Originally Posted On: https://www.ccr-mag.com/new-twist-on-direct-mail-to-grow-home-improvement/

There is fierce competition in the home improvement industry, and one way to stay competitive is to find new ways to promote your services. Direct mail may sound traditional, but this marketing strategy is highly suitable for a home improvement business. Adding new twists can make it even more powerful in delivering your message to your target audience, reinventing traditional direct mail into something more efficient and effective.

The home improvement industry expands every year, wherein people spend a hefty amount of money. So, if you want potential clients to choose your business, you’ve got to learn about a new twist on direct mail marketing, which is Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM).

In this article, you will learn more about EDDM and other direct mail options you can try to grow your home improvement business.

What is Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)?

Catdi Printing Services, a trusted partner of the United States Postal Services (USPS), is directly involved in the implementation of the EDDM direct mail program. EDDM is a new and exciting USPS offering that offers an effective and affordable direct mail marketing solution for small businesses, including home improvement businesses.

How Does Every Door Direct Mail Work for Home Improvement?

Homeowners, property owners, and real estate investors are aware that even minor home improvements, such as kitchen and bathroom refinishing projects, add value to any property. For this reason, many people spend much money on renovation or home improvements. With EDDM, you’ll increase your chances of getting contacted by more potential clients, so they will go to your home improvement company and not someone else’s.

But how does EDDM work for a home improvement business? Here’s how:

• EDDM allows home improvement businesses to focus on mail content and print marketing while the postal service (i.e., the USPS) handles distribution.
• Home improvement businesses can reach customers using the mail delivery route data supplied through the EDDM program rather than specific addresses.
• All you have to do is to choose a specific mail route area to where you want your home improvement mailers to be distributed.

Benefits of Direct Mail for Home Improvement Businesses

With direct mail marketing, expect to get more phone calls for estimates and bids. Stay in contact with your prospective customers without doing extra work. Hiring printing services will free you from the tedious design work, mailer printing, and mailing.

• Local Area Marketing: Direct mail, particularly EDDM, saves you money because it doesn’t require a mailing list. In EDDM, the mail carrier takes your message to every household without needing to know their individual addresses. Simply identify the mailer carrier routes and control the mailer drop off date, and USPS will deliver the mailers.
• Easy to Set Up: EDDM is easy to set up and highly targeted because this marketing strategy is geographically focused. You can direct the mailers to customers who are more likely to act based on their purchasing history. Setting up EDDM involves simply printing your mailers, banding them into bundles, and then delivering them to the postal service. After making the payment, the USPS will take care of the rest.
• No Postal Limits: No additional postal permit payment up to 5,000 mailings.
• Give Discount Offers: EDDM allows you to provide discount offers to your intended audience, which help boost customer retention. Repeating customers for your home improvement services help keep a solid client base for your business, which also help increase your referral rate.
• Cost-Effective: Home improvement businesses can now advertise using appealing postcards and brochures, all printed budget-friendly. You can send mailers out in batches at incredibly low postage rates, allowing you to make quantity adjustments as needed and track the success of your EDDM marketing campaign.

Other Direct Mail Options Available

It’s reasonable for any home improvement company to have unique set of sales goals and expectations. For this reason, a business owner can choose from different direct mail options that suits a home improvement business apart from EDDM, which includes the following:

• Saturation Bulk Mail: It is a type of mailing marketing strategy that goes directly to target customers within a certain geographical territory. Because there is no distinction created between mailboxes, everyone receives the same brochure, flyer, or postcard, making a fast splash ad impact.
• Targeted Mailings: This type of direct mail marketing strategy is helpful if you want to position your home improvement business to consumers in a particular demographics. It would require purchasing a mailer list that reveals the specific names and addresses of consumers that fit to your chosen demographics, including new parents, retirees, new homeowners, and landlords.

Home Improvement Mailer Options

Every business is unique, and so is your home improvement business. One type of mailer may work for some, but not for others. Like home improvement businesses, even real estate investors can adapt direct mail to realize their sales and marketing objectives.

Here are the mailer options available for home improvement businesses:

• Postcards: Postcards come in various sizes, depending on your preference. Larger postcards, meaning those that measure more than the 4 x 6 inches, make your home improvement business stand out from your competitors. They are designed to promote your business, so more people get to know you through interactive postcards, like scratch-off postcards.
• Brochures: With the help of a professional, your home improvement company can also have a professionally-made brochure. Customized brochures will give you a better chance to present your most popular home remodeling and renovation services with a list of other services you can offer. Brochures range from standard to extra-large size options.
• Business Cards: You may include business cards in your mailer with discount codes printed on them that you can use to attract more clients. Once a client calls, the code will be provided and a certain percentage will be given upon availing your home improvement services.
• Flyers: If you want to spread flyers, choose to work with a printing service company that can help create well-constructed flyers to boost your brand and increase your stream of revenue.

Grow Your Home Improvement Business with Direct Mail

Through direct mail, you can grow your home improvement business, allowing it to expand from one geographical area to another. As you reach out to more people, the word-of-mouth or referral of your excellent home improvement services will also spread, taking your business in different parts of the country.

Check the following ways to grow your home improvement business using direct mail marketing:

• Assess Your Marketing Strengths and Weaknesses: EDDM can be a useful tool to assess your strong and weak points when it comes to marketing your services. You can send separate mailers (different messages) to two categorized groups in one geographical area and wait for a week or two to check the number of calls or actions you have received in response to the campaign.
• Rule Out Different Marketing Campaigns: Direct mail marketing can be combined with other marketing strategies, such as social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing. You can include the website and social media URLs in the mailers so potential clients can validate the information they see on the printed material with online sources. With more marketing campaigns implemented, you’ll be able to reach more people at a faster rate to help grow your business.
• Improve Customer Experience: Continue to nurture client relationship by embracing EDDM marketing. Frequent follow-ups through direct mail serve as their reminder of the need to renovate their old attic, basement, or any part of the house. You can also include the step-by-step guide on how people can access your website and how they can take advantage of your discounted services by signing up to your newsletter.
• Reward Program: It’s always a good idea to reward your loyal customers. EDDM is a great way to encourage them to spread the word about your excellent home improvement services to their family and friends, while rewarding them at the same time through your referral program.
• Impress Investors: You can impress potential investors by sending them mailers too. Yes, mailers can be sent to companies as well. In this way, you can easily fund your business expansion and find potential partners if you want to branch out.
• Educate Homeowners: Direct mail can be a useful educational tool to let new customers know about your home improvement products and services. Showcase your expertise by providing them some helpful tips when renovating their homes. For instance, you can create a checklist or self-help forms that homeowners can use when planning a home improvement project.

Conclusion

The new twist in direct mail is EDDM, and applying the tips discussed above will help you reach your sales and marketing goals for your home improvement business. With all the benefits that EDDM can offer, you have a higher chance of getting your message passed on to more potential clients and expand your business.

There’s no doubt that direct mail can help you in growing your home improvement business. You can use it as an educational tool, a marketing tool, and a reward program tool at the same time. With EDDM marketing in place, you’ll never run out of sales and marketing ideas, customized to the needs and behaviors of your target audience.