In my second year in business, I wanted to launch a marketing campaign to try and reach more people. I had tried several options, including some outreach activities, but my efforts bore little to no fruits. Very few people had heard of my spa even though it had a beautiful and unique name I had borrowed from the Jain religion ‘Mahavir spa, barber, and salon.’ That’s when EDDM came into the picture to save the day.
During the struggles, a friend introduced me to EDDM service, and things took an unexpected turn. Like most people, when I first heard of EDDM, it sounded like some foreign language. Don’t sweat it, though. I’ve got you.
The initials stand for ‘Every Door Direct Mail,’ a United States Postal Service (USPS) program. EDDM is a service used by thousands of businesses to reach their clients and potential leads by sending them their marketing mailers without purchasing a mailing list. Strange, right?
Not really.
How Does EDDM Service Work?
You don’t need to have your target customers’ addresses or to know them with EDDM. All you need are ads or mailers that meet the USPS guidelines. Then, once you present them to the USPS, you are supposed to pick a delivery route that you intend to have them distributed.
The USPS takes care of delivery. The catch is, every address on your route of choice will receive your mail. That way, you can reach new clients, conduct broad area campaigns, generate more traffic, and increase revenue. Isn’t that smart?
I mentioned ads that meet the USPS guidelines. You must be wondering what procedures are laid down.
What Does EDDM Eligible Mean?
The USPS flats recommendations control EDDM eligibility. And flats refer to mailers that meet those requirements.
First off, the weight of your marketing mailer has to be less than 3.3 ounces. The height should be within 6.125” to 12”. The length should be between 10.5” and 15” and the thickness between 0.25” and 0.75”.
Thickness must be uniform across all the mail pieces you submit for delivery, and the mail pieces should be flexible. Mail pieces that are not flexible are considered parcels and therefore attract a parcel charge.
It’s advisable to display the EDDM retail indicia on every single mail piece, and you have to print enough copies for every mailbox within your preferred mailing route.
While delivering your mailings to the USPS, they have to be packed in bundles of 50 to 100 mail pieces. Ideally, the height should not exceed 6” for each bundle.
Is there a minimum quantity for EDDM? Yes!
EDDM minimum quantity is 200 mail copies but not more than 5000 copies per zip code per day for EDDM retail. With the EDDM business mail entry unit, you can enjoy bulk mailing without limit.
How Do You Create an EDDM Retail Mail
The process is not complicated.
First, you need to create an account with USPS.com here. If you have an existing one, you can skip that and log in.
Then, select your target audience or recipients. You can use this EDDM online tool to filter your chosen audience by age, income level, route, or any other option provided.
Design your mail piece using the provided USPS physical standards for flats. Address the mail pieces to ‘postal customer’ and include the EDDM retail indicia.
If you find it challenging to create your EDDM mails or have trouble with the mail design, preparation, printing, or delivery, don’t worry. The USPS directory has your local printers within reach. Alternatively, you can get help from USPS affiliate vendors.
Pick a drop-off date and make payments either online with a credit card or at the post office. If you have a dispute and need a refund, here is a guide on requesting refunds.
Once you’ve done all that, you can prepare your mailing bundles in stacks of 50 to 100 mail pieces and deliver them to the post office.
The last step…
Sit down and sip your coffee. The post office will take care of delivery to the addresses in your preferred EDDM delivery route.
Now, here are the benefits of EDDM;
#1. You Don’t Need a Mailing List to Reach Your Targets
Unlike working with direct mail, where you need to purchase a mailing list, EDDM does not require you to buy one. That’s because mailing with EDDM is targeted to a specific geographical location. Every address in that location gets your mail unless otherwise specified in a facing slip. That helps you to focus on perfecting your marketing mailers.
#2. Every Door Direct Mail Is a Cost-Effective Way of Marketing
As I mentioned in the first point, you don’t need to buy a mailing list. That lowers your marketing costs. On the other hand, you don’t need a postal permit and, if you design your marketing mailers yourself, you also save money you would have spent hiring a graphic designer.
#3. EDDM Allows You to Advertise to Your Entire Neighborhood
Considering that EDDM zeros down to a geographical location, you can pass the message to a whole community with one mailer batch. That enables you to tap into all those who have no prior knowledge of your business. At the same time, you are reaching out to those already your clients in the same neighborhood.
#4. EDDM Is Effective for Marketing Every Type of Business
Every kind of business can use EDDM to reach potential clients. EDDM provides businesses with an opportunity to sell their product to potential clients without hiring a marketing team. That makes it even more convenient for small-scale companies like barber shops, eateries, book stores, and such.
#5. The Service Is User Friendly
Direct mailing can’t get any simpler. First, you don’t need to know about conducting campaigns or marketing. Secondly, you don’t have to spend time looking for the best marketing strategies. All you need is to open an account with USPS, prepare your mail order, present it to the post office, and pay. And just like that, you’ve launched a campaign.
#6. Higher Chances of Conversion
If you base your campaign on your targets’ purchasing history, chances are they will respond positively. The fact that you are ‘surprising’ your prospects with your new product or promotion may prompt them to buy your idea for trial, and if it’s good, you have new clients. I have found myself buying things I never thought I required just because I saw an ad somewhere. The same applies to your prospects. And if you are good at marketing with written copy, chances are they will develop interest.
