By Lee Garvey
In a world saturated with digital ads, physical mail has become a powerful way to stand out. But the traditional process of sending it is a hassle most businesses would rather avoid.
This is where EDDM, or Every Door Direct Mail, comes in. It’s a unique USPS program that allows you to send marketing materials to every address in a chosen neighborhood without needing a single name. This guide will break down how EDDM works, its key benefits, and the essential rules.
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EDDM Meaning: How Every Door Direct Mail Actually Works
EDDM removes the most complex part of direct mail: the mailing list. Instead of targeting specific people, you target entire geographic areas. It’s ideal for local businesses, event promoters, or any organization looking to saturate a community with their message.
The Power of the Carrier Route
The entire EDDM system is built on the foundation of the postal carrier route. This is the specific path a mail carrier walks or drives each day. With EDDM, you select the carrier routes where your ideal customers live. Your mailpiece is then delivered to every home and business along that route.
The Step-by-Step Flow of an EDDM Mailing
The traditional EDDM process involves a few key stages:
- Use the USPS online tool to map out and select your target carrier routes.
- Design and print your mailpiece to meet specific USPS sizing requirements.
- Bundle your sorted mail and physically transport it to the correct post office for each route.
The Key Benefits of Using Every Door Direct Mail
EDDM is more than just a simplified mailing option; it’s a strategic tool with compelling advantages for local growth.
- Significant Postage Savings: EDDM offers special postage rates lower than standard mail. You also bypass the costs of managing and cleaning a mailing list.
- Unmatched Speed and Simplicity: You can launch a campaign incredibly fast, skipping the weeks often spent building a perfect list.
- Precise Geographic Targeting: Whether you’re a new restaurant or a real estate agent, EDDM lets you blanket a precise area with accuracy.
- High Visibility and Impact: By reaching every household, you build widespread local brand awareness with a tangible piece.
EDDM Requirements and Rules: What You Need to Know
To use EDDM, your mailpiece must follow specific USPS rules. The format is crucial: your piece must be a flat, self-mailer, which means no envelopes are allowed. It must also display the official EDDM indicia in the spot where a normal stamp would go.
Content is another key area. Since you are mailing to addresses rather than people, your piece must be unaddressed. There’s no need for “Current Resident” on the piece itself. Finally, you must sort and bundle your mailpieces according to each carrier route and transport them to the appropriate local post offices. Learn more about designing your EDDM mailpiece.
The Hidden Challenge of EDDM (The Logistical Headache)
While the concept of EDDM is brilliantly simple, the manual execution can become a significant operational burden.
The Manual Drop-Off Problem
The most common hurdle is the drop-off process. You are required to bundle your mailpieces by carrier route and physically deliver them to the correct post office for each route. For a mailing that spans multiple zip codes, this quickly escalates into a massive logistical challenge.
Beyond Drop-Off: Other Friction Points
The burden isn’t limited to drop-off. Ensuring your design files are perfectly formatted to avoid costly USPS rejection adds another layer of complexity. Navigating the USPS online mapping tool to select the most effective routes also requires a learning curve.
When to Use EDDM (And When Not To)
Knowing the ideal use cases for EDDM is key to a successful campaign. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Ideal Use Cases for EDDM
EDDM is exceptionally effective for local awareness. It’s the go-to choice for businesses like restaurants and home service companies that serve a specific geographic area. It’s also perfect for event promotion—think grand openings or political campaigns—where the goal is to inform every household.
When to Consider a Different Strategy
EDDM is not the right tool for targeted, personalized communication. If your goal is to reach a specific demographic, you will waste resources mailing to uninterested households. According to MarketingProfs, targeted direct mail campaigns can achieve response rates 5-9 times higher than mass mailings. For sending confidential documents or personalized campaigns, a traditional, addressed mailing is the correct approach.
Ready to Put EDDM on Autopilot?
You don’t have to choose between the incredible reach of Every Door Direct Mail and an efficient workflow. Click2Mail is built to eliminate the manual labor.
Skip the trips to the post office and the complex bundling. With no minimum orders, you can simply upload your design, select your routes, and let us handle the rest. Get your instant, no-obligation price quote today and see how easy automated direct mail can be.
About Lee
Lee Garvey is the founder of Click2Mail, a pioneering platform in cloud-based direct mail automation since 2003. Under his leadership, Click2Mail has become a trusted USPS partner, helping thousands of businesses streamline their mailing processes and effectively bridge the gap between digital and physical marketing.
