MAILERS or NO MAILERS -
That's The Question -
How About EDDM to Start?
Real Estate Postcards and other Mailers generate a lot of conversation for professionals in our industry. Now Tammie White has decided to test it out for her company, Franklin Homes Realty, located in Tennessee.
Check out her post entitled Can Direct Mail Help Create Brand Recognition?
Tammie White opened her heart and mind to describe her journey to experiment with a new Marketing Strategy - Direct Mail.
Posts on ActiveRain by Barbara Todaro repeatedly touch on the Direct Mail subject. Examples include Ready, Aim, List, Sell|Repeat, Do's and Dont's, Recognize the Value, Nothing's Better Than Free and Creative and Fresh Never Reused to name a few.
Use of EDDM by AR's own Debe Maxwell, CRS is one method. She commented on Tammie's post by saying, "I use EDDM and standard neighborhood postcards. It's a job keeping up with them but, they do work! As you know, consistency is key and it takes about 6 months of 'religious' mailing to get into the grove. Don't give up!!"
The key part of Debe Maxwell's comment is "consistency is key". Business theory discusses linear change vs systemic change -- for Tammie to introduce the concept of Direct Mail to her business is a systemic change. Always best to remember --- Systemic Changes Take Time!
If you are thinking about adopting the postcard method, many AR Bloggers answered in AR Questions to share which software they use to create their outreach items.
Many questions about the process may be answered in the EDDM User Guide PDF (5.1 MB) | RTF (0.5 MB).
The directions below are from the USPS website about Direct Mail.
Creating an EDDM Mailing
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Create a USPS Account
Set up your USPS EDDM or Business Account to get started. USPS EDDM & Business Accounts -
Select Your Routes
Choose the carrier routes on the EDDM Mapping tool where you think your customers live. The EDDM User Guide illustrates and explains all the steps for choosing delivery routes.
EDDM Mapping Tool | EDDM User Guide PDF (5.1 MB) | RTF (0.5 MB) -
Create a Mailpiece
Select the right type of mailpiece for your mailing. Use a clean design with a clear message about the features and benefits of your offer. Mailing & Printing Specialists
NOTE: USPS® assumes no liability for the results of any contact with any company listed. Private vendors may apply non-USPS charges. -
Find a Printer
Many printers can help you format, design, print, and prepare your mailing. Mailing & Printing -
Choose Your Drop Off Date
You can pay for your mailing online or at the Post Office™ where you drop it off. Select your drop-off date based on how many deliveries you want and where you plan to send them. The EDDM User Guide explains the drop-off steps and options for Retail and Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) accounts. EDDM User Guide PDF (5.1 MB) | RTF (0.5 MB)
6. Prepare Mailing Bundles
Bundle your mailing in stacks of 50-100 mailpieces. Bundles may not be higher than 6".
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Fill Out Processing Forms
Facing slips and EDDM forms tell the Postal Service™ how to process and deliver your order. Attach a facing slip to the top of every bundle. If a customer wants to be removed from your mailings, include the customer's address in the "Do Not Deliver Address" column on the facing slip. Write the number of pieces in the bundle on the facing slip. EDDM Postal Forms -
Pay for Postage
Pay with a free USPS.com® account online or pay at the Post Office™. Charges are based on the type of account you have and the size of your mailing. EDDM Postage -
Submit Your Mailing
Take or send your mailing to a Post Office for delivery.
EDDM Quick Reference
- EDDM Quick Reference Sheet (PDF | 608 KB)
- EDDM Retail® Fact Sheet PDF (248 KB) | RTF (50 KB)
- EDDM BMEU™ Fact Sheet PDF (215 KB) | RTF (1.7 KB)
Designing & Printing Mailpieces
-- Send Actionable Mail
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Choose Your Mailpiece Size
EDDM mailings use USPS Marketing Mail™ Flats. Pick the size, weight, and type of flat that will work with your offer. You can check your mailpiece's size with the Mailpiece Size Requirements Tool in the EDDM online mapping tool. USPS Marketing Mail (formerly Standard Mail) Flat Sizes -
Design Your Mailpiece
If you want to generate leads or business with an offer, use mailpiece copy and design to present your offer clearly and prominently. -
Format Your Mailpiece for Printing
Make sure your design includes the address label and postage indicia in the right locations for an EDDM mailing. Many printers can help you format, design, print, and prepare your mailing using the correct USPS® formats and postage marks.
Tips for EDDM Mailings Expand All FAQs
EDDM Price & Postage
Every Door Direct Mail-Retail price per piece for Flats weighing no more than 3.3 oz is $0.177.
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EDDM Retail Customers
You do not have to have a mailing permit to use EDDM Retail. Retail customers may pay for mailings online with a credit/debit card or at the Post Office™ with cash, credit/debit card, check, or meter strip.
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Logos courtesy of the USPS. At top - Left used from 1829-1837; Right used from 1837-1970; and Center used from 1970-1993. The rectangular logo (above) came into use in 1993 and continues in use at this date.
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Good morning, Lynn B. Friedman EDDM is a way of saving a bundle.... but I've hesitated because I've heard some stories of mail not showing up!!!
Barbara Todaro
Yes, I went to the PO and asked a few questions --- it is very simple and also very strange system. We can watch to see how it works out ...
All the best - Lynn
I don't, but I am considering doing it.
Thank you for the reminder. I have been thinking of EDDM marketing .
Good Morning Lynn B. Friedman
I have bookmarked this post as you have cited many good resources to read.
Lynn, thanks for the mention. Obviously, Barbara Todaro has had great success in this area but, in all fairness, she has been using DM for 35+ years. That alone gives her an edge up in this area. For those just entering DM, it may take awhile to get those kind of results. While the example in my post stated that an agent went from 8 sales to 81 sales in a year, she was doing a lot of follow-up to get those numbers. Honestly, I would be thrilled to get 2 listings in the first 6 months. That would at least cover my costs.
Lynn, what a wealth of information you have provided us with on the topic of EDDM.
You have done the research for us now we must take the time to understand and see how to apply it to our marketing efforts.
Thanks
Lynn
I love using EDDM for my farming postcards. Thanks for sharing what other Rainers are doing, too!
Jeff
Yes, consistency IS key. As you know, I write prospecting letter sets, and every once in a while someone will call and ask if they can get just one letter. Once someone even called and asked if it would be OK to take all the letters and put them into one mailer so he could only pay for postage once.
Of course I say "No, no, no! If you aren't going to be consistent, don't even mail one time."
By the way, back when I owned a real estate agency we didn't have EDDM. What we had was bulk mail rates, and what fun that was!
We could mail all over the U.S., but we had to spend a lot of time sorting those mailings into zip codes and sub-sections of zip codes. Plus, the price we paid depended upon what postal employee was on hand when we delivered our letters to the post office. The guidelines were so fuzzy that no one really knew what they were doing.
Fun times - but we got that monthly newsletter mailed!
I'm shocked you don't have more likes and comments on this extensive post on EDDM and mailers. Love your links to others as well. I've done it a few times interspersed with other mailings. I guess it all depends on how much time you want to invest/money to save?
Lynn, I have made a good living out of post cards twenty years ago... at one point I was sending out 20,000 post cards a month... did it pay for itself it did....Endre
p.s.: now I am mostly paperless and am I doing well ABSOLUTELY!!