Direct Mail Showdown – How Should I Deliver My Postcards?!
Whether you’re a landscaper, a realtor, or anything in between, you know that direct mail is a great way to get your name into the hands of the general public. There are a few different routes you can take to send postcards to a targeted audience, but which way is the best?
We will be taking a closer look into two direct mail delivery options – Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) and Map Your Sales. We’ll be diving into what each option offers, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of both to see which method of direct is truly the better option.
First up: Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)
Every Door Direct Mail – what is it?
Every Door Direct Mail, or EDDM, is a mailing service offered by the United States Postal Service. With this service, USPS will deliver a piece of mail to each address on a selected mail route. This mailing service paved the way for sellers to get their name to the public – so realtors, restaurants, and small business owners alike could send postcards, flyers, menus, etc. to every address on a delivery route.
What are the advantages of using EDDM?
- Low cost for postage – good for smaller marketing budgets!
- It’s an easy service to use
- Be selective with your target audience, or deliver to an entire geographic area
- You do not need a list of addresses
- Your brand gains exposure in your chosen geographical region
- Choose whether you want to send your mail to residential houses or to businesses
Are there any disadvantages?
- Lack of personalization – the mail isn’t addressed to a specific person which can lower the ROI
- This is more advertising and less personal direct mail because there is not a specific addressee
- It lacks targeting – you’re sending this mail to everyone on a route, even if they have no need for your product or service
- EDDM has specific regulations for mail pieces. If your piece doesn’t meet the EDDM requirements, they can’t be mailed and you’re back to square one.
- You’re limited to sending up to 5,000 pieces of mail per day
Option Number Two: MapYourSales
As stated before, MapYourSales is another solution to your audience targeting and bulk mailing needs. It was created as a way for landscapers, pest control, people in any industry, really to have an easy way to target an audience and get their company name out to the public.
So, how can you target your audience using MapYourSales? Choose a zip code, a street, a specific address, or use our drawing tool to choose an exact area that you’d like to send to.
What are the advantages to using MapYourSales?
- No postal limits! Send as many or as little postcards as you want
- Two postcard sizes – choose what you like best
- Hyper-target your advertising to an incredibly specific audience
- You don’t need to print your own items
- Send postcards anywhere from your phone
- Good for smaller marketing budgets
- Add some personalization
- No address list needed
- Integrate with your CRM
- MapYourSales offers postcard templates for different industries
Are there any disadvantages to using MapYourSales rather than EDDM?
- You are limited to two sizes of postcards – 4×6 and 5×8
- Postage is a tad higher because postcards are sent through first class mail with MapYourSales
- Newer neighborhoods may not appear in the MapYourSales database immediately
In Conclusion
Both EDDM and MapYourSales offer solutions to your direct mailing needs. EDDM can be helpful in some scenarios, but after weighing the advantages and disadvantages, Map Your Sales is the winner of this battle.
The advantages of Map Your Sales outweigh the disadvantages. Map Your Sales allows you to get down to the nitty-gritty when targeting your ideal audience, and overall, it’s faster and easier to use.
EDDM is a valid option for direct mail – nobody is counting it out, it just doesn’t quite compare to the power of MapYourSales!
If you’d like to learn more about hyper-targeting your audience and sending direct mail through Map Your Sales, choose an option below!
