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Is EDDM Worth It?
It depends on one number most people never work out: how many customers the mailing has to bring in to pay for itself. Work that out first and the answer usually becomes obvious.
SPEC CHECKED 2026-11-06 · SOURCES BELOW
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Break-even calculator
Reading your result
The calculator tells you the response rate you need, meaning the share of homes that have to call or come in.
- A very small required rate (a small fraction of one percent) means a few calls cover the mailing. That's a good position: a decent card and offer should get you there, and anything extra is profit.
- A larger required rate means the mailing has to work hard to pay off. Raise the value of each customer, improve the offer, cut the cost per piece or mail fewer, better routes.
- A required rate of several percent or more is a warning sign. Look at the lifetime value of a customer rather than the first sale, or reconsider whether EDDM is the right channel.
We don't quote "typical" response rates. They vary too much by business, offer, area and design for one number to mean anything, and a figure from someone else's campaign can talk you into or out of a mailing for the wrong reasons. Your own break-even number is a much better guide.
Three worked examples
These use made-up but realistic inputs. Swap in your own.
| Roofing | Heating and air tune-up | Pizza | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes mailed | 2,500 | 2,500 | 5,000 |
| All-in cost per piece | $0.55 | $0.50 | $0.40 |
| Campaign cost | $1,375 | $1,250 | $2,000 |
| Profit per job or order | $3,000 | $90 | $8 |
| Close rate (callers who buy) | 25% | 50% | 80% |
| Jobs to break even | 0.46 | 13.9 | 250 |
| Responses needed | 2 | 28 | 313 |
| Response rate needed | 0.08% | 1.1% | 6.3% |
The roofer needs two calls out of 2,500 homes. The pizza shop needs more than 300 orders from the first mailing to break even, which is why restaurants count on repeat orders. A customer who orders twenty times a year changes the math completely.
Why EDDM campaigns fail
- A weak offer. Nothing that makes someone call now.
- The wrong routes. Mailing apartments for a lawn service, or the far side of town for a restaurant.
- One drop. Judging the channel on a single mailing.
- No tracking. Calls come in and nobody knows they came from the card.
- A crowded card. Too much on it to read at a glance. See postcard design.
How to tell if it worked
- Track every response. Use a dedicated phone number, a QR code with a tracked link or an offer code.
- Count jobs, not just calls. A call that doesn't book isn't a result.
- Give it time. People keep cards and call weeks later. Count responses for at least a month after each drop.
- Judge over several drops. Compare total cost against total profit across the campaign.
Planning those drops is covered in EDDM marketing.
Questions people ask
What response rate should I expect from EDDM?
There's no honest single number. It varies widely with the business, offer, area and design. Work out the rate you need to break even and track what you actually get.
How many times should I mail?
Plan at least three drops to the same routes before deciding. Many people see a card more than once before they act.
Is EDDM better than social media ads?
They do different jobs. EDDM reaches every home on a route, whether or not they use social media. Ads can target interests and retarget visitors. Many local businesses use both.
What if the numbers don't work?
Raise the value per customer (packages, memberships, follow-up services), lower the cost per piece or mail fewer, better-chosen routes. Run the calculator again with each change.
Sources
Checked 2026-11-06. Rules, prices and services change. Confirm before you order or mail.