Direct mail is still the perfect complement to ALL other media channels, making it a great vehicle multi-channel marketing. It is measurable – giving marketers data to gauge its success, and information to improve future projects, and consumers still like to receive it. Think of it as a respectfully intrusive medium! Direct mail tends to linger around longer than other mediums, giving your brand more exposure. It’s also comprehensive. 90% of America goes to their mailbox daily. The US Postal Service (USPS) has 100% coverage of every business and residence in the country.
And now, marketers and business owners have an even better, much more cost-effective way to deliver their marketing message in Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) program from the USPS.
What is EDDM?
You may have seen the catchy commercials about the US Postal Service’s program for EDDM. It was created to give business owners and marketers a more cost-effective way to reach their audience using direct mail. If your target audience or customer base is within close proximity to your location, EDDM could be a great solution for you!
Why we love EDDM
Cost savings on Postage: A typical direct mail campaign for a letter size (6” x 11” max dimension) mailed presort standard would cost an average of 23.5 cents per piece. EDDM postage per piece is 14.5 cents… that can make a significant dent in your marketing expenditures! On oversized pieces, EDDM ships as a flat so it can be up to 12” x 15” inches in size while still only a 14.5 cent postage cost per piece. Traditional presort standard costs of a flat is approximately 35 cents per piece. That’s a 20 cent per piece savings!
Cost Savings on Production: No need to purchase a list: no need to inkjet address; no need to purchase a permit; no need to wafer seal. These are all hard costs that can be avoided with EDDM.
Speed of Delivery: Once delivered to the local branches, EDDM mailings are delivered in 1-2 days. Traditional presort standard mailings can take between 3-9 working days and with all the financial challenges at the USPS, my gut tells me it will be closer to the latter half. So, EDDM is cheaper than presort standard yet as fast as 1st class!
More Real Estate: Why send a postcard when you can send a multipage newsletter? You’ve got more real estate to work with because according to the post office, all EDDM can mail as a flat (up to 12” x 15” in size). Think of the story you can tell with a 22” x 8.5” printed piece that folded to 11” x 8.5”, or an 18” x 24” poster that folds to a 9” x 12” mailer? Now that’s an impressive piece to receive in the mail… and guaranteed to get attention! Will print costs increase? Absolutely, but postage savings and open rate will more than make up for it.
Brand Integrity: If you’ve got a solid, respected and trusted brand, then you need to make sure everything you do reflects that… right down to the delivery method of your message. There’s something to be said for mail being delivered by a trusted carrier and delivered to a real mailbox. Personally, I view fliers and postcards wedged between my door and curled into the railings of my porch much differently than those delivered to my mailbox, and believe me, your audience does too.
Who is ideal for EDDM?
Retailers having a grand opening or sale who want more foot traffic in their store.
Restaurants who serve the immediate community who want to fill more seats, or sell more pizza’s.
Service businesses like dentists or florists needing to drum up more clients.
Community-based non-profits who need to build awareness within their community or promote an event or fundraiser.
Keep in mind, EDDM is not the vehicle for personalized marketing, or for a targeting mailing to specific demographics. The USPS is able to offer this deeply discounted EDDM service because some of the burden of prepping the mailing is shifted to the client.
If you’re just starting out, make sure you work with a marketing company that has an official Customer Registration Identification Number (CRID) from the USPS, and has experience with EDDM mailings. They will be able to help you understand the process better, explain the cost savings you can realize, and get you on your way to real marketing success!
Contact us for more information on how EDDM can help you reach your target audience!
