WASHINGTON, D.C. - With an uncertain economy, small business owners are faced with the constant struggle of either attracting new customers or risk being one of the thousands of small businesses that falter each year. "Thousands of small business owners have struggled because of the difficulty in attracting new customers," said Pam Gibert, vice president, Retail for the Postal Service. "A survey conducted by Millward Brown shows that small business owners need an easier and more cost-effective means of attracting new customers. The U.S. Postal Service's website, www.usps.com, has a Small Business Tools page that will help small business owners gain new customers, and features tips and strategies to help keep those customers coming back. "From showing them where to obtain lists of prospective customers to helping them create and mail professional direct mail pieces, the Postal Service's online services provide cost-effective and efficient resources." Services offered through the Small Business Tools page include: Direct Mail - Direct Mail is an online resource that can help business owners create a direct mail campaign that delivers a targeted message right to the front door of a prospective customer. The Direct Mail page provides the following for the small business owner: * Resources: Here the Postal Service offers Web links to a host of mailing services including everything from list brokers to designers to printers. * Templates: Small business owners can download sample templates of brochures, envelopes, letters and other print items directly to their computers in either QuarkXPress or Microsoft Word to use in designing their own direct mail materials. * Direct Mail Guide: This useful guide has all the information owners will need to plan and execute their own direct mail campaign. Small business owners can download the guide in Adobe Acrobat format to use as a convenient reference. NetPost Mailing Online™ - This service gives each owner the ability to design anything from printed letters, self-mailers, invoices, newsletters and postcards on his or her computer. The Postal Service takes the electronic file and, through contracted print sites, has it printed, assembled and mailed. NetPost™ CardStore - Small business owners can also create customized advertising through personalized cards online in minutes. The cards are then printed and mailed the next business day. A wide selection of designs, fonts, colors and even stamps are available online to choose from. Business owners can incorporate their own photo, logo or artwork for a completely customized card. In the study conducted for the United States Postal Service by Millward Brown Group, 511 small business owners were surveyed to gather information on their efforts to acquire and retain customers and the efforts to fulfill customer orders. Survey participants were owners of small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. The study showed that small business owners underestimate the amount of time needed to attract new customers. It found that 41 percent of small business owners spend 10-20 hours a week trying to attract new customers to their business. An additional 20 percent spend more than half of their week doing so. Despite the fact more than half (52 percent) of small business owners said that they spend the bulk of their time trying to attract customers, the inability to draw prospective clients is the number one reason for small business failure. In the survey, small business owners said that lack of time and money were the two biggest reasons for the inability to gain new customers. More than 60 percent of them said it was due to the difficulty of reaching prospective targets while 59 percent acknowledged that it's simply too costly to attract new customers. "Catching the attention of prospective consumers does not have to be that difficult," said Gibert. "Our website can serve as a single, convenient resource to help small business owners attract and retain customers and fulfill orders." For more information on how the Postal Service can help small businesses grow, visit the Small Business Tools page at www.usps.com.