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Small scale EDDM JV mailer on 4x6" postcard?

by Delta223
9 replies
My objective for a shared EDDM postcard is to subsidize my own We Buy Houses ads to ideally be free, or close to it.

Seems a 4x6" postcard on its own could have three 4x2" ads on the back, and one 4x3" ad on the front (other half has the delivery address)

That's only 3 sales to cover the EDDM fee and hard postcard costs. A lot more bearable than having to maintain 8-9 sales IMO.

Anyone else do this? Or does the strength of the mailer fall a lot when it gets smaller and has less advertisers?

If I did this I think it'd be 3 food places with discounts, and my We Buy Houses ad.
#postcard
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  • Profile picture of the author GordonJ
    6 x 4 is not an EDDM size.

    Before you do EDDM, make sure your postcard is going to be mailed, right size and right indicia (label). But your thinking is right, maybe a longer card, with only 3, including your own. But first thing, EDUCATE yourself by talking to your postmaster about mailing EDDM, then TEST a small size, or say 2500, hard to find advertisers willing to spend the money for less than that.

    GordonJ


    Originally Posted by Delta223 View Post

    My objective for a shared EDDM postcard is to subsidize my own We Buy Houses ads to ideally be free, or close to it.

    Seems a 4x6" postcard on its own could have three 4x2" ads on the back, and one 4x3" ad on the front (other half has the delivery address)

    That's only 3 sales to cover the EDDM fee and hard postcard costs. A lot more bearable than having to maintain 8-9 sales IMO.

    Anyone else do this? Or does the strength of the mailer fall a lot when it gets smaller and has less advertisers?

    If I did this I think it'd be 3 food places with discounts, and my We Buy Houses ad.
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    I generally use 4.5x11, but you can use 4x11 4 ads across the front and MY ad on the postage side. I print my own and have a postage meter number..

    BUT..you can check out gotprint.com 5100 cards 4x11 - Delivered is like $1500.00 or so 1500.00/4 is $375.00 per spot on the front... and I would not in any way shape or form charge that, I would double that at least. So not only are you getting yours for free, you are getting paid.
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    • Profile picture of the author Delta223
      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      1500.00/4 is $375.00 per spot on the front... and I would not in any way shape or form charge that, I would double that at least. So not only are you getting yours for free, you are getting paid.
      Thanks. So you find it easy to sell $750 ad spots? Seems like a tough sell to me. I have the disadvantage of being (far) out of area.
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      • Profile picture of the author DABK
        What made you decide that being far from the area is a disadvantage?


        I buy from people outside my area often. Some outfits I bought from, I have no idea where they are. It is not relevant to me.


        What's relevant to me is:
        Do I think they can deliver what I bought as agreed upon (time, quality)?
        Do I like the price?



        If I trust them and think I'm getting my money's worth, they can be located on the far side of the moon.


        I am, right now, debating whether I should buy something for $2500/month (6 months commitment) from an outfit I checked out (at some point I saw their Google business page, but I did not bother with the address).


        What's stopped me from pulling the trigger is this:



        1.
        I think they charge too much... One of their competitors (whose location I do not know, though I did look at their Google business page) seems to be offering the same thing and they seem to be equally good for some 600 a month less).


        2.
        Do I really need it? (I am wanting to grow, going with one of this product ties me up for 6 months.... In other words, I am not 100% sure of the next step I want to take. yet.)



        Did you notice that distance from me is not a factor?


        Originally Posted by Delta223 View Post

        Thanks. So you find it easy to sell $750 ad spots? Seems like a tough sell to me. I have the disadvantage of being (far) out of area.
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      • Profile picture of the author savidge4
        Originally Posted by Delta223 View Post

        Thanks. So you find it easy to sell $750 ad spots? Seems like a tough sell to me. I have the disadvantage of being (far) out of area.
        #1 distance is only a disadvantage if you make it one. Yes, I would agree it is "easier" to simply walk in... But you do what you have to do, and it sounds like you are familiar with the process of contacting non local business' and closing deals.

        Onto the price. I have seen it here on this forum time and again... oh its hard to fill spots... or oh that's expensive.

