Postcard Printing – What is Direct Mailing and EDDM?

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Postcard Printing - What is Direct Mailing and EDDM? - Feature Image | Print Magic

As a small or large business, the most important way to advertise your brand is to get the word out and reach your customer base directly. What is Direct Mailing? Direct Mail Marketing is a boon when it comes to reaching out to your target audience and helps you showcase your products, services, deals, and much more.


“Direct Marketing is evolving every day; in some cases, it seems that we have come full circle. A few years ago, there was the rush to telemarketing, and then came the rush to the Internet. Now marketers are starting to understand that all of these – telephone, mail, internet, e-mail, so-called ‘new media’ – are simply alternative channels that enable direct contact with a customer.”
– Audrey Price-Dix

As a way to meet the changing marketing trends, companies need to take advantage of the many print products available to them. Postcards are one such product that is perfect for sending out to your customer base as a way to get the message out! A versatile and flexible tool, it is also cost-effective and has a high reach, making it a great addition to any marketing strategy.

A viable solution for businesses of any size, Postcard Printing is used rampantly to promote products, services, campaigns, and more in a creative and bold manner. They are used in almost every industry to send out new product launches, upcoming events in your company, new milestones, discounts and offers, or even as a holiday greeting!

  • Retail Stores
  • Restaurants and Cafes
  • Auto Sales and Services
  • Business Services
  • Dry cleaners
  • Contractors
  • Attorneys
  • Realtors

  • Political Campaigns
  • Financial Services
  • Churches
  • Medical Professionals

Postcards are a popular promotional product to send as part of your marketing materials since it is a great contributor to business growth. They help in boosting traffic to your online and offline stores and provide your customers and prospects an incentive to do more business with you.

Direct Mailing offers a Return on Investment of 29%. – Marketing Charts

50.9% of recipients claim they find Postcards useful. – Data & Marketing Association

Recent studies show that 79% of mail recipients will open the direct mail as soon as they receive it, and 56% also claimed that they trust printed marketing material over any other marketing channels. Another study from Go Inspire Group discovered that when compared to email marketing, Direct Mailing has a longer shelf-life of 17 days as opposed to two-second email views. With such compelling statistics, it is hard to ignore the power of Postcards and Direct Mailing.

Direct Targeted Mailing Vs. Every Door Direct Mailing

Standard Postcards | Direct Mailing, EDDM with USPS mail sizes And Thick, durable stock for lasting impression | Print Magic

In today’s date, there are two methods that companies can apply to their Marketing Strategy when sending out Postcards – Direct Targeted Mailing and Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM). The main difference between the two lies in which addresses you are mailing to.

Once you know who your target audience is, picking one of the two is simpler. Are you targeting specific addresses to create awareness in the market? Are you looking for a cost-effective and efficient mailing solution?

What is Direct Mailing?

Velvet Soft Touch Postcards | Add UV coating for extra sheen And Velvet Soft Touch lamination | Print Magic

If you are wondering What is Direct Mailing, then it is one of the most effective and successful ways of getting the word out and advertising to customers who are most valuable to you. With Targeted Mailing, you control who receives your Postcards so you have a one on one communication with your customers. With the freedom of picking how the mail will be delivered, how the Postcard will be designed, and who will receive the mail, Direct Targeted Mailing provides a seamless process for reaching your audience in the way you want to!

Unlike many other forms of marketing, Direct Targeted Mailing is also a way of being sure who gets your Postcards because the mailing list is curated by you. You can compile this list using addresses that are put together through collecting customer data or get a targeted mailing list from a reputable company in the mail services industry. These lists can be personalized to specific demographics according to your needs and be made more specific.

What Is Direct Mail Advertising Printing Requirements

Plastic Postcards | Clear, frosted, and white plastic material And Thick, durable, and long-lasting | Print Magic

With Direct Targeted Mailing you have no restrictions on how to design the Postcards. You are free to choose any size, shape, finish, or thickness as required to ensure your design is enhanced. You can choose a printing service to ensure all your requirements are met and you can also get any help you need.

