Expand Your Reach with Every Door Direct Mail™

Recently we discussed the personalized targeting capabilities of variable data printing in direct marketing. But what about those times when you simply don’t have a database established yet? The United States Postal Service is offering a new service that allows you to reach every customer in a chosen area without having the street addresses or even names.

With Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM™) you can target areas by neighborhood, ZIP Code or city. USPS letter carriers will deliver your ad or promotion to every mailbox along the selected routes. Because they are already making those stops while delivering the daily mail the cost is extremely reasonable – as little as 14.5 cents per piece for postage.

EDDM Retail is a great way to deliver coupons, offers, sales, specials and event promotions to desired audiences in a specific area. It isn’t necessary to know the names or street addresses. Just use the approved EDDM format of “Local Postal Customer”. EDDM Retail is geared to smaller businesses with smaller mailings of 5,000 maximum mail pieces per mailer per day. There is no need for a postage permit and there is no annual fee. However, there are certain size and weight restrictions. To qualify the piece must weigh no more than 3.3 ounces and be a Standard Mail flat. Additional size information and step-by-step instructions can be found at www.uspseverydoor.com.

For larger businesses with larger mailings the USPS offers EDDM Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU). You can achieve great saturation while targeting entire cities or regions. Tools are available online to help estimate postage by showing how many customers are nearby, or in the chosen mailing area. A Mailing Permit is needed for this option. Again, additional tools and instructions can be found at www.uspseverydoor.com.

Direct mail is still the preferred way of receiving marketing materials and it is great to know that there are options available for every business’s needs, whether they have a database of existing customers in place or are just starting out. If you have any questions about direct mail printing that you would like to discuss please contact us at sales@flexpress.com.