Anyone tried "USPS-Every Door Direct Mail"?

[SilverLeaf]

https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm

Sounds like an affordable way to target specific neighborhoods / mail routes. I've already picked out a small area I want to try (about 500 mailboxes). I was thinking about a "back-to-school special" flyer or postcard. Has anyone used this service, and what were your experiences?

 

[technibbling]

Interesting ... going to look into. Thanks!

 

[krtechsolutions]

I was just looking at this, just not sure how people like random junk mail lol

 

[pc-quebec]

Unless I mis something, we have that since a long time in Canada, let say I want to distribute 500 flyers, I will go to my post office and told them in with part of the town I want it. It cost way less here, 9 cents

 

[ComputerCorner]

You can mail 1000 people for ~$.35 each, which doesn't seem to bad. That's 1000 people that potentially had no idea that you even existed before, so even just having them see your logo, location, etc seems pretty big.

I'd like to at least try it and see what kind of a response we get. Maybe have some sort of promotion to have them bring it in with them so we know how it is working.

 

[twonline]

Ask yourself some questions:

How many of the last 100 flyers that you received in the mail ended up in the garbage without being read?

How many did you automatically filter out into a seperate J for Junk pile without even thinking about it?

Of the ones that you actually did read, how many got more than three seconds of your attention before going in the garbage?

What makes your potential customers any different than you?

Ten years ago the hit on junk mail was 2%. Today, you don't even get a fraction of a percent because people are so much more educated and active against junk. Same as spam.

But, if you got the money to burn, why not go buy lunch?

We still get an average of 2-3% return on mailings and have for a few years ,in three very different states. I'm not sure why your experiences have been so different.

Also, it largely depends on what exactly you're advertising. If it's repair services, you may be getting in front of target customers, but they may not have an imminent need.

 

[npinc]

We still get an average of 2-3% return on mailings and have for a few years ,in three very different states. I'm not sure why your experiences have been so different.

Also, it largely depends on what exactly you're advertising. If it's repair services, you may be getting in front of target customers, but they may not have an imminent need.

Precisely.. which is why it doesn't work. The most effective form is top of mind advertising. That way, they hear your name repeatedly so when they are ready to buy you've got the power of brand recognition working for you. Customers come in and out of your sphere of influence all the time. What you want is for them to think of YOU when they do. Which is why one off's in an age of information overload and heavy competition doesn't work. I think you've been quite lucky with your mailouts.

However, spam mail isn't invasive, therefore it requires more effort to absorb the message than it does to disregard it. It's simple human nature. Need an example, look to energy saving lightbulbs. They make all KINDS of sense, yet the public is slow to adopt them (that's putting it mildly). The reason? The amount of necessary effort expenditure.

 

[SilverLeaf]

Precisely.. which is why it doesn't work. The most effective form is top of mind advertising. That way, they hear your name repeatedly so when they are ready to buy you've got the power of brand recognition working for you. Customers come in and out of your sphere of influence all the time. What you want is for them to think of YOU when they do. Which is why one off's in an age of information overload and heavy competition doesn't work. I think you've been quite lucky with your mailouts.

Maybe I'm just strange, but if I receive a flyer or postcard for a service that I anticipate a potential need for, I generally will keep it....especially if it involves discounts or savings. Take automotive service for example. I drive a high-mileage car that requires regualr service to keep it in top shape. Sometimes the service is planned (oil change, brakes, tires...), sometimes not. If I receive a flyer with a good coupon, I'll hang onto it until it expires, just in case.

But again, maybe that's just me.

 

[twonline]

Maybe I'm just strange, but if I receive a flyer or postcard for a service that I anticipate a potential need for, I generally will keep it....especially if it involves discounts or savings. Take automotive service for example. I drive a high-mileage car that requires regualr service to keep it in top shape. Sometimes the service is planned (oil change, brakes, tires...), sometimes not. If I receive a flyer with a good coupon, I'll hang onto it until it expires, just in case.

But again, maybe that's just me.

No, thats pretty common with our customers. We put a 10-15% off coupon on the flyer/postcard, and we can tell by the layout which campaign originated the client. Its not uncommon that the flyer they're redeeming is 3-4 months old.

And lucky or not, the payments still seem to increase our bank balance.

 

[technibbling]

Coupons with EXPIRATION DATES create URGENCY ... no exp. date it will go in the trash.

 

[mau64]

I just recently did all this I ordered 1,000 postcards (6.5x9) from gotprint.net ($140) and mailed out 971 (another $140) of them to two different routes in my town. They were supposed to be mailed out either today or tomorrow; hopefully tomorrow because I haven't heard anything yet today.