Foil Postcards | Draw attention to call-to-action And Elegant silk lamination | Print Magic

We at PrintMagic, offer amazing printing services to ensure you have several choices to make a great first impression, and your Postcards get read. Apart from Standard Postcards, we have Premium finishes like Velvet Soft Touch, Raised Spot UV, Foil, Raised Foil, and Spot UV, as well as Specialty Postcards such as Silk, Pearl Metallic, and Brown Kraft. You can even get long-lasting products such as Plastic Postcards and Postcard Magnets printed.

You also have the option of uploading your custom design and we ensure you have several options to personalize the Postcards.

  • 7 size options ranging from 4” x 6” to 6” x 11”.
  • Full-color, fade-resistant printing on one or two sides.
  • The option of Standard Uncoated, Premium Glossy, and other specialty paper stocks.
  • Pick UV or Aqueous coating for a high-gloss look or Matte coating for a subtle and non-shiny look, which helps highlight the text.
  • Choose square or rounded corners.
  • Avail Design Services for Postcards by sending us your required specifications and we’ll create the design from scratch, including the logo if needed.

PrintMagic provides Full-Service Direct Targeted Mailing to any list with addresses in the United States. After printing your Postcards to your desired requirements, we will ensure they are sent directly to the address on the mailing list you provide us.

What is Direct Mailing Postcard Size?

Silk Postcards | Printed on extra thick 16pt card stock And Luxury silk coated postcards | Print Magic

While you are free to choose whichever size you want, certain sizes are proven to make your custom Postcards more successful in their efforts.

  • 4” x 6″ Postcards – A small size that makes a big impact, 4″ x 6″ Postcard Printing lets you keep things concise, informative, and to the point. 
  • 5″ x 7″ Postcards – This size provides the right balance between the pictures and content on the Postcard. Perfect for advertising a product launch or an upcoming event.
  • 5.5″ x 8.5″ Postcards – Great size for an image-heavy Postcard that offers a visual design to announce special deals.
  • 6″ x 9″ Postcards-A popular large size that is best for depicting multiple images in a straightforward and informative way.

How to print an effective and attention-grabbing Postcard for Direct Marketing

Raised Foil Postcards | Beautiful Raised Gold or Silver Foil And High-gloss spot UV | Print Magic

Big size –  In a study by the Direct Marketing Association, it was found that big-sized Postcards received a 4.25% higher response rate as it sets you apart from the rest.

Special finishes  Choosing a Premium finish or paper stock can help enhance your design and also create a tactile experience.

Clear Call To Action – The most important part of the Postcard is the CTA and it should clearly tell the reader what they should do next.

Attractive images – Pictures are more attention-grabbing than long passages of text that look cluttered. Create an image-centered design to make your Postcard look more appealing.

Bold headline – Grab your recipient’s attention within seconds by adding an enticing and bold headline.

Keep it interactive – Add interactive elements such as tear-off coupons and scratch-offs to reveal new deals.

Other Direct Mail Products To Choose From

  • Direct Mail Booklets 
  • Direct Mail Flyers and Brochures
  • Direct Mail Letterheads

  • Direct Mail Rack Cards
  • Direct Mail Sell Sheets
  • Direct Mail Silk Cards

What is EDDM?

Spot UV Postcards | Spot UV coating emphasizes your message And 16 pt stock in gloss and matte with Spot UV | Print Magic

Every Door Direct Mailing is a way of promoting your brand to select neighborhoods, where your mail is sent to every address in that area. This service is offered by United States Postal Services or USPS and allows you to easily pick a route on which every door will receive your Postcard. Choosing this option reduces the additional task of collecting specific addresses to mail to as USPS takes care of that for you!

This bulk mailing service allows you to reach customers in a targeted area and create awareness about your brand, without the need of creating or purchasing a mailing list. Making Direct Mailing easier and more affordable, EDDM providers companies with a simplified address system that helps in saturating entire zip codes or USPS routes. 

  • Send out big-sized Postcards to get more attention.
  • No need to curate or buy a list of addresses.
  • No hassle of getting mailing permits.
  • Pay low postage costs starting from $0.1675 per Postcard.
  • Non-profit organizations get reduces postage rates.

