Marketing plan · North Park

Landscaping direct mail in North Park:
a neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan

By Best Direct Mail, San Marcos · Numbers from USPS and the US Census Bureau

North Park is part of the City of San Diego, and it has its own ZIP Code, 92104. It is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, built mostly from the 1910s on, with Craftsman bungalows and Spanish-style homes on narrow lots, many with alleys behind them, and a large share of rentals.

Yards here are small, but owners care about them, and a front garden that fits an old home is a big part of what makes these streets. The 92104 ZIP Code also reaches into parts of South Park and some streets on the University Heights side. Below is what we'd mail where, starting with the public numbers for 92104.

North Park by ZIP Code

ZIP Code	Single-family houses	Owner-occupied	Median home value	New movers a month (average)
92104 North Park, plus parts of South Park and the University Heights side	30%	29%	$914,700	about 276

What the columns tell you:

Single-family houses: the share of homes that are detached houses, most with a yard to care for. The higher it is, the fewer EDDM® cards go to apartments and condos, where the HOA or the landlord hires the landscaper.
Owner-occupied: owners decide on clean-ups, new plants and turf replacement. Renters usually don't.
Median home value: higher values point to design, installation and full-service maintenance. Elsewhere, clear flat prices for mowing and clean-ups work best.

These figures cover whole ZIP Codes, and single routes inside them can be quite different. Our EDDM® route planner shows homes, income and homeownership for every route before you choose.

Single-family houses, homeownership and home value are US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the ZIP Code area. New movers are a US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimate: residents who moved into a different home in the past year, turned into households and divided by 12.

New movers: on average about 280 households move to a new home in these ZIP Codes every month. A new owner often wants to make the yard their own and doesn't have a gardener yet.

What a mailing costs: $2,721 for 5,000 homes with our recommended 8.5 × 11 EDDM® postcard, including printing and postage. See our EDDM® prices for other quantities.

What to mail in each neighborhood

Burlingame and the historic districts (92104)

Burlingame and the other historic districts, such as the North Park Dryden district near Morley Field, have carefully kept Craftsman, Spanish and Tudor homes. Owners here want a front garden that suits the house, and they will pay for one that is done well.

Garden design and installation in a style that fits the home, from cottage gardens to Mediterranean and native plantings.
Hardscape with care: brick and flagstone paths, low walls and steps that look like they belong.
Detail maintenance, with hand pruning and a crew that knows the plants, not just a mower.

Bungalow blocks toward I-805 (92104)

East of 30th Street toward Interstate 805, the blocks are lined with smaller bungalows from the 1910s through the 40s, many with a patch of lawn in front, a parkway strip and a narrow backyard on the alley.

Turf and parkway replacement. A small front lawn is quick to replace, and the rebate from the SoCal WaterSmart program covers a real share of a small job.
Flat-price small-yard maintenance. Many homes close together on short blocks make a tight, efficient route.
Backyard makeovers into a small patio and garden that work as an outdoor room.

The canyon-edge streets (92104)

Switzer Canyon cuts across the south side of North Park, and Florida Canyon and the edge of Balboa Park border the west. Homes on these streets often back onto a slope of brush and trees.

Brush clearance and slope clean-up, mailed in spring before fire season. Homes in high fire hazard areas will also have