Dry spot #1
Lists you don’t trust
Buying a mailing list is costly, and you never really know how fresh it is. EDDM skips the list entirely.
EDDM Campaigns That Put You in Every Mailbox
Reach every household on the USPS carrier routes you choose, with no mailing list required. We design bold postcards and flyers sized to USPS EDDM requirements, then print and bundle them so they’re ready for the Post Office.
- Buttered Printing
- Free tool inside
- Plugs into The Buttered System
- 8 deliverables
Quick answer
What is EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)?
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a USPS service that delivers your mailer to every address on the carrier routes you select, with no mailing list needed. Pieces are addressed to “Postal Customer.” Buttered Business designs, prints and bundles EDDM postcards and flyers to USPS requirements, then connects responses to automated follow-up.
At a glance
| What it is | Reach every household on the USPS routes you choose, no mailing list needed. We design, print and bundle EDDM mailers to USPS requirements. |
|---|---|
| Part of | Buttered Printing |
| What’s included | 8 deliverables, itemized below |
| Best for | Political Campaigns, Home Services, Nonprofits, Private Schools, Home Builders |
| Free tool | EDDM Cost & Postage Calculator |
| Follow-up | Plugs into The Buttered System |
| Pricing | Custom quote, with exact pricing in writing before you commit |
If This Sounds Familiar, Keep Reading
Be honest: how many of these are happening in your business right now?
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Dry spot #2
Pieces that don’t qualify
A mailer that misses USPS size, weight or indicia rules can’t mail at EDDM prices. Finding out after printing is expensive.
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Dry spot #3
No way to measure response
Postcards go out and the phone rings a little more. Or does it? Without tracking, you can’t tell what worked.
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Dry spot #4
One drop and done
A single mailing is a gamble. Planned repeat drops to the same routes give people more chances to notice you.
Every one of these has a fix, and it starts with seeing your own numbers.
Show Me My NumbersDry Toast vs. Buttered
Here’s what changes with EDDM Mailers done right and connected to your follow-up.
Dry Toast
- Buying a mailing list of unknown quality
- Guessing at USPS size and indicia rules
- Bundling and paperwork at your kitchen table
- No way to know which routes responded
- Mail leads waiting days for a callback
Better with Butter
Buttered
- Every address on the routes you choose
- Pieces designed to USPS standards before printing
- Bundles and facing slips prepped for you
- Tracked QR codes by route and drop
- Fast follow-up from The Buttered System
What You Get, and What It Means for You
Features are nice. Outcomes pay the bills.
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No mailing list needed
USPS delivers to every address on the routes you choose, addressed to “Postal Customer.”
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Target by route
The USPS EDDM Online Tool filters routes by age, income and household size using U.S. Census data.
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USPS-ready prep
We size each piece, place the indicia, bundle in groups of 50 to 100 and prep facing slips.
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Postage you can predict
USPS lists EDDM Retail postage per piece, so you can estimate the mail cost before you print.
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Responses you can track
A QR code to a tracked page shows which routes and drops produced leads.
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Follow-up that never forgets
Every mail lead goes into The Buttered System for fast, consistent follow-up.
How It Works, Step by Step
No mystery and no black box. Here’s exactly what happens after you say go.
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Step 1: Pick your routes
We help you choose carrier routes in the USPS EDDM Online Tool, around your location, jobs or ideal neighborhoods.
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Step 2: Design to USPS specs
We design a bold postcard or flyer that qualifies as a USPS Marketing Mail flat, with the indicia placed correctly.
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Step 3: Print and bundle
We print your quantity and bundle pieces in groups of 50 to 100 with facing slips for each route.
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Step 4: Drop off and pay postage
Pieces go to the Post Office that serves your routes with PS Form 3587. USPS delivers and charges postage.
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Step 5: Track and follow up
Your tracked page captures responses, and The Buttered System follows up with every lead.
