How Does EDDM Work and Who Can Most Benefit from It?

The USPS recently launched a new direct mail program, called EDDM, or Every Door Direct Mail, to help small businesses better reach their potential customers. There are two versions of EDDM: regular and retail. The regular, less limited, version of EDDM is available to those who have mail permits.With the retail version, you can only send 5,000 pieces per ZIP code each day, but don't have to invest in a mail permit.

All EDDM mailers must meet the USPS's guidelines, whether you use the regular or retail service. Mailers must meet strict sizing guidelines, including paper thickness.


An EDDM printer will be able to tell you the specifics of the mailer size limits. You can also get a template for the mailers from the USPS to give you a better idea of what your design limits are.

Mailers can and should be upgraded from the minimum standards for best effect. The easiest option is to go through an EDDM mailer company that can both print and deliver the mailers to the Post Office once you've finalized the design. You can also choose to deliver them to the Post Office yourself if you have your mailers printed by a company that does not handle the actual mailing for you. Before you drop off your mailers, make sure you have included the necessary additional information, such as delivery area, and bundled your mailers correctly.

Whether EDDM is a good choice for your business depends on several factors. Sending regular postcards through the mail can cost as much as three cents more per piece than using EDDM. This cost savings must be weighed against the fact that EDDM Postcard Printing requires sending mailers to every home in your target area. To see if the savings on per piece mailing costs outweigh the increased cost of sending the mailer to each household, you'll need to do some research.

You'll want to determine how many people in your target area are also part of your target audience. The larger the number of homes in the target area that are also in your target audience, the more cost effective the program will be for you. If your targeted area only contains a small percentage of likely customers, the added cost of regular direct mailings may be entirely offset by the fact that you won't be sending as many wasted mailers. So, businesses with broad appeal, such as restaurants, will likely find that the majority of the households in their targeted area will be in their targeted demographic, while businesses with a more narrow appeal, such as children's clothing stores, may find this approach too broad to be cost effective. For more details, contact an EDDM Printing company.

Marketing Advice and Using EDDM