Roofers, plumbers, HVAC companies and landscapers use EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) to put an offer in every mailbox in the neighborhoods they serve. At the time of writing, 5,000 8.5 x 11 flyers with Full Service cost $2,678.16 before sales tax, postage included. Here is how to time, target and design a home service mailing.
Why EDDM Fits Home Services
Home service customers are defined by where they live. A roofer doesn't need a list of named homeowners; it needs every house in the neighborhoods it can reach in a day. EDDM mails every address on the carrier routes (the path one mail carrier walks each day) you choose, with no list to buy.
The economics are simple because the jobs are large. One booked job can cover a mailing, so the question to ask is how many jobs you need to break even, and the math section below shows how to work that out for your trade.
EDDM Strategy by Home Service Type
Roofing Companies
Roofing mailings tend to fall into three kinds:
Storm response. After hail or wind damage, a mailing to the affected neighborhoods with a message like "Storm damage? Free inspection, no obligation" reaches homeowners who are looking for help. Order as soon as you can after the storm, choose a faster production speed at checkout if you need it, and remember that USPS does not guarantee EDDM delivery dates. Our storm response EDDM page covers this in detail.
Pre-season. Spring and fall are common roof inspection seasons. Plan the mailing a few weeks ahead of your busy period so the cards arrive before demand peaks.
Year-round farming. Pick a handful of neighborhoods with older housing and mail them on a regular cycle with rotating messages: spring inspection, storm protection, free estimate, referral offer.
HVAC Companies
HVAC demand follows the weather, so the message follows the season (example copy):
- Spring: "Get your AC ready before the heat hits: tune-up special."
- Summer: "Is your AC struggling? Same-day service available."
- Fall: "Schedule your furnace tune-up now."
- Winter: "Emergency heating service, 24/7."
Plumbing Companies
Plumbing is less seasonal, so a steady monthly or every-other-month schedule usually fits better. Focus on drain cleaning, water heater replacement, inspections and emergency availability.
Landscaping and Lawn Care
Landscaping is intensely seasonal. The usual mailings are a spring clean-up offer, a weekly mowing launch and a fall leaf clean-up.
Targeting Strategies for Home Services
Target Older Neighborhoods
Older homes have older roofs, water heaters and HVAC systems. You know your market best: use county records or your own job history to find the neighborhoods where the housing stock is aging, then pick the carrier routes that cover them.
Target Residential Routes
Homeowners have more reason than renters to pay for maintenance. The route map shows homes and businesses for every route and lets you mail residential addresses only. Routes that are mostly single-family homes are usually the better starting point.
Design Best Practices for Home Service Mailers
- Before and after photos of your own work.
- A specific offer with an expiration date: "Free roof inspection, offer ends [date]" gives a reason to call now.
- Real credentials only: manufacturer certifications, licenses and ratings you actually hold.
- A large phone number. Home service leads call. Make the number the dominant element.
- Room for it all: an 8.5 x 11 flyer fits photos, an offer and a service list; a 6.5 x 9 postcard fits one offer (compare every size on our EDDM sizes page). At the time of writing, 5,000 6.5 x 9 postcards with Full Service cost $2,643.17 before tax.
Break-Even Math for Home Service EDDM (Hypothetical)
This is arithmetic, not a forecast. Use your own average job value.
- Campaign: 5,000 8.5 x 11 flyers, Full Service: $2,678.16, plus $110.48 sales tax (8.25% on everything except USPS postage) = $2,788.64 all-in.
- If your average job is $2,500: $2,788.64 / $2,500 = about 1.1, so 2 jobs cover the mailing.
- If your average job is $8,000 (a roof replacement, say): 1 job covers it.
Because jobs are large, a small number of calls can pay for a mailing. Whether you get them depends on the offer, the timing and the routes.
Tracking Your Home Service EDDM Campaigns
- Dedicated tracking number on each mailing, forwarded to your main line.
- Ask every caller how they heard about you, and make "postcard or flyer" one of the options.
- QR code to a campaign-specific page, for example yourcompany.com/offer, so you can see visits from the mailing.
- Separate codes by area if you mailed several ZIP Codes, so you can see which neighborhoods respond.
Once you know which routes bring the most jobs, mail those more often and cut the ones that don't respond.
EDDM vs Digital Leads for Home Services
Paid search and lead marketplaces bring people who are already searching, often at a high cost per lead, and marketplace leads may be shared with competitors. EDDM reaches the whole neighborhood before they search, carries only your brand, and costs the same per piece whether or not anyone calls. Many home service companies use both. Compare your own cost per booked job across channels rather than relying on published averages.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a 5,000-piece home services mailing cost?
At the time of writing, 5,000 8.5 x 11 flyers with Full Service cost $2,678.16 before tax, with printing, bundling, USPS paperwork and postage included. Current prices are on the pricing page.
How fast can I mail after a storm?
You choose the production speed when you order, and faster options cost more. USPS delivers on the route's schedule and does not guarantee EDDM delivery dates, so order as early as you can. A print-ready file saves time: run it through the free EDDM file checker before you order.
Should a contractor use Full Service or Print Only?
Full Service handles bundling, USPS paperwork and the Post Office drop. With Print Only you pay less to us, then pay USPS $0.26 a piece at the Post Office plus shipping, and do the bundling yourself. Most busy crews prefer Full Service; it's a tradeoff between money and time.
Key Takeaways
- Home service customers are defined by where they live, which is exactly what EDDM targets.
- Storm response, pre-season and year-round farming are the main roofing uses.
- Pick older, mostly residential neighborhoods.
- Use before and after photos, a dated offer and a large phone number.
- Work out your break-even from your own average job value before you mail.
Next step: price 8.5 x 11 Full Service flyers for your routes, or see more on our home services EDDM page. Questions? Call (346) 306-EDDM (3336).
