Direct Mail & Postcards
July 1, 2026
When businesses think about direct mail marketing, one of the first questions they often ask is:
Should I use Direct Mail or Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM)?
The answer depends on your audience, your goals, and how targeted you want your campaign to be.
Both options help businesses reach potential customers through the mailbox. Both can be highly effective. But they work in very different ways.
Understanding those differences can help you choose the right strategy—and get more from your marketing investment.
At a high level, the distinction is simple:
You choose exactly who receives your marketing based on a mailing list.
You choose where the mail is delivered, and every household within selected postal carrier routes receives it.
Think of it this way:
Direct Mail = Who
EDDM = Where
That’s the easiest way to understand the difference.
Direct mail uses a mailing list to deliver marketing materials to a specific audience.
That audience may be selected based on:
Customer data
Geographic location
Demographics
Business type
Industry
Household characteristics
Previous interactions
Because the audience is selected intentionally, direct mail offers a high degree of targeting and personalization.
Examples include:
Sending offers to previous customers
Promoting services to specific industries
Marketing to homeowners within a certain income range
Reaching businesses within a defined territory
Direct mail is often chosen when precision matters.
Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM) is a USPS® program that allows businesses to deliver mail to every household within selected postal carrier routes.
Instead of purchasing a mailing list, businesses select neighborhoods or geographic areas.
Every qualifying address within those routes receives the mail piece.
This makes EDDM particularly useful for local businesses that want broad visibility within a service area.
Examples include:
Restaurants
Retail stores
Fitness centers
Home service providers
Medical practices
Community events
Grand openings
EDDM is often chosen when coverage matters more than precision.
Direct mail is often the better choice when you know exactly who you want to reach.
Consider direct mail when:
Current and former customers are often among your most valuable audiences.
Direct mail allows you to communicate directly with them.
If you’re targeting:
Homeowners
Business owners
Healthcare professionals
Property managers
Manufacturers
Direct mail allows you to focus your efforts.
Direct mail can incorporate:
Names
Personalized offers
Variable images
Custom messaging
Personalized URLs (PURLs)
This can create a more relevant experience for recipients.
Retention campaigns often benefit from personalization and customer-specific messaging.
Direct mail makes that possible.
EDDM is often the better choice when local awareness is the goal.
Consider EDDM when:
Many businesses operate within a defined geographic area.
Examples include:
Restaurants
Landscapers
HVAC companies
Dental offices
Salons
Retail stores
EDDM allows these businesses to blanket nearby neighborhoods.
Grand openings often benefit from broad neighborhood awareness.
EDDM can help introduce a business to nearby residents.
Community events, fundraisers, festivals, and seasonal promotions often benefit from reaching every household in the area.
Sometimes the goal isn’t finding a specific person.
It’s making sure everyone nearby knows you exist.
EDDM excels at that.
Best for:
Targeted audiences
Existing customers
Customer retention
Personalized marketing
Specialized services
Business-to-business marketing
Audience selection:
You choose the recipients.
Personalization:
High.
Best for:
Local awareness
Neighborhood marketing
Grand openings
Service-area businesses
Community promotions
Event marketing
Audience selection:
You choose the geography.
Personalization:
Limited.
Absolutely.
In fact, many businesses combine direct mail and EDDM as part of a larger marketing strategy.
For example:
A local service provider introduces itself to every household in nearby neighborhoods.
The same company later sends targeted offers to households that fit specific customer profiles.
One creates visibility.
The other creates precision.
Together, they can complement each other extremely well.
Direct mail and EDDM don’t have to work alone.
Many businesses enhance campaigns with:
Direct recipients to websites, offers, landing pages, and registration forms.
Create customized landing pages for individual recipients.
Encourage recipients to engage through mobile messaging.
Capture inquiries and create opportunities for follow-up.
Continue the conversation after the mail piece has been delivered.
The most effective campaigns often connect physical and digital experiences.
Not true.
Businesses of many sizes use EDDM to increase local awareness.
Direct mail can be used for customer acquisition as well.
Targeted prospecting is one of its greatest strengths.
Mail remains one of the few marketing channels that physically places your message in someone’s hands.
When paired with strong creative and a clear offer, it can still be a powerful part of a marketing strategy.
Ask yourself a simple question:
If the answer is yes, direct mail may be the better fit.
If the answer is yes, EDDM may be the better fit.
Both strategies can help businesses attract customers, increase awareness, and generate opportunities.
The right choice depends on your audience and your objective.
Direct mail and EDDM are often viewed as competing options.
In reality, they’re simply different tools designed for different goals.
Direct mail helps businesses target specific audiences with personalized messaging.
EDDM helps businesses reach entire neighborhoods and build local awareness.
Understanding the distinction allows you to choose the strategy that aligns best with your business, your audience, and your marketing objectives.
Because the most effective marketing isn’t about reaching everyone.
It’s about reaching the right people in the right way.
Internal linking opportunities:
Direct Mail & EDDM
Segmentation & Variable Data
Personalized URLs & QR Codes
Lead Generation Campaigns
Customer Retention Campaigns
Text (SMS/MMS) Campaigns
Postcards
Business Cards
Graphic Design
Digital Marketing
