What Is Saturation Mailing? Unveiling Its Impact on Your Business

You're reading this because you're probably looking for the answer to an important question: "What is saturation mailing?

So let us look at what it is and how it can impact your business.

What is Saturation Mailing?

Saturation mailing is a direct mail marketing method that involves sending mail to all residents within a certain zip code or postal route.

The aim is to "saturate" an area with promotional materials or information, reaching as many people as possible within the targeted demographic.

It's a postal method that is fairly comprehensive in scope, endeavoring to leave no potential client or customer unreached within the selected geographic distribution zone.

The U.S. Postal Service, for instance, offers saturation mailing through its Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) service. This program ensures businesses reach every home and address within their selected areas.

How Does Saturation Mailing Work?

Imagine you own a restaurant and you have a new item on the menu that you wish to promote using saturation mailing.

Here is what you need to do:

• Identify your target area: Choose a specific geographic area, such as a postal route or zip code, where you want to promote your new item.
• Create your mailing list: Instead of creating a traditional mailing list with individual names and addresses, saturation mailing uses the 'Current Resident' designation. This means that your mail will be delivered to all residents within a certain zip code or carrier route.
  
• Design your mailer: Highlight your new menu item and a tailored message to catch the attention of "Current Resident". You could even offer a percentage discount to entice your customers to give it a try.
• Prepare your mailing: Organize the mailers in a manner that corresponds with USPS protocols for saturation mailing, to capitalize on reduced postage rates.
• Distribute your mailers: USPS will handle distribution, ensuring all addresses on the carrier route receive the mailer.

What are the Pros and Cons of Saturation Mailing?

Pros

• Cost-effective: Saturation mailing could be a cost-effective solution, especially when using USPS saturation bulk mailing rates.
• Ideal for a broad audience: If your target audience is not restricted to a niche, but is instead a larger demographic or geographic location, saturation mailing can be an invaluable tool for reaching that broad customer base.
• Easy Execution: Owing to its broad scope, saturation mailing doesn't require a detailed customer database or complex demographics. This simplicity can reduce administrative time and effort.

Cons

• Lack of personalization: Saturation mailers can feel less personalized than other methods, as they may not include specific names or addresses.
• Slow Delivery: If you opt for the special discounts offered for Standard Mail, your mailings could take longer to be delivered.
• No Return for Undelivered Mail: With the Standard Mail option, undelivered cards will not be returned back to the sender

Who Should Use Saturation Mailing?

It's worth noting that saturation mailing is more suitable for some businesses than others. If your business has a specific target audience or offers a specialized product or service, you're likely not to benefit from this type of mailing.

However, if your business fits into one of the following categories, you may be able to benefit from a saturation mailing campaign:

• Local Businesses: Like grocery stores, restaurants, fitness centers, and dentists
• General Audience Promotions: Such as public events, grand openings, and holiday sales
• Industry-Specific Niches: Including home improvement, automotive services, and insurance
• Nonprofit Organizations: Especially those promoting community events, services, or awareness campaigns

When Should a Business Use Saturation Mailing?

It's good to know when to use saturation mailing because there are some situations when it may not be ideal to use it.

That said, here are some scenarios where saturation mailing can be a good option. Remember, this can only work if you have a product or service that is widely appealing.

• When launching a new business or branch: If you're opening a new business or branch, you may want to use saturation mailing, which can be a great way to generate buzz and gain recognition in that area.
• Organizing an event: If you intend to host a community event, like a charity run or a fair showcasing your business, saturation mailing is an effective way to spread the word.
• Publicizing seasonal offers or sales: If you're planning a big seasonal sale, like a Black Friday event or Christmas promotion, saturation mailing can help get your deals into as many hands as possible.
• Sending general news updates: If your business has updates that are relevant to a wide demographic (like local utility companies announcing major upgrades or maintenance), then saturation mailing can ensure this important information reaches all households in your service area.
• Building brand awareness: Saturation mailing can be a strong tool when you're in a competitive market and trying to build your brand awareness. By reaching a wide audience, it increases the likelihood that your business will be remembered.

What is the difference between Saturation Mailing and Targeted Direct Mail?

Saturation involves sending direct mail pieces to all addresses within a designated geographical area with the aim of reaching a wider audience.

Targeted direct mail, on the other hand, is used to reach specific groups of people based on demographics, interests, preferences, or behavior. It involves creating mailers with personalized messages and sending them to specific addresses.

This approach works well for businesses that have a niche target audience or offer specialized products and services. This also means that it's much more expensive than saturation mailing.

In Summary

Saturation mailing is an efficient and cost-effective way of promoting a product or service that appeals to a wide audience.

However, it's important to know when and how to use saturation mailing if you're looking to maximize its impact on your business.

Ready to boost your business with saturation mailing?

Taradel's Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) service streamlines the process from targeting and designing, to launching and measuring, handling every step from printing to postage. Get started with Taradel now and leverage the power of EDDM for your business success.