Have You Done Direct Mail Before (In US)?

[GarrAargHrumph]

I'm trying to help a local small business out with their marketing. They want to do a direct mail postcard to people of specific demographics in specific zip codes. The way I used to do this for the large companies I'd worked for is that we had or purchased mailing lists, and used those for the addresses. Is that the only way to do this? Does the US Postal Service offer anything (which I can't find on their website) that helps with geotargeting - for example, all people in zip code 07009 who have an income above $75K, ages 25-65, residences only - no businesses?

The only thing I can find on the USPS website is the ability to EDDM - deliver a piece to every door on a specific postal route.

Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated. I'm doing this as a volunteer for them, and my background is with the big guys, so things are different.

 

[AxelAnnie]

I'm trying to help a local small business out with their marketing. They want to do a direct mail postcard to people of specific demographics in specific zip codes. The way I used to do this for the large companies I'd worked for is that we had or purchased mailing lists, and used those for the addresses. Is that the only way to do this? Does the US Postal Service offer anything (which I can't find on their website) that helps with geotargeting - for example, all people in zip code 07009 who have an income above $75K, ages 25-65, residences only - no businesses?

The only thing I can find on the USPS website is the ability to EDDM - deliver a piece to every door on a specific postal route.

Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated. I'm doing this as a volunteer for them, and my background is with the big guys, so things are different.

I don't think the Post Office will be of help. Approx how many people does she wish to reach.¿ I don't know how that upside down question mark got there.

 

[PRlady]

You know more than I do but I’m only familiar with purchasing lists privately.

 

[once_upon]

We tried to do something like this at my church. No help from post office on zip code stuff.

 

[Debbie S]

Yes, I've only done list purchases through a company or agency.

Local business could look into those circulars that get delivered with your mail every so often. That may be a cheaper option, but I feel that's not a great use of resources b/c most people (except maybe older people) throw those away w/o even looking at them.

 

[Rob]

The Post Office helps with nothing. Plus, Most of the people I know age 25-35 do not even pick up their paper mail. They get phone calls from their apartment buildings that their mailboxes are full and they go downstairs and throw it in the recycling bin without looking at it. Not kidding, I was at a very large multi gen meeting at work where there were arguing we should not mail things that are required by the government to be mailed and 100s of them said they would never see it. I had to tell them that they should make sure it isn’t something from the IRS, but they were unconvinced.