Is EDDM Right for You?

Have you just opened a new location? Do you want to create awareness with potential customers in your trade area? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then it’s worth investigating Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) as another tool to use in your marketing campaigns.

In Canada? The Canada Post AdMail service is similar to EDDM.

Pros

First introduced by the US Postal Service as a small pilot in 2011, EDDM has grown rapidly as business owners realize its effectiveness and low cost in relation to regular mail.

The USPS has an easy-to-use online map tool that allows you to target all addresses in a postal route, zip code, or radius from your store, and also displays some demographic info for each route. Search for your address to try it out.

In Canada, try the Precision Targeter, which lets you target routes based on three demographic characteristics of your choice, and has many ways of defining the target area: radius, drive time, drive distance, and more.

EDDM eliminates the need to purchase a mailing list, and does not require a permit for mailings of fewer than 5000 pieces. However, you do need to design and print the postcards or other material to USPS specifications, fill in paperwork, and deliver the mailing to the post office.

If you need help designing coupons for direct mail, read Growing Your Customer Base with Coupons.

Cons

EDDM size and labelling specifications must be followed to the letter, or the mailing could be refused. Restrictions on thickness means magnets cannot be sent. To use the Retail (non-permit) service, you are limited to a maximum of 5000 pieces per mailing, and the minimum is 200 pieces, or one complete route.

Although you can target specific areas, EDDM does not allow you to target specific addresses. This makes it a lot less effective for marketing to existing customers than database marketing, and that’s reflected in a much lower response rate: while the rate for direct mail usually averages 1-3%, the rate for database mailings to customer records in your POS can run as high as 27%.

Where database marketing allows you to target specific marketing messages to existing customers, EDDM is designed to attract new customers to your restaurant.

Help from Experts

If you want to try EDDM, but aren’t a professional graphic designer, many printing services offer free online templates you can customize to create your own postcards.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to deal with postal office specs and paperwork, help is available with that too: contact a direct mail service provider. These usually offer to design, print and package pieces that meet postal specifications, and ship them to the post office for you. Some providers even specialize in EDDM for pizza restaurants, and many offer mail scheduling, so you can plan multiple mailings ahead of time and “pay as you go.” Search a list of US providers or Canadian providers.