Every Door Direct Mail

I have B2C clients who want to implement a direct mail campaign, but always shy away from it because of cost. I’m sure you’ve been through this, too. And I can relate. After the design and printing and mailing list rental and permit and postage, a 5,000 piece mailing can end up feeling like 5 million.

But now, there’s a new service that I think will warm you back up to the idea. It’s from the USPS, and it’s called Every Door Direct Mail.

Here’s the gist of it: you bring your flat pieces to the local post office, who passes them on to the local carrier(s), who then delivers to every residential or business — or residential and business — address on their route. Easy peasy.

The best part about this program: there’s no need for mailing addresses or labels, which means no need to rent a mailing list. And if you’ve ever tried to rent a mailing list, you know this is huge. As in HUGE SAVINGS huge.

Another best part: no mailing permit required.

AND: postage = 14.2 cents per piece. (14.5 as of 1/22/12.)

Holy wow.

I know what you’re thinking. And yes, there are some catches. Your piece must be classified as a “flat”. You must saturate a carrier route. And you gotta get your mailing to the local post office that services that route.

But I think that’s worth the price of admission, don’t you?

For more information and specifics, visit USPS every door {dot} com.

And don’t forget to put a call-to-action item on that mailer. You gotta track it somehow.