, if you really feel thats what you need to do to get leads.


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## repo_man62

Rule #1...Mailboxes belong to the U.S. Government! Look on yours and it says that.


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## PlowOrDie

its not that this is my only way to get leads, its just that there are a few nice developments right around my street that I wouldnt mind signing contracts with to help pay for some minor overhead...


and yes, the mailbox is considered federal property, BUT, i dont see much wrong with taping flyers to them with scotch tape... i can see a huge problem though if I were to use DUCT tape


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## repo_man62

If you're afraid to walk up a sidewalk, and talk to people face to face, you don't need to be plowing! I wouldn't even wipe myself with the piece of paper it's printed on if someone couldn't come to my door face to face. It shows 1.)Dishonesty...2.)Laziness...in my opinion.
Kinda like the guy picking up your daughter for her first date and sitting in the driveway honking! My daughter wouldn't go.


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## PlowOrDie

how does it show dishonesty if you don't mind?


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## repo_man62

PlowOrDie;422205 said:


> how does it show dishonesty if you don't mind?


An honest man will look you in the eye when doing business.I wouldn't trust someone who just "taped" a flyer on the mailbox...can't wait to see the rest of the comments from the others that have been doin' this 20+ years. They'll tell you that they got where they are by HARD work... not hangin fliers and "hoping" people call you. Do what you want tho I'll be the one gettin homemade chocolate chip cookies at Christmas with my bonus check... because I did business in person!payup


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## Clapper&Company

Bob, I made a note not to sit in your drive and Honk  Also You got my adress I like my cookies with milk 



Plow or Die, When it comes to snow,

1. I call all my clients who need to renew, I also call all my others and touch base with them. 
2. They call us from our phone book Ad.
3. They see our trucks and call us.
4. Word-of-mouth. 

I have some that if they dont hear from me in july/Aug they call me to make sure i'm still plowing.

1-888-611-SNOW, is a big seller also.

If you were to tape something on my box, it would get trashed.

P.S who has time to plow drive ways, and I also get cookies


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## PlowOrDie

point taken.

but I will still continue to distribute flyers (withouth taping them) despite what you all say.

I have many forms of advertising going on right now (with little personal effort, might i add), but i figured in my down time, why not directly target some homes i wouldnt mind doing.

...dropping off a well designed flyer with a catchy, honest niche' is alot less likely to piss someone off as much as knocking on their door (soliciting), or waiting for them to step foot outside the door (stalking)

..if someone is serious enough about my service, to the point where they call me back from checking out my flyer, then I will be just as serious to do honest business with them..


..until then, I don't think I will be waiting around for that 1 person per mile to step outside their door to talk to me


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## karol

*flyers*



PlowOrDie;422273 said:


> point taken.
> 
> but I will still continue to distribute flyers (withouth taping them) despite what you all say.
> 
> I have many forms of advertising going on right now (with little personal effort, might i add), but i figured in my down time, why not directly target some homes i wouldnt mind doing.
> 
> ...dropping off a well designed flyer with a catchy, honest niche' is alot less likely to piss someone off as much as knocking on their door (soliciting), or waiting for them to step foot outside the door (stalking)
> 
> ..if someone is serious enough about my service, to the point where they call me back from checking out my flyer, then I will be just as serious to do honest business with them..
> 
> ..until then, I don't think I will be waiting around for that 1 person per mile to step outside their door to talk to me


I wouldn't tape the flyers. I've been using fridge magnets that you can buy at wal- mart or any business supply store. You need business cards that you can stick on the magnets. I put a flyer together with the price and any other information that you'd like to put on and I put it on the doors. This is the only way I advertise for residential accounts. I've gotten many this way. Most people will hang on to the magnets. It certainly doesn't make you dishonest. Now if you're trying for commercial accounts face to face is the preffered method. Hope this helps.


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## Clapper&Company

I wouldn't knock on doors, I need to add to what I said, We do use Door Hangers for lawn/landscape so if it works for you great. We dont do drives inless they call us.

What part of ohio you in>?


