You've decided to send postcards. Good call: a postcard lands in a mailbox, gets picked up and sits on the counter. The next question is who should get it, and that choice decides which kind of mailing you need: Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) or targeted mail.
They sound similar, but they solve different problems. Here's how each one works, what it costs and how to pick.
What is EDDM?
Every Door Direct Mail® is a USPS® service that delivers your mailpiece to every address on the postal carrier routes you select. There's no mailing list. You choose neighborhoods, and the carrier delivers one piece to each address on those routes.
USPS's EDDM Online Tool lets you map ZIP codes and neighborhoods, and filter routes by age, income or household size using U.S. Census data (USPS). That's helpful, but remember you're still choosing whole routes, not individual homes.
USPS offers two ways to send EDDM yourself:
- EDDM Retail: at least 200 and up to 5,000 pieces per day per ZIP code, dropped off at the Post Office, with no special permit needed.
- EDDM BMEU: for larger mailers, with no volume limit and multiple ZIP codes, entered at a USPS Business Mail Entry Unit with a bulk mailing permit.
Either way, someone has to print the pieces, bundle them by route, complete the postal paperwork and drop them off at the right location.
What is targeted mail?
Targeted mail goes only to the addresses on a list. Each postcard is addressed to a specific person or household. The list might be your past customers, people who filled out a form on your website, a real estate agent's sphere of influence, or patients due for a checkup.
Because every card is individually addressed, targeted mail costs more per piece than EDDM. But every card goes to someone you chose on purpose.
EDDM vs. targeted mail at a glance
| EDDM | Targeted mail | |
|---|---|---|
| Who gets it | Every address on the routes you choose | Only the addresses on your list |
| Need a list? | No | Yes |
| Best for | Reaching a whole area | Reaching specific people |
| PostcardDrop price | From 50¢ per postcard (varies by ZIP code), printing + postage included | $1.10 per postcard, printing + postage included |
| PostcardDrop minimum | 2,500 postcards | 200 postcards |
When EDDM is the better choice
EDDM shines when your best customers are simply "people who live near here." Choose it when:
- Your business is location-based. Restaurants, salons, gyms, dentists, auto shops and retail stores draw most customers from the surrounding area.
- You serve every home in an area. Home service companies such as HVAC, roofing, plumbing, landscaping and pest control can reach every homeowner on the streets where they already work.
- You're announcing something. A grand opening, a new location or a big sale is news to everyone nearby, not just past customers.
- You want to be known in a neighborhood. Real estate agents farming an area send to the same routes over and over so their name becomes familiar.
- You don't have a list. EDDM needs only a map.
When targeted mail is the better choice
Targeted mail wins when you already know who you want to talk to. Choose it when:
- You're talking to past customers. A "we miss you" offer, a seasonal reminder or a referral request only makes sense for people who've bought before.
- Your audience is scattered. If your customers are spread across a whole city, mailing every door in one neighborhood wastes most of the cards.
- The message is personal. Renewals, appointment reminders and thank-you cards should go to a named person.
- You want to start small. A short list lets you test an offer before you commit to a bigger mailing. PostcardDrop's targeted minimum is 200 postcards.
Can you use both?
Yes, and many businesses should. For example, a dental office could send EDDM postcards to the routes around a new location to find new patients, and send targeted reminder cards to existing patients. A real estate agent could farm one neighborhood with EDDM and send targeted cards to past clients scattered around town.
The two don't compete. EDDM finds new people near you; targeted mail keeps the people you already know coming back.
How to decide in one minute
- Do you have a list of the exact people you want? If yes, start with targeted mail.
- Could almost anyone within a few miles be a customer? If yes, start with EDDM.
- Both? Run EDDM for reach and targeted mail for your list.
To see what either one costs for your quantity, try the cost calculator.
Sources: USPS, Using Every Door Direct Mail (checked October 2026). USPS services, rules and prices can change; confirm current details with USPS.
Want postcards in mailboxes without the hassle? PostcardDrop handles printing, postage and drop-off: EDDM starts at 50¢ a piece, depending on ZIP code (2,500 minimum), and targeted mail is $1.10 a piece. Estimate your cost or see how EDDM works.