Everything Included With EDDM Mailers
Here’s the work, itemized like a diner receipt, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
8 items, zero mystery ingredients
Every-Door Spread
- Route planning help with the USPS EDDM Online Tool
- Postcard or flyer design sized to USPS Marketing Mail flat standards
- EDDM Retail indicia placed to USPS specifications
- Printing in the quantity your routes need
- Bundling in groups of 50 to 100 with facing slips
- Drop-off paperwork guidance, including PS Form 3587
- QR code linked to a tracked landing page
- Response tracking connected to The Buttered System
Total Fully buttered
Exact scope and pricing in writing before you commit.
Why It Matters Now
Independent research on how buyers behave, and what slow or invisible marketing costs.
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$0.26
EDDM Retail postage per piece for USPS Marketing Mail flats up to 3.3 oz
Source: USPS, Every Door Direct Mail (rate shown October 2026) (opens in a new tab)
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200
Minimum pieces per EDDM Retail mailing
Source: USPS, Every Door Direct Mail (October 2026) (opens in a new tab)
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5,000
Maximum EDDM Retail pieces per day, per ZIP Code
Source: USPS, Every Door Direct Mail (October 2026) (opens in a new tab)
Independent industry research — not Buttered Business client results. Tap a source to read the study.
Don’t Take Our Word for It. Take Theirs.
We could tell you we’re great. You’d expect us to. So here are our clients, in their own words.
For all your marketing needs, Sublime Digital Marketing and Ken Henderson to the rescue!
Everyone quoted here worked with founder Ken Henderson when his agency was called Sublime Digital Marketing Group. Same founder, new name. Quotes are excerpts, exactly as given. Results vary by business.
On this page 10 sections · 4 min read
Get Buttered!
A free call with a real human. We listen first, then tell you honestly whether and how we can help.
Get My EDDM QuoteThe full scoop
What Is Every Door Direct Mail?
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a USPS service that delivers your mailer to every address on the carrier routes you choose. You don’t need a mailing list. Pieces are addressed to “Postal Customer,” and your local carrier delivers them with the regular mail. That makes EDDM one of the simplest ways to reach a whole neighborhood at once.
Our EDDM campaigns let you reach entire neighborhoods without a list. We design bold, attention-grabbing postcards and flyers sized for USPS EDDM requirements, then handle the printing and bundling so they’re ready for the Post Office. Blanket one ZIP Code or cover several areas, and every piece points back to a tracked page so you can see what it produced.
How EDDM Works, Step by Step
According to USPS, an EDDM Retail mailing follows six steps:
- Create or use a USPS.com account.
- Select neighborhoods and your audience in the EDDM Online Tool. You can search by address, city or ZIP Code and filter routes by age, income and household size, based on U.S. Census data.
- Design and print the mailpiece. This is where we come in.
- Choose a drop-off date and payment option. You can pay online or at the Post Office.
- Print the order forms, bundle the pieces and attach facing slips. Bundles hold 50 to 100 pieces and can’t be taller than 6 inches.
- Drop off or ship the mailing to the Post Office that serves your selected ZIP Code, with PS Form 3587.
What EDDM Costs
An EDDM campaign has two parts: postage, which USPS sets, and production, which covers design, printing and prep. As of October 2026, USPS lists EDDM Retail postage at $0.26 per piece for USPS Marketing Mail flats up to 3.3 ounces. Production depends on the size, stock and quantity you choose, so we quote it in writing.
Before you call anyone, run the free EDDM Cost and Postage Calculator. Enter your households and number of drops, and you’ll see the postage plus the number of customers you’d need to break even.
EDDM Retail or EDDM BMEU?
USPS offers two versions. Most small businesses start with Retail.
- EDDM Retail: at least 200 and up to 5,000 pieces per day per ZIP Code, no special mailing permit, managed with a USPS.com account and dropped off at the local Post Office that serves your routes. USPS describes it as a fit for small businesses, restaurants, realtors and local political campaigns.
- EDDM BMEU: no volume limit, multiple ZIP Codes, paid with a bulk mailing permit through a Business Customer Gateway account and dropped off at a large USPS mail processing center. It’s built for large-volume mailers.
Choosing the Right Routes
The best routes are close to where you already win. Start with the neighborhoods around your location, your recent jobs or your best customers. Use the route filters to favor the households most likely to need you, and choose residential addresses if businesses aren’t your buyers. Then plan to mail the same routes more than once. A single drop is a coin toss. A planned series gives people more chances to notice you when they’re ready to buy.
