Direct mail examples: 12 postcards that work, and why
The best way to plan a mailing is to look at cards that already do the job. Here are 12 direct mail examples from different kinds of local businesses, what each card shows, why it works, and who it should be mailed to.
The kinds of direct mail
Direct mail is any printed piece a business sends to homes or businesses. The common kinds are:
- Postcards. The cheapest and most common. Nothing to open, so the message is seen right away.
- Letters in envelopes. More personal and more room to explain, at a higher cost per piece.
- Self-mailers and brochures. A folded sheet with no envelope, for menus and price lists.
- Catalogs and newsletters. Several pages, for stores with many products or for staying in touch with customers.
- Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®). Large postcards delivered to every home on the mail routes you pick, with no names or addresses needed.
Most of our customers are local businesses, and for them a large postcard is usually the right choice. That is why every example below is a postcard. See how direct mail works for the full process from design to delivery.
12 direct mail examples
We don't show our clients' mailings. These are designs from our own postcard design library, and the names and phone numbers on them are placeholders.
1. The new menu item (restaurant)
Why it works: Food sells with a picture, and the question makes people think about dinner tonight. There is one product and one offer, so the card is read in a second.
Who to mail it to: EDDM® to the routes within a short drive of the restaurant, repeated every few weeks. More in our restaurant postcard guide.
2. The just sold card (real estate)
Why it works: Neighbors are curious about what nearby homes sell for. The card answers that and proves the agent sells homes on their street.
Who to mail it to: EDDM® to the routes around the sold home, mailed within a week or two of closing. More in our real estate postcard guide.
3. The home value offer (real estate)
Why it works: It gives the owner a reason to call before they are ready to list. A free report is a small step that doesn't feel like a sales pitch.
Who to mail it to: Monthly to the same farm area, by EDDM® or to a list of homeowners who have owned for years.
4. The emergency fridge card (plumbing)
Why it works: Nobody needs a plumber the day the card arrives. The card is built to be kept on the fridge, so the number is big and the problem is named in two words.
Who to mail it to: EDDM® to routes with older homes, two or three times a year so the card is there when a pipe leaks. More in our plumbing postcard guide.
5. The new patient special (dental)
Why it works: The price is the headline, and the card spells out what the price buys, so there is no guessing. People who just moved are looking for a new dentist.
Who to mail it to: Monthly to new movers in the office's ZIP Codes, plus EDDM® to the routes nearby. More in our dental postcard guide.
6. The seasonal offer (landscaping)
Why it works: It lands when people are already looking at their yard. A fixed-price clean-up is easy to say yes to and often turns into monthly service.
Who to mail it to: In late winter, to single-family homes with yards, by EDDM® or to a homeowner list. More in our landscaping postcard guide.
7. The neighborhood expert (heating and air)
Why it works: It introduces the company as local, shows real work, and offers a free first step. A free inspection is often how a repair or a new system starts.
Who to mail it to: Before the first hot weeks and before winter, to homeowners in older neighborhoods. More in our HVAC postcard guide.
8. The New Year's card (fitness)
Why it works: The timing does most of the work. In the first weeks of January many people are already thinking about joining a gym, and the card gives them a reason to pick this one.
Who to mail it to: In late December and early January, to homes within a few miles of the gym, plus new movers all year. More in our fitness postcard guide.
9. The invitation (church)
Why it works: Not every card needs a discount. An invitation that is warm and simple fits the message, and the card can carry service times and an address.
Who to mail it to: EDDM® to the routes around the church, a few weeks before Easter, Christmas or a special event.
10. The deadline card (tax preparer)
Why it works: Everyone knows the deadline, so the card doesn't have to create urgency. It only has to be in the house when people start gathering their papers.
Who to mail it to: In January and February, to homes or small businesses near the office.
11. The free first visit (veterinary)
Why it works: The years in business build trust, and a free first exam removes the risk of trying someone new with a pet the family loves.
Who to mail it to: Monthly to new movers nearby, and EDDM® to the routes around the clinic.
12. The sale event (retail)
Why it works: A sale with a name and a season feels like an event, not a coupon. Add the dates and the card works as a reminder on the counter until the sale starts.
Who to mail it to: EDDM® to routes near the store, timed to arrive a week before the sale.
What the best examples have in common
- One message. Each card is about one thing: a new pizza, a sold home, a clogged drain.
- A headline you can read from across the room. Short, large, and often a question.
- An offer with a number. $69, $125, 20% off or a free first visit is easier to act on than "great service".
- The right timing. Spring clean-ups in late winter, gyms in January, tax help in February.
- The right homes. New movers for dentists and vets, homeowners for landscapers, every door near the shop for restaurants. Our guide to EDDM® vs. addressed direct mail shows how to choose.
- A big enough card. We recommend 6 × 11 inches for mail to a list and 8.5 × 11 for EDDM®. See postcard sizes.
Common mistakes
- Too many offers. Five coupons on one card means none of them stands out.
- No deadline. "Offer ends March 31" gets people to call now instead of someday.
- A small phone number. It should be one of the biggest things on the card.
- Mailing once. One card is easy to forget. Plan at least three mailings to the same homes.
- No way to track it. Use a code, a special phone number or a QR code so you know which mailing brought each call.
Want one of these mailed for your business? See our postcard mailing services for a targeted list, or EDDM® printing and mailing for every home on a route.
Frequently asked questions
What are examples of direct mail?
Postcards, letters in envelopes, folded self-mailers and brochures, catalogs, newsletters, coupons and Every Door Direct Mail® postcards are all direct mail. For a small local business, a large postcard is the most common kind because it costs the least and is read without being opened.
What makes a good direct mail postcard?
One clear headline, one photo, one offer with a deadline, and a phone number or website that is easy to find. The card should say what you do and why to call now in the few seconds it takes to walk from the mailbox to the kitchen.
Should I mail a postcard or a letter?
A postcard is cheaper and is seen the moment it comes out of the mailbox. A letter in an envelope looks more personal and has room for more detail, so it suits offers that need explaining, such as financial or legal services.
How many times should I mail the same postcard?
More than once. Most people see a card several times before they act, so we plan mailings to the same homes in a series, often three mailings a few weeks apart, or every month for real estate farming.
Can I see real postcards you mailed for clients?
We keep our clients' mailings private. The examples here come from our own library of 260+ designs, and we change the colors, photos, offer and text to fit your business.