What is EDDM?
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a bulk mailing preference offered by the United States Postal Service (USPS). EDDM enables businesses to reach prospects without knowing their address.
How To Use EDDM?
You choose your preferred mailing route, and the EDDM service provider delivers your mail items to all the active addresses on your selected carrier location. You can also target EDDM depending on the standard demographic of each neighborhood.
EDDM is a direct mail tactic for any size business that targets every house in a selected neighborhood.
What size is EDDM?
There are specific requirements that Every Door Direct Mail must meet. You can print the mail in any of the three varying sizes approved by the United States Postal Services.
They include 6.25”x 9”, 6”x11 and 8.5”x11”. Furthermore, the thickness of the mail should not exceed ¾”.
All the postcard categories have the same EDDM postage rates regardless of the size. Therefore, you can take advantage of print area coverage by choosing a larger sized print media.
How to Choose the Right Size EDDM Postcard?
USPS has already taken care of the sizes of the postcards, which are taller than a regular envelope. Therefore, you don’t have to worry whether the EDDM postcard will stand out in the mailbox.
The 6.25”x 9” EDDM Postcard
This print media is the smallest postcard advertisers can mail using EDDM services. It is ideal for small businesses and individuals seeking to cut down on printing costs. However, it is still larger than half an A4-sized paper and can fit any advert for businesses like restaurants, home services, retailers, car wash, and more.
The 6”x11” EDDM Postcard
This middle-sized postcard is one of the three approved sizes by USPS. The 6”x11” EDDM card is longer than 10.5” and offers more print coverage than the smaller 6.25”x9”. More so, it doesn’t cost much more than the smaller version.
One of the advantages of this middle-sized EDDM postcard is that it is ideal for marketing messages and graphics or pictures. It is also beneficial for promoters who wish to use a Business Reply Card on their Every Direct Door Mail print.
The 8.5”x11” Every Door Direct Mail Postcard
This Mailpiece is the largest-sized approved EDDM postcard you can send. Your possible clients spot it out of all the other mails because it stands out in size and design.
More so, the card allows you a broader print coverage to accommodate your messages, graphics, and maps. It is an ideal choice for marketers who need to express the service or brand in detail, like a menu list and selling proposition.
This EDDM postcard is favorable for menus, health services, political mailers, and other industries that desire to overshadow the mailbox.
Types of EDDM Accounts
Business owners can select either the EDDM Retail Account or the USPS Business Account.
EDDM-Retail Account permits up to 5,000 pieces of printed mail per zip code. More so, promoters do not require a postage permit to distribute mail under the Retail Account. It is ideal for businesses that issue out limited mail.
USPC Business Account has a daily allowance of more than 5,000 pieces of mail per Zip code. It also permits marketers to handle the mail online. But unlike the EDDM-Retail Account, this service requires a postage permit from USPS.
Why EDDM is a Great Marketing Tactic
Marketing research shows that about 40% of the American population looks forward to going over their mail every day. Today, the current work at home scenario makes people of all ages anticipate receiving their mail more than customary.
Here are 10 reasons why EDDM is a great marketing tactic for any business size.
1. EDDM Improves Digital Marketing Strategy
A study by The Canada Post indicates that you can achieve intelligent marketing, stronger client relationships, and improved sales by integrating digital and physical marketing. By combining print and digital media, you back up a message by reaching prospects across multiple channels.
More so, the world’s largest digital tech giants like Google use direct mail to help drive its internet promotion and improve its revenue.
2. High Response Rate Among EDDM Readers
EDDM recipients are likely to be more responsive if they do not feel the pressure of being treated like isolated consumers. A selective mail list can make some neighbors wonder why they are targets for what ought to be a public campaign.
Furthermore, statistics show that marketers get a higher response from mail sent to homes than from prospects lists. Up to 5.3% feedback originates from EDDM sent to residences and 2.9% from a predetermined schedule.
3. High Response Rate Promotes Sales
A CBR News report indicates that up to 62% percent of consumers purchase in less than three months of EDDM correspondence. EDDM is an excellent marketing strategy for businesses to convert leads to sales.
For Both Young and Seniors
The older generation across the globe trust and have confidence in direct mail and read postcards more than other mail. More so, senior citizens also control almost 70% of all disposable income.
Therefore, businesses take advantage of this remarkable purchasing power to influence this target group with direct mail campaigns.
What About Millennials and Direct Mail?
This target market has a whopping 90% who approve physical advertising. The same percentage also thinks that EDDM is a credible source of information.
Research indicates that 80% of the American younger generation anticipate checking the mailbox.
Another 59% of the same target market value the information or ads received by mail more than that through email. 49% of this group choose to purchase from stores that advertise to them by EDDM.
4. EDDM Is Simple to Target
Targeting a physical audience may not be as quick as selecting an online audience on a social media platform which you achieve with a few clicks. Even so, finding your direct mail target market is effortless and achievable.
EDDM Service
USPS permits businesses to distribute thousands of mailings to geographical locations of their choice at a lower postage rate.
The mail carrier drops your mailing to every household along with the targeted zip code or neighborhood. Sometimes, your EDDM service provider can deliver your mail to different routes, to selected age groups, household size, or by income.