What Is EDDM Mailing and why is it the right option for your company?

Raised Spot UV Postcards | Raised Spot UV Available for Front and Back And Optional Silk Laminated Cover | Print Magic

With two very effective and targeted Direct Mail Marketing options, every business must evaluate which one suits their marketing strategy more. You can make an informed decision based on your goals and who your mail recipients are. If you are confused between the two, here are some basic questions to ask about What is Direct Mail Marketing for your company.

  • Does everyone on the route you selected to fit your target audience?

Choosing EDDM means you will be targeting every address in a certain area, so it is worth considering if the whole neighborhood you are marketing to is the ideal audience for what you have to offer. Understand what you are promoting and who you are promoting to. For instance, if you sell lawn sprinklers, it doesn’t make sense to target carrier routes with most people living in apartment buildings.

  • Are you targeting a list of specific addresses?

With EDDM you are reaching every door in an area by targeting census demographics such as household size, income, age range, and more. But if you already have a mailing list and know the exact people you are targeting, EDDM is not the option and Direct Targeted Mailing will suit you more.

  • Are your prospects other businesses (B2B company)?

If your target audience is primarily other businesses, then EDDM may not be the best option for you. When choosing a USPS route you can target any residence or business address, but you cannot pick to only mail businesses on that carrier route. In this case, picking Direct Targeted Mailing will be most effective.

What is EDDM process for sending Postcards?

When choosing a printing service to get the Postcards custom printed and created to your requirements, you also have the option of choosing EDDM, so your printing and mailing are taken care of in one place! At PrintMagic, we offer complete EDDM services to ensure your Postcards are sent to your target audience just how you want them, with minimum effort at your end.

STEP 1 – Create your Postcard as per the USPS size guideline

How Your Postcard is printed is a very important step in EDDM as USPS has certain size requirements that need to be followed. As mentioned above, when using a printing service like PrintMagic, you get the option of printing a Postcard that meets the guidelines, represents your brand, and features high-quality finishing.

  • The size of the Postcard should be less than 15” long, 12” high, 0.75” thick and more than 11.5” long, 6.125” high, 0.25” thick.
  • The address should be on the top half of the Postcard, whether it is parallel to the short side or long side.
  • The Postcard should be a rectangle in shape and should have 4 square or finished corners that fit within a radius of 1/8 inch.

STEP 2 – Pick your USPS route

Always do your research before you pick the most optimal route for your Postcards to be delivered. Use the USPS’s EDDM Mail Carrier Route Map to pick the best neighborhoods to reach your marketing goals! By targeting census demographics within the route, you can accurately narrow down your potential clients and pick out only those routes that match your business interests.

Step 3 – EDDM with PrintMagic

When you choose PrintMagic for printing your Postcards, you can also avail Full-Service EDDM which lets you sit back and relax! Once you’ve printed your Postcard design and picked out the desired route for delivering them, you can leave the rest to us and ensure your mail reaches your target audience. We help you from the first step till the last, with –

  • Filling out the necessary paperwork required by USPS to initiate the mailing process.
  • Verify the count and make sure the exact number of Postcards reach USPS with bundle slips.
  • We package the mail-in Priority Mail USPS shipment.
  • Make sure that they are delivered to the post office to be further distributed.

Other EDDM Products To Choose From

  • EDDM Flyers

  • EDDM Sell Sheet

Whether you choose Direct Mailing or EDDM, one this is clear – Postcards can be used in a versatile and creative manner to create awareness and promote your brand! Depending on who you are targeting, these marketing materials are a way to send out your mail in bulk and effectively reach your target audience.

With PrintMagic’s A to Z solution for Postcard Printing and mailing, reaching your customers has never been easier. We can help you create an amazing design for your Postcard and print it with several Premium finishes, as well as make sure your Postcards are sent exactly where they need to go!

“Your mailing can be a success only if your vendors do their jobs correctly. It’s critical to hire excellent vendors who do superior work.”
– Craig Simpson

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