EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) Archives - One Stop Mail

How to Choose Between EDDM, Targeted, or Saturation Mailing Lists

December 28, 2021/0 Comments/in EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail), Lists & Data Services, Mail Services, Variable Data Printing

Searching for new ways to reach out to potential leads and turn them into customers? Every business must develop its own unique combination of three common lists to gain an edge over its competitors and effectively reach its audience. EDDM, saturation, or targeted mailing lists are three direct mail marketing strategies that can be a great addition to any direct mail plan.

Despite so much of today’s advertising being digital, direct mail marketing is a very effective way to bring in new potential customers. In fact, direct mail still accounts for the largest portion of U.S. ad spend. Knowing exactly which direct mail marketing strategies are best for your business can help you get even greater results.

In this article, we will go over the 3 main types of direct mail tactics that your business can employ, weighing the pros and cons of each. Equipped with this information, you’ll be better prepared to work with a direct mail agency to get your business in front of valuable new leads.

EDDM vs. Saturation vs. Targeted: What’s the Difference?

First, let’s start with the difference between EDDM and saturation mailing lists. These two options are often confused with each other, but there are some key differences between them. EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) is a program designed by the USPS as an easy and cost-effective way to get a business’ ads to customers without the need for a mailing list (as no direct addresses are listed).

Saturation mailing is a very similar program to EDDM, but it does require a mailing list, and addresses are included on the mailed advertisements.

The third option, targeted mailing, is far more personalized. Rather than sending mailers to everyone in a specified area, this method uses specific criteria to send advertisements to the addresses of qualified leads.

With so many options available, it can be difficult to know which direct mail marketing strategy is best for your business. Next, we’ll go into more detail about each service and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using one method over another. Ultimately, direct mail marketing experts can provide you with all the information you need to help you choose the best option.

EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)

EDDM is an efficient way to distribute your business’ advertisements to every mailing address within a specific region. Since these advertisements don’t require a name or address, they save you the trouble of purchasing mailing lists.

There are many pros to using EDDM, but the most important may be that it is one of the more cost-effective options. Since the post office doesn’t have to do any special handling or preparation, and the program follows a carrier’s regular postal route, you can save on postage and avoid the costs associated with purchasing mailing lists.

There are also a few drawbacks to EDDM. First, the service is only meant to be used for flats (like postcards, newsletters, or folded pamphlets), meaning the mail you can send is limited to very specific sizes. A second disadvantage to EDDM is that, without names or addresses, it can feel less personalized than other methods.

Saturation Mailing Lists

Saturation mailing campaigns are a more personalized version of EDDM. Saturation mailing works mostly the same way as traditional EDDM, but names and addresses are included on the mailers (or more commonly “Current Resident). In contrast to EDDM, this method does require you to purchase a mailing list.

One standout benefit of this method over EDDM is that a saturation mailing is not limited by size, which can give you more options for your bulk direct mail tactics. Even though you’ll have to pay for mailing lists, the postage will still be inexpensive compared to targeted advertising. Saturation lists qualify for the lowest bulk postage rates of all three methods because of their delivery efficiency.

As with EDDM, one disadvantage to using saturation mailing lists is that they aren’t as personalized as targeted efforts. This means that, although you are reaching more households, you may not always be reaching the right potential customers.

Targeted Mailing Lists

If you’re looking to narrow down your direct mail tactics to a more specific audience, then targeted mailing lists may be the right choice for you. With this strategy, instead of sending your mailers to everyone within a specific geographical area, you purchase one or more mailing lists with the addresses of qualified leads who are more likely to need your products or services.

One obvious benefit of a targeted mailing is that it allows you to focus on the right audience, which can help significantly increase response rates. This is especially helpful for businesses whose products are geared to a more specific or “niche” customer base.

However, one of the biggest downsides of targeted mailing is that it is more expensive than the previous two options. You also need to be sure that you purchase your data-driven mailing lists from a reputable source. When you partner with a full-service direct mail agency, they can even create customized, targeted lists for you.

Which Option Is Right for Your Business?

The right option will depend on your marketing goals and the results you want to see from your campaign. Does your company want to generate more potential leads, drive up sales, or increase customer loyalty? To get the most out of a direct mail marketing strategy, you’ll need a clear objective and metrics for tracking your results.

Before you make your decision, take some time to think about the kinds of customers you want to attract and the best ways to reach them. Each of the three direct mail tactics has its own benefits and drawbacks for specific businesses and industries.

For example, larger businesses that want to reach a broad range of potential customers might be better off using EDDM or saturation mailing lists. For businesses that have a specific niche and know exactly who their target audience is, the extra cost of targeted mailing could be offset by the ability to engage with pre-qualified potential leads directly.

A Direct Mail Agency Can Help You Choose

Even if you think you know which option you should choose, you may be missing critical information that could help you make the most effective decision. Partnering with a direct mail agency helps to ensure you get the most out of your direct mail marketing campaign.