#7. No Purchasing of Postal Permit
EDDM allows you to send up to 5000 copies of mail without purchasing a postal permit. How about you use that cash to produce eye-catching postcards for your campaign? Every business needs to cut down its operational costs whenever possible, and EDDM presents you with that opportunity. Doesn’t that sound awesome?
Now, if you’ve read up to this point, I have goodies for you.
Tips You Can Use to Make Your EDDM Campaign Successful
Align your mailing with an upcoming event
If you feel a forthcoming event could prompt people to buy your product, you can schedule your mailing just before the event. Have a promotion, waivers in price, or giveaways to draw your prospects’ attention. People tend to purchase more during holidays. If you give them a good reason to buy from you, they sure will.
Choose your zip codes wisely
You need to conduct extensive research while choosing your mailing routes. Know the exact demographics and distribution of the population. For example, if you sell feminine products. It will help if you choose an area with a high percentage of women residents. Also, be sure to look into their spending habits and level of income. That way, you can increase your chances of conversion.
Choose your digital printer wisely
You don’t want to deal with a printing company that will disappoint you at the last minute. You need to check that your printer can deliver high-quality print jobs within the given time. Go through several companies for comparison and settle on the one that satisfies your needs.
Have a professional design
It would be best to impress your prospects, and you can’t do that with substandard marketing mailers. Use available templates or request your digital printer to help you design professional marketing mailers. An excellent first impression is always crucial in winning new prospects and a great affirmation to your old clients that they are dealing with the right business. Let your design create a good impression of your business.
Make use of postcards
Most businesses prefer to use postcards in their mailing campaigns because they are cost-effective and can carry a load of information. With various sizes being accepted by the post office, you have an effective way of announcing sales, grand openings, and introducing new products. Moreover, people are less likely to ignore a postcard.
Use bigger postcards
Statistics have shown that more giant postcards tend to perform better than smaller ones. Therefore, smaller postcards are overlooked, especially if there is a bigger one taking up all the attention. Additionally, in comparison to your competitor, you seem to command more authority. So, it’s advisable to have more significant marketing mailers so long as they lay within the approved sizes.
Invite your clients online
Some of your prospects may want to learn more about your business or products. Indicate your website URL and your social media handles in your mailers so that those who want more information about you can check you out. Don’t forget that today’s world is swimming in digital waves, thus having some digital aspect into your email subscribers is lucrative in the current generation.
Mail frequently
It’s advisable that you send your marketing mailers often to a chosen geographical region rather than mailing once over a wide area. That keeps your prospects updated and assures them that your business is reliable, not a one-time thing. In addition, you don’t have to bombard your clients with promotional mailers every day. Just do it once in a while.
Frequently Asked Questions about EDDM
1. Is there a difference between direct mail and EDDM?
Direct mail targets specific groups of people, for example, a particular age group, gender, or income level. Therefore, you need a mailing list to be able to send your mailers to your specific targets. With EDDM, you do not need a mailing list since you are targeting a particular geographical location.
2. Does EDDM require a return address?
Yes. You are required to have a return address on your mail. A P.O box or a physical address is acceptable. In addition, would it not be nice to give your clients a way of reaching out to you, making inquiries, or offering suggestions?
3. Will I know when my mailers are distributed?
Yes, you will be notified through email when your mailers are scheduled to be distributed.
4. Does EDDM work?
EDDM allows you to market to your prospects directly. In most cases, it has proved to have a high return on investment. Most businesses use postcards for their marketing mailers; thus, even with the 45% of people who don’t open their received mails, they have to see your postcard. So, are we marketing by force now?
Perhaps. But in a good way. Don’t you think?
Take Away
Every Door Direct Mail is a United States Postal Service program that allows businesses to send their customers mailers without a mailing list.
EDDM is a smart way for businesses to send their marketing mailers and reach out to clients over a chosen geographical location.
You need to create an account with USSP to be able to use EDDM services.
When you create ads for EDDM, make sure they follow the USPS guidelines and create enough copies for each mailbox in the delivery route you choose.
The minimum number of mail copies you can send with EDDM service is 200, and the most you can send is 5000 copies per day.
After you’ve created an account on the USPS website, choose the location you want to send your mailers and make payment. Once you are done preparing your marketing mailers, please drop them off at the post office. Make sure they are in stacks of 50-100 mail pieces.
If you want your mailing campaign to be successful;
Align it with an event.
Take time to study the demographics of the area before choosing a zip code.
Get a digital printing company that will give you the best quality print jobs for professional mailers. It’s essential to impress your clients.
Consider using postcards. You are more assured that your prospects will see your postcards even if they ignore the rest of their mailers.
Use more giant postcards so that you can command more authority and avoid the chances of your postcards getting ignored.
EDDM service allows you to advertise your business to an entire neighborhood without purchasing a mailing list, a postal permit, or hiring a marketing team. As a result, the service is user-friendly, and you have higher chances of conversion.
If you are considering using Every Door Direct Mail for your marketing mailers, these are some of the immense benefits you can reap, go for it.
