EDDM® stands for “Every Door Direct Mail.” It’s a solution offered by the United States Postal Service in an effort to allow small businesses in particular a more effective way to promote their products and services to those in their local communities.
But how, you ask, does this differ from the age-old idea of saturation mailing? That term refers to the process of sending one piece of mail to EVERYONE located within a particular zip code. You may think these two things are one in the same, but in reality they each bring with them their own unique advantages and disadvantages that cannot be ignored.
EDDM® vs. Saturation Mailing: What You Need to Know
For most businesses, the most important difference between EDDM® and saturation mailing will ultimately come down to cost. Since EDDM® was created, USPS has actually given it its own special rate that is HIGHER than saturation mailing. If you’re looking to get the most value out of your mailing services, this means that saturation mailing essentially wins by default.
Another core element that goes into determining the success of your marketing strategy ultimately comes down to the effort involved. EDDM® will always cost less to process, for example, because there is no need to actually address each individual piece of mail. There is also no mailing list cost with EDDM®, which can certainly help empower your mailing services efforts and their respective returns on investment.
In terms of demographic targeting, saturation mail handedly beats EDDM® because it gives you the ability to select specific carrier routes based on things like median income or even age. This still makes it possible to target your unique mailing lists to get your messaging in front of the right prospects at exactly the right time.
Overall, saturation mailing usually comes out higher in terms of return on investment because A) you’re wasting money on postage by casting a wide net, and B) you don’t have the ability to target unique prospects mailing lists with EDDM®. So when it comes to how you apply your efforts to your full service direct mail strategies in the new year and beyond, saturation mailing will likely be the right decision to make.
If you’re interested in learning even more about the differences between EDDM® and saturation mailing, or if you’d just like to speak to someone about your own situation in a bit more detail, please feel free to contact us today.