        If you go on the web and look this stuff up...its on average $.20 per card - the HIDDEN caveat is that its $.20 per card FOR POSTAGE - meaning printing and layout etc is extra.

        Granted that is for a single use card, meaning it would have only one business on it. But the pricing from Gotprint and others i might add, I just like Gotprint INCLUDES any and every cost - there is NO labor on your part of delivering to the post office it is 100% done for you - and it comes in at roughly $1500.00 or $.30 a piece.

        At double the cost to your client, split 4 ways you are talking about $.15 per card per client. In terms of selling this... "If you were to have a card of your own printed and mailed it would be $.30 at a minimum, and by using our service everything is done for you and the cost is 1/2 of doing it alone. $.15 per card delivered to 5000 mailboxes $750.00.

        If YOU think so or not, $750 is VERY affordable. Your prospects you would be trying to sell to will see it that way - I guarantee it.

        Don't let YOU and your mindset of what is cheap and what isn't, get in the way here... $750.00 is CHEAP for 5000 mailers. I charge more, and my costs are lower.

        To give you some ideas of who to target... I run 3 different cards; A MOM card, a DAD card, and a FOOD card.

        MOM cards with 4 spots, an oil change, a Nail Salon, Hair Salon, and a Message place.

        DAD card is an oil change, Hardware store ( Ace usually, but often another locally run one ) Sporting goods, and an Auto parts store.

        FOOD card would be Pizza as a staple, BBQ, a sandwich place, and a place that offers a Sunday brunch does well.

        Coffee shops, Laundry Mats, Bakeries, depending on the demographics of the community, a Hearing Aide office, Physical therapists, Lawyers, Auto repair are a few

        I see the mentality.... I get mine for free, and I can sell the rest at cost... but YOURS isn't free... Artwork and layout and calling each of them, and ordering and tracking and this and that and the other - NOTHING free about it

        Dont sell yourself short... Just have to trust me that there is actually a PROFIT to be made in this for you - and if you can get to the point that you are running 3 a month per community... it actually becomes a full fledged business in unto itself.

        Hope that Helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author Delta223
    Thanks @DABK. I understand one of the biggest advantages of selling ad spots to local businesses is, you can literally walk into their shop with a mocked card and talk about it. For me it's the phone which is a harder sell, particularly when I have to disclose i'm out of area (but on a positive note, I'm hiring a local shortly)
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      True, you can and that makes things easy. But you can just as well contact them other wise... Me, I prefer people send me a zoon link to show me.


      I am not one of a kind, so I assume others like that too.


      Plus, when you just walk in, the right person might not be there. You have to go back.


      Originally Posted by Delta223 View Post

      Thanks @DABK. I understand one of the biggest advantages of selling ad spots to local businesses is, you can literally walk into their shop with a mocked card and talk about it. For me it's the phone which is a harder sell, particularly when I have to disclose i'm out of area (but on a positive note, I'm hiring a local shortly)
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  • Profile picture of the author Delta223
    That was really spectacular advice savidge4, thanks so much! I did a search on Biggerpockets and "We buy houses" is the opposite of the type of generalized service that this appealts towards. But I'm still going to do it because it's a profit center on its own. And even 2 calls per month, 1 deal per year, is easy to say yes to when your marketing makes money instead of loses it
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by Delta223 View Post

      That was really spectacular advice savidge4, thanks so much! I did a search on Biggerpockets and "We buy houses" is the opposite of the type of generalized service that this appealts towards. But I'm still going to do it because it's a profit center on its own. And even 2 calls per month, 1 deal per year, is easy to say yes to when your marketing makes money instead of loses it
      We buy houses.. is a better than perfect match.. With EDM you can separate business from Residential. The ONLY issue you run into is delivery to apartments or condos... depending on Zoning codes ( something you can look up and figure out ) usually more dense ( Condos and apartments ) are grouped together within a community, and you would be able to specifically target "Homes". A little more work on your part, but would be to your benefit in the long run.
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  • Profile picture of the author implant Info
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    Implant Media provides high-quality Business cards design and printing services in Melbourne, Australia. Implant Media has standard & premium business card printing available, a range of stocks & finishes.
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