Design an EDDM Piece People Keep
Your mailer competes with everything else in the box, so the front has one job: get it carried inside. Lead with a bold headline that names a local benefit, use a strong photo of your real work or place, and make the offer impossible to miss. Put the details, proof and a QR code on the back. Keep the address side clean, because USPS needs room for the indicia and the “Postal Customer” line.
What Buttered Printing Handles
- Route planning help inside the USPS EDDM Online Tool.
- A bold design built around one offer, sized as a USPS Marketing Mail flat.
- Correct indicia placement for EDDM Retail.
- Printing, bundling and facing slips for each route.
- Guidance on PS Form 3587 and drop-off, so the counter visit is quick.
- A QR code to a tracked page and follow-up through The Buttered System.
What We Won’t Promise
We won’t quote you a response rate. We haven’t found a reliable public benchmark for EDDM response, and your results depend on your offer, your routes and your timing. What we will do is help you plan around break-even, track every drop and tell you plainly what the numbers say.
Who EDDM Is For
A great fit if your customers live near you: home service pros, private schools, nonprofits, home builders and local political campaigns. It also pairs well with door hangers when you want to hit specific streets by hand.
Probably not for you if you need to reach specific named people, like past customers or donors. Addressed mail to your own list fits that job better, and we’ll tell you so.
Keep reading: EDDM Postcards That Actually Get Calls, on our Marketing Wisdom blog.
EDDM Mailers for These Industries
Each industry has its own rules and buying cycle. Pick yours to see the playbook built for it.
Straight Answers About EDDM Mailers
No jargon, no runaround. If your question isn’t here, ask a real human.
Still chewing on something?
Ask a real human. We answer in plain English and never send you down a jargon rabbit hole.
How much does EDDM postage cost?
USPS lists EDDM Retail postage at $0.26 per piece for USPS Marketing Mail flats up to 3.3 ounces (as shown on usps.com in October 2026). Printing, design and prep are separate. USPS changes prices from time to time, so confirm the current rate before you budget.
Do I need a mailing list or a permit for EDDM?
No mailing list is needed. EDDM delivers to every address on the routes you select, addressed to “Postal Customer.” EDDM Retail also doesn’t require a special mailing permit. Larger mailings can use EDDM BMEU, which is paid with a bulk mailing permit.
How many pieces can I send with EDDM?
An EDDM Retail mailing must be at least 200 pieces, and you can mail up to 5,000 pieces per day per ZIP Code. For bigger campaigns, USPS offers EDDM BMEU, which has no volume limit and lets you select multiple ZIP Codes.
What size does an EDDM postcard have to be?
EDDM pieces mail as USPS Marketing Mail flats, so they’re larger than a standard postcard and must weigh 3.3 ounces or less. USPS offers a Mailpiece Size Checker inside the EDDM Online Tool. We design every piece to USPS standards before anything prints, so you don’t find out at the counter.
Can I target EDDM by age or income?
Yes, at the route level. The USPS EDDM Online Tool lets you filter carrier routes by age, income and household size using U.S. Census data, and choose residential addresses or every address. You can’t pick individual households. EDDM goes to every address on each route you choose.
What response rate should I expect?
We can’t give you a reliable number, and you should be wary of anyone who quotes one without knowing your offer and your market. Instead, our EDDM calculator shows your break-even: how many customers you need to cover the cost of the mailing.
Can political campaigns use EDDM?
Yes. USPS describes EDDM Retail as a fit for local political campaigns, among others. Campaign mail needs the right “Paid for by” disclaimer: FEC rules cover federal races, and state law covers state and local races. Have your treasurer or counsel approve the wording before anything prints.
Know Your EDDM Numbers First
Run the free EDDM calculator to see postage and your break-even. Then request a written quote for design, printing and prep for the routes you picked.
Free. No obligation. No credit card. We never sell your information.
Not ready for either? Try the free EDDM Cost & Postage Calculator
P.S. Postage is the easy part to predict. The calculator shows it, plus how many customers you’d need to cover the whole mailing.
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