Although EDDM does not require you to have a mailing list, marketers who need specific targets can pay third-party list dealers to obtain one. Mailing list vendors or direct mail service providers can help you target unique demographics like age, gender, income, and more.
5. Easy to Track Your Postcard Campaigns
The results of tracking your postcard campaigns provide an ideal business perspective. You can use the outcome to create realistic expectations for your business.
Use A Distinct Phone Number on Each Direct Mail Campaign
There are various options you may choose for your leads to contact you. One of the ways is to assign a unique phone number to postcard mailing for different Zip codes.
As mentioned before, over 60% of individuals who read physical mail are likely to react to it, either by calling or walking to your store and purchasing your brand.
Even so, you can track your postcard campaigns by counting the number of calls you receive on the unique number printed on specific postcards.
Create a Landing Page for Your EDDM
You can create a landing page if your goal is to entice prospects to visit your website or interact with your product. By including the link on your mail, you enable your clients from a specific campaign to contact you on a unique landing page.
Alternatively, you can add a QR code to your postcard for consumers to scan with their smartphone camera. The code will automatically take them to the landing page you have created for that campaign.
When visitors click on that page, you can identify the campaign that initiated the visit.
6. Physical Mail Has Limited Competition
Did you know that the average American comes into contact with about 4,000 – 10,000 pieces of adverts per day? This exposure leads to digital fatigue or an experience known as ad blindness. It is the inability of consumers to sight or notice adverts.
In contrast, the same category of Americans receives about two print media items per day. This notable difference means that the mailbox is free from the congestion of printed advertisements. Your direct mail will likely receive total attention, unlike your email, which has to compete among 10,000 others.
Direct Mail Stands Out of the Mailbox
In layman’s terms, the internet is swarming with electronic ads. Consumers receive thousands of emails and videos from numerous marketers on social media whenever an individual interacts with the internet. Not to mention the pop-ups from Google ads, some of which are annoying.
Mailboxes do not experience the kind of overcrowding witnessed on the internet. Direct mail is easy to manage and read. Consumers do not get burned out or fatigue by responding to 2 or 3 postcards.
7. EDDM Is Scalable
Both small and large enterprises can expand or cover a larger area with direct mail campaigns. EDDM allows you to take your marketing across multiple Zip codes. Postcards are ideal for any size business to announce a yearly event in an entire city.
Organizations that have operations in more than one location can coordinate a nationwide campaign with EDDM. Politicians can use EDDM to effectively take their marketing campaigns from one region to the entire nation.
8. EDDM IS Affordable
Besides other factors like availability and scalability, EDDM is a great marketing tactic for all businesses because it is cost-effective. The new postage rates offered by USPS for Every Door Direct Mail are lower than other postage rates. Even small enterprises can easily afford to use the EDDM marketing strategy.
Lower Cost Per Lead
Postcards are not costly to print, and the postage rates are at a discount. More so, you do not need to buy a mailing list to deliver your mail items. Unlike other print media channels like magazines, these aspects of the EDDM marketing campaign reduce the cost per lead.
What Is the Cost of EDDM?
The EDDM postage charges come in three categories.
- Standard postcard postage cost $0.3.
- Commercial first-class costs $ 0.257.
- EDDM postage per piece costs $ 0.178.
9. EDDM Increases Brand Awareness
Brand awareness yields quality leads and improves sales in every business. EDDM does not only allow you to cover a wide area, but the postcards also stay with your prospects for a while.
Multiple Physical Connection with Direct Mail
A majority of households reside in the same residence for a year or more, and sometimes forever. If you consistently distribute your postcards across the selfsame locations, you can create a lasting physical connection for consumers with your brand.
More so, if you include special offers in your advert, consumers are likely to call back or keep your mail item for future reference. EDDM creates an ideal opportunity for your clients to remember your brand or services.
10. Physical Mail Is Favorite and Trusted
EDDM is one of the favorite mail services for the general households in the U.S. With a culture of reading printed material; most adult Americans always look forward to reading some informational or factual news every day.
Physical Mail Is Convenient
Research shows that 73% of American consumers prefer EDDM over email. These consumers say that they can read the postcard at a more convenient time.
Physical Mail Facts
Market research sources also indicate that 69% of the same population enjoy receiving mail and trust the information.
Another report by Mail Shark indicates that 59% of Americans have more confidence in print advertising when compared to electronic media.
These findings indicate that EDDM is a great marketing tactic for any size of business. Even though thousands of marketers have turned to digital marketing, most individuals with movable assets still have confidence in print media and appreciate EDDM.
Summary
Every Direct Door Mail is an excellent strategy for any size business to market their brands and services. This service offers a cost-effective means of handling mail for companies that are tight on budget.
The simplicity of using EDDM enables startups and small businesses to reach out to a vast market without purchasing a mailing list. It is not only pocket-friendly but also a quick way to bring leads to your business. This marketing strategy further improves sales.
Furthermore, EDDM is flexible and allows you to design and print marketing materials that fit your brand or service. However, your EDDM mail should meet the size requirements in length, width, and thickness as set by USPS.