I hope it works though because it seemed to be a great way to get your name out there to a large # of people but I also see what everyone else is talking about when getting flyers in the mail and getting them mixed up with junk mail which ends up in the trash. I'll report back in about a week and let you know how it goes. Hopefully I didn't just waste $280.

 

[npinc]

Maybe I'm just strange, but if I receive a flyer or postcard for a service that I anticipate a potential need for, I generally will keep it....especially if it involves discounts or savings. Take automotive service for example. I drive a high-mileage car that requires regualr service to keep it in top shape. Sometimes the service is planned (oil change, brakes, tires...), sometimes not. If I receive a flyer with a good coupon, I'll hang onto it until it expires, just in case.

But again, maybe that's just me.

Very interesting! What is it about the flyer that grabs your attention the most? The least?

 

[mau64]

Just wanted to follow up that I sent out 971 flyers and haven't received one phone call yet. Might not be spending another $280 to do that again.

 

[SilverLeaf]

I was hoping you'd post an update. Sorry to hear it hasn't produced yet, but it's only been a week or so. I wouldn't necessarily give up yet. It's not easy to generate immediate traffic when you're advertising a repair service, unless they just happen to have an pressing need.

I haven't finished my flyer/postcard design yet, but my goal is to make it memorable, with some incentive for them to keep it around until they need it. Maybe like advertising a drawing for a free tune-up/accessory, if they visit my website and register. That way, they get more exposure to my branding, provide me with additional marketing channels, may bookmark my site/read my blog/subscribe to RSS feed....and so on. Of course that means I also need to be much more diligent with providing new and interesting content

 

[mau64]

I was hoping you'd post an update. Sorry to hear it hasn't produced yet, but it's only been a week or so. I wouldn't necessarily give up yet. It's not easy to generate immediate traffic when you're advertising a repair service, unless they just happen to have an pressing need.

I haven't finished my flyer/postcard design yet, but my goal is to make it memorable, with some incentive for them to keep it around until they need it. Maybe like advertising a drawing for a free tune-up/accessory, if they visit my website and register. That way, they get more exposure to my branding, provide me with additional marketing channels, may bookmark my site/read my blog/subscribe to RSS feed....and so on. Of course that means I also need to be much more diligent with providing new and interesting content

Damnit, you got a good idea there.

 

[jmatt]

Just wanted to follow up that I sent out 971 flyers and haven't received one phone call yet. Might not be spending another $280 to do that again.

Yeah, I sent out 1500 pieces 2 weeks ago and got 3 jobs. I sent out another 2,000 yesterday, should be landing today.

The hit ratio had better improve or I won't be doing it again. I'm kind of hoping people hang onto it for the 10% coupon and maybe I'll get some work down the line. Who knows.

 

[TenYardFight]

I was hoping you'd post an update. Sorry to hear it hasn't produced yet, but it's only been a week or so. I wouldn't necessarily give up yet. It's not easy to generate immediate traffic when you're advertising a repair service, unless they just happen to have an pressing need.

I haven't finished my flyer/postcard design yet, but my goal is to make it memorable, with some incentive for them to keep it around until they need it. Maybe like advertising a drawing for a free tune-up/accessory, if they visit my website and register. That way, they get more exposure to my branding, provide me with additional marketing channels, may bookmark my site/read my blog/subscribe to RSS feed....and so on. Of course that means I also need to be much more diligent with providing new and interesting content

This is money. One of my clients has software that will register people for a prize, allow them to share on Facebook for more prizes, allthewhile opting them in and collecting and nurturing the lead. I think ill be adding them to my ads.

 

[Patriot Computers]

Thanks, going to take a look at it.

 

[drpcfix]

Yeah, I sent out 1500 pieces 2 weeks ago and got 3 jobs. I sent out another 2,000 yesterday, should be landing today.

The hit ratio had better improve or I won't be doing it again. I'm kind of hoping people hang onto it for the 10% coupon and maybe I'll get some work down the line. Who knows.

Hey - I know this is an old post, but I'd love an update if you kept up on this - or have any more details to share on subsequent campaigns.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Just wanted to follow up that I sent out 971 flyers and haven't received one phone call yet. Might not be spending another $280 to do that again.

These take time, and repetition, to get your name known. Don't expect a call from the first batch...second batch. But doing some things like these, over time, can help build brand recognition in the targeted area.

Marketing like this, can work alongside another form of marketing you do...as when people see it, it rings a bell in their head that they saw your name someplace else.

My wife uses this service a lot in for her real estate biz, helping to target a particular neighborhood. She is a top producer....typically in the top 5% of agents in the area.