Meet EDDM, the Best Advertising Tool for Small Business Saturday 2013

Every Door Direct Mail and Small Business Saturday is a match made in marketing heaven. Why do I have so much confidence in this advertising solution? Allow me to explain.

Small-Business-Saturday-EDDM

What the Heck is EDDM?

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is an affordable mass mailing program provided by the USPS. Think of EDDM as direct mail version 2.0 for your store. The old version took a lot of work. You had to create a big mailing list or purchase one from a broker. Each piece had to be printed with a unique address label, and you needed a special permit, which increased overhead costs. To top it off, the post office charged more for large mailers. Most small biz owners stuck to small 4″ x 6″ size postcards to keep costs down at the expense of ROI.

EDDM eliminates these barriers along with the inflated costs. You no longer need lists, individual labels, or permits (at least not for the retail version). You simply search for customers who fit your target market by zip code, intersection, income, etc., and send mailers to entire postal carrier routes. Best of all, there’s no additional cost for going big! You pay just 16 cents apiece for your mailers as long as they stay within the applicable size guidelines. That means 8.5″ x 11″ promotional postcards are finally within your budget.

Why Does EDDM Work for Local Businesses?

Everything comes down to ROI, which direct mail delivers for mom and pop shops. Consumer preference actually drives the success rate; 51% of consumers say they want to hear from local stores through the mail. It stands to reason that when you communicate in their favorite way, they’re inclined to respond. In fact, direct mail gets higher response rates (1.1-1.4%) than email (.03%), display ads(.04%), and paid search (.22%) combined. Direct mail also inspires consumers to act quickly; 79% act on direct mail immediately whereas only 45% respond to email right away. (Stats provided by the CMO Council).

Now let me be very clear—the more campaign channels you use to get the word out about Small Business Saturday, the better results you’ll get. Combine direct mail, email, and social media, you’re golden. But if you don’t have time to manage multiple mediums over the busiest time of year, then EDDM would be your best bet for local outreach.

Community Sound Off

How will you advertise for Nov. 30th aka Small Biz Saturday? Do you have any questions about EDDM, traditional direct mail, or marketing in general? Ask away in the comments below!

Published by Katherine Tattersfield

Katherine is a professional copywriter and social media manager at PrintFirm.com. She fell into online marketing in 2010, and built her career around this dynamic field. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Northridge (Summa). When she's not writing, Katherine enjoys photography, skateboarding, graphic design, and chasing her dog around with her husband. Connect with her on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Plus.