EDDM Mailings -- What's with all the buzz?

The post office is spending all of this money advertising EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) mailings -- what are they and what's the big deal? For most people doing mailings, postage continues to be the most expensive part of a mailing and something you can't negotiate or change.  The post office wants local retailers to be able to do cost effective mailings and have come up with the EDDM program to help.  Typically, a retailer needed to buy a list of local households, and then either pay a lot of money in postage, or print a very small (4 x 6) postcard and still pay a lot of money for postage, plus the printing, addressing, and mailing costs. With EDDM mailings, here is the good news: - It HAS to be an oversized postcard (typically 6x9 or larger) that would normally mail as a flat (and can be 8.5 x 11) - It does not need to be tabbed - You do not need to purchase a list -- it goes by carrier route within a zipcode and you can mail to commercial and residential, just residential, delete PO Boxes, etc. - Every piece is $.145 A couple of other things to note.  You do not need a permit to do EDDM mailings and can walk up to the counter and pay as long as your mail is properly sorted for the mailing.  However, you do have a limit of 5,000 pieces per zip code per day if you do it retail (if you hold a permit, you can mail it through Bulk Mail without a limit). If you do not have a permit and want to mail more than 5,000 pieces per day, you can always use a mail house to provide that service as well as help work though how to do an EDDM mailing.  We have helped many customers who have found EDDM mailings a successful part of their marketing campaigns.