What is Every Door Direct Mail and what does it mean for reaching your audience?
EDDM is a service offered by USPS which allows businesses to target areas across the United States through choices of ZIP codes carrier routes based on household demographics. The key benefit of Every Door Direct Mail is removing the need for the traditional mailing list. Targeting lists are essentially generated by USPS based on the most recent census data, allowing your businesses to save time and money on acquiring potential customers contact information.
Here are some industries which have been seen to gain the most from the use of Every Door Direct Mail:
- Retail
- Restaurants
- Realtors
- Business services
- Medical Services
- Dental Services
- Contractors
- Home Services
- Attorneys
- Local Arts
- Community Organizations
- Political Campaigns
Every Door Direct Mailing helps these industries in a multitude of ways; the most impactful of which are the ability to gain awareness, increasing the number of customers that are coming into your marketing funnel, and seeing greater returns on your marketing activities.
Gaining Awareness
For small businesses it can be a difficult task to face finding your audience and reaching those who could potentially be interested in what you have to offer. With Every Door Direct Mail, you are able to mail out to a greater number of people through lower rates of shipping.
Gaining More Customers
Businesses that rely on local customers benefit greatly from Every Door Direct. EDDM allows them to spread the messages about their business to those in the areas closest to them. Increasing local market share and remaining present in those that surround your location.
Seeing Better Returns
Through the targeting of mail routes within ZIP codes based on US census based data, EDDM allows businesses to connect with the right people within their targeted areas. With the proper appreciation of the data, reporting has shown much higher rates of return on investment because of the higher rate of quality leads coming from a refined delivery qualification.
What is the difference between EDDM and regular bulk mailing?
The typical practice of bulk mailing requires a mailing list with the addresses and names of all the people you are hoping to reach. These lists are usually acquired from list brokers or agencies whose purpose is composing the lists through in depth analysis.
Standard Mail Flats are the only type of mailers allowed in use of Every Door Direct Mail. The Maximum and Minimum sizing for EDDM can be seen below in the graphic, or directly quoted from the United States Postal Service here:
- Rectangular with four square corners or finished corners that do not exceed a radius of 1/8 inch
- One of the following: more than 11.5 inches long, more than 6 1/8 inches high, or more than 1/4 inch thick (Note: If an 8 1/2 x 11 piece is folded in half, the final dimensions would not be a flat-sized piece.)
- Not more than15 inches long, 12 inches high or 3/4 inches thick.
- Orientation of the address does not matter, i.e., whether the address is applied parallel to the long or short side of the piece. However, the address must be in the top half of the piece.
How do you take advantage of EDDM?
The most important step to take to use Every Door Direct Mail is to get started on the copy and composition of a piece to send out to prospects. Creative Composition has in house staff to help you design and create direct mail. Test your calls to action and see what could encourage your recipients to make the jump and initiate contact with your business.