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## PlowOrDie

NE ohio is my location


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## Mick

Believe me, you may not see anything wrong with taping something to the outside of a mailbox, but the USPS does. Anything in or on a mail recepticle is to be collected by the mail carrier and delivered to the post office. A new person in a hurry who sees something in a mailbox will just take a swipe with his hand without looking as he delivers the mail. The results can be "interesting". I "collected" a bottle of whisky once around Christmas. Unfortunately, at the time I was a part timer who carries part of several routes. By the time I got back in, I'd forgotten what address or even what route it came from. Since I couldn't deliver it to the mailman it was intended, I got to keep it. But I don't drink much, so I gave it away.

The Postmaster will usually call the person listed on a flyer and tell him to stop. The second notice is usually through the Postal Inspectors. Those guys have no sense of humor.


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## drumbo

You can't OPEN a box or put anything INTO a box. Since, the contents are private and addressed to that specific address or person. Outside of the box is fine...but a dumb idea in general...but legal.

The boxes must be APPROVED (supposedly) by the Postmaster General but you are the one who buys them and maintains them. Some people build their own and the reason they are supposed to be "approved" is to ensure that the contents delivered to you are protected from blowing out, getting wet, etc.

Years ago, we put flyers out (for a different service) and only got into trouble when some of the kids I hired actually put them INTO the box. They view that as a violation of privacy...you know, when the local principal or school superintendent gets "Sweet Young Love" magazine...sheesh.


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## vortec5.7

i post a flyer with my business cards attached to it at the local convenience stores and gas stations with the managers or owners permission it works better then in the mail flyers


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## Mick

18 USC, Section 1725 is the reference for this.

http://law.onecle.com/uscode/18/1725.html

ON is the same as IN.


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## Flipper

Who Says??? 

It does not say on is the same as in. It specifically says "IN"

Just some other info I have seen and heard over the years. Nothing I say below should be taken as law etc. 

1. Condo Associations etc, often put their newsletters etc in mailboxes with no penalty.

2. Cleaning Services are notorious for leaving stuff on the outside of mailboxes without penalty.

3. People put stuff in AFTER the mail has been delivered thus avoiding them seeing it.

4. How about taping it to the post, that is not part of the mailbox. Newspaper companies nail tubes to it. Where does it end, the ground?

I usually mail them in a big area or leave them on the door for a small area. I can't imagine going door to door trying to pitch plowing like the fuller brush man. People are never home.


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## PlowOrDie

Flipper;422683 said:


> Who Says???
> 
> It does not say on is the same as in. It specifically says "IN"
> 
> Just some other info I have seen and heard over the years. Nothing I say below should be taken as law etc.
> 
> 1. Condo Associations etc, often put their newsletters etc in mailboxes with no penalty.
> 
> 2. Cleaning Services are notorious for leaving stuff on the outside of mailboxes without penalty.
> 
> 3. People put stuff in AFTER the mail has been delivered thus avoiding them seeing it.
> 
> 4. How about taping it to the post, that is not part of the mailbox. Newspaper companies nail tubes to it. Where does it end, the ground?
> 
> I usually mail them in a big area or leave them on the door for a small area. I can't imagine going door to door trying to pitch plowing like the fuller brush man. People are never home.


Agreed


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## Mick

Ok. I just put information out there. What you do with it is up to you.


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## QuadPlower

I hate people knocking on my door. We were at a friends for halloween and I got pissed off every time the door bell rang.

You can't put stuff ON the mail box. I did it 12 years ago with a flyer between the flag and the box and they were picked up and I was called. Haven't done it since.

Leave them in the newspaper hole. If they get the paper they might think you paid for it to be delivered. Tapeing it to the post would look cheap.

If you stick it in the mail box after the mail has been delivered, I would call the police on you myself. Too much identity theft going on to have someone in my mail.


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## drumbo

Mick;422728 said:


> Ok. I just put information out there. What you do with it is up to you.


No offense...but the information you put out there says you were wrong. It's ok...you should've read it before posting it. So, what we are going to do with it is correct your statement...especially since you used it for your own point.

Not hating on you. But you tried to defend it.


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## Mick

Ok, to clarify further, this is from USPS Bulletin 21861:

USPS' Postal Bulletin (Issue
21861, 2-17-94, p. 37):"

"D041 Customer Mail Receptacles
Use for Mail 1.3 
Except under 2.11, the receptacles described in 1.1 may be used only
for matter bearing postage. Other than as permitted by 2.10 or 2.11,
no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not
bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by,
attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle. Any
mailable matter not bearing postage and found as described above is
subject to the same postage as would be paid if it were carried by
mail.

"USPS' Postal Bulletin (Issue 21861, 2-17-94, p. 37):" 

"Mailable Matter in or on Private Mail Receptacles Mailable matter not
bearing postage found in or on private mail receptacles represents a
revenue deficiency to the Postal Service and is a violation of federal
law. Title 18 United States Code, section 1725, provides for a fine of
not more than $300 per piece for these violations. All employees must
uniformly enforce the procedures detailed in the Domestic Mail Manual,
section P011.2.0. The failure to enforce these procedures uniformly
may jeopardize the criminal prosecution of repeated violators."


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## Flipper

Now that seems clear enough. 

The problem is that I still don't think it is applied fairly. Don't get me wrong, I don't do it nor do I suggest or support doing it. Just seems to me that this law along with many others in the country is applied with too much discretion.


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## bribrius

yeah. i get the impression nick is a no nonsense kind of guy. 
i agree with others that word of mouth is the best advertising. 

knocking on doors/putting flyers in doors is hit or miss since many might already have arrangements for plowing or snowblowing. it is also very time consuming. chances are good the person you need to talk to wont be home and you will just be shoving it into the doorway. good thing about it is you can pick and choose who you are advertising too for possible routes to be setup and not get clients out of the way. as someone else mentioned it also doesnt hurt to look them in they eyes when your asking to do business with them. i have magnets too however i dont consider the little things cheap. the thought of people throwing them in the trash is more than i can bare. i guess its the jew in me but i wont leave magnets.

the next best would be a small advertisement in the local hometown newspaper but you may have people calling you from areas you dont want to drive too that are not in line with your current routes. free shopping newpapers are the best because people just pick them up at supermarkets/stores etc. since they are free. the more established and bigger circulation of the newpaper the more you pay. you generally arent advertising for a big area so you shouldnt need the expense of advertising in a big ciruculation newspaper. ive spent hundreds on newpaper advertising only to realize the biggest newspaper isnt the best one to advertise in. free shoppers and local hometown will usually get more specific results for what you want as well as being more cost effective.

mailings usually end up in the trash. if you choose that i would make it something that stands out and is very "down home" in appearance so recipients see it as something local to them and personal instead of just another piece of junkmail. you can get a automatic stamper from most post offices so you dont have to lick all the stamps individually. also a gluestick works better than trying to lick all the envelopes. id suggest something catchy and colorful. dont be dismayed if you realize 99% of them still went into the trash.

just my opinion. just a small disclaimer. none of the above have i done for snow removal. i have this opinion from other businesses i was involved in soliciting and personally prefer not to solicit anything and just advertise based on word of mouth.


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## PlowOrDie

Thanks for clarifying that Mick.

anyone who posts over 4k times on this website, HAS to know what they are talking about or they probably would get boo'd off. 

when you first posted in this thread, i started to doubt you, but now you havevestablished credibility in my eyes (even though I have read about 500 posts, each with you saying something that makes the most sense to me)

keep up the good work.


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## icebladez

CAUTION: Anyone foolish enough to leave address/Ph# etc, on any of my properties, CAN Expect a nice little..or is that big?, unnecessary prank returned(perhaps a couple of 3-4AM wake up calls might be in the books,or maybe i'll make a bumper sticker for you to drive around with for a few undiscovered days..you just don't know what i may do?) 
! Especially windshield meddling !..please post on public avenues, like the rest of the civilized citizens of the world.


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## Banksy

It's legal to stuff it on the outside between the flag and box, but never to actually put it inside. That's really something a 12 year old does in his neighborhood for raking leaves....

*My bad Mick, I completely retract this and I didn't even delete it.*


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## Mick

Banksy, you might want to go up three or four posts to my last one and read it.


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## Banksy

Whooopsy, insert foot in mouth........

I edited it....I was going by what I had heard and not read.......


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