Having experienced direct mail marketing experts in your corner can give you all the tools you need to fine-tune your strategy to achieve the best results. Not only will they help you pinpoint your method and create your direct mail campaign, but they can also show you the best ways to execute your plan to achieve maximum results.

Ready to learn more about your options and create your direct mail marketing plan? Reach out to us today at (602) 223-3003 or contact us.

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bulk direct mail services young girl near posting box web

6 Ridiculously Easy Ways to Get More Leads with Bulk Direct Mail

June 17, 2021/0 Comments/in Digital Print Postcards, Direct Mail Flyers, Direct Mail Marketing, Direct Mail Postcards, EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail), Lists & Data Services

These days it seems like everyone is about building an email list. Customer relationship management exists in solely online spaces and is built to target those whose information can be collected digitally. Is it possible that so many industries are missing out on bulk direct mail services?

This print service offers a variety of ways to reach potential leads and build out your contact lists. And not only does direct mail work in a variety of industries, but it also fits many budgets. You can tweak a direct mail plan to be affordable or more expensive with just a few simple changes. In the end, you collect more leads.

Discover the six ridiculously simple ways to collect more leads with bulk direct mail services.

1. Increase Brand Awareness

They can’t become your customer if they have never heard of you before. Direct mail is an excellent way to get your name, branding, and value propositions in front of people by delivering directly into their hands.

Bulk direct mail services offer an opportunity to send flyers, coupons, postcards, and more to every address in a given area. For a new business, this can be particularly important as a way to build brand awareness.

2. Get Your Message Out Faster Than an Ad Campaign

Ad campaigns take time and often have multiple stages of rollout. Ad campaigns may also be dependent on the release schedules of the publications they appear in, such as newspapers. Marketing advisors may even suggest scheduling a budget ad campaign over 40 weeks to get the right amount of notice.

A direct mail campaign, however, takes only the time of design and printing to get in the hands of new potential leads. Though you may schedule waves of your direct mailings similar to a traditional ad campaign, you can feel confident that you are getting more individual notice faster as potential leads hold your independent flyer or postcard.

3. Reach Millennials with Bulk Direct Mail Services

One of the most surprising direct mail statistics is how much it appeals to the Millennial generation. Known for their digital upbringing, Millennials are often thought of as strictly digital prospects. But the novelty of direct mail seems to attract this segment of buyers in a unique way.

In fact, 88% of Millennials look at their mail. They are checking to make sure nothing of value is missed and the vast majority—80%—say they look forward to this chore. When it comes to direct mail, Millennials remain just as engaged, with 66% bringing pieces such as coupons to brick and mortar store locations or following directions to a website.

For businesses that are looking to target Millennials—a group now squarely in their 30s and invested in career-building, homeownership, and childrearing—enacting a direct mail marketing campaign could glean unexpected results.

4. Use Precise Customer Targeting

Bulk direct mail services offer a surprising number of ways to precisely target customers. That’s because most direct mail campaigns are based on curated lists that lump customers together by commonalities.

For instance, a pool company can purchase a list of local, high-income individuals who own their own homes. This can help them target people with the income and space to purchase a pool or pool services. Instead of wasting money accidentally targeting potential customers who rent homes, this curated list betters the chances of the pool company connecting with new customers.

Another approach to use in precise customer targeting is every door direct mail. This permits geographical targeting via mail routes. Businesses work with the United States Postal Service to get contact information from specific neighborhoods. This helps businesses really target groups of people for whom a local business—like a pizza place—would be relevant due to proximity.

5. Stand Out in a Digital World with Bulk Direct Mail Services

Standing out is a goal for every marketing campaign, but it may be easier to reach than you might think with direct mail marketing.

Mail is novel in a day where you might receive 50 emails but just one envelope. Successful direct mail campaigns capitalize on the immediacy of holding a piece of mail in your hands. From glossy, bright postcards to richly printed, tactile envelopes, using something physical in your marketing campaign can help you stand out from the on-screen inundation most potential customers live with each day.

6. Use Variety to Be More Relevant

Variable data printing makes it possible to deliver more relevant information to customers within the same campaign. You may be targeting middle-class citizens of a particular town with your new store. But amidst that group, you have an even distribution of men and women. What if you could tailor your flyer to hold most of the same information, but slant in the interests of either a male or female reader?

That’s precisely what variable data printing allows you to do, by hyper-targeting within the same printed campaign. This printing technology is simply a better way to create printed direct mail with some personalization.

It also allows you to add contact information rather than a stand-in like “Our Neighbor” so leads feel attention has been paid to them specifically. With over half of shoppers saying personalized advertising helped them make a purchase decision, it’s a smart idea to embrace variable data printing.

Direct mail marketing is a tool your business needs to generate more leads for less time and cost. With these six ridiculously simple ways to get more leads using bulk direct mail services, why aren’t you using them already? Reach out to One Stop Mail today to get a free quote on your direct mail project or call (602) 233-3003 with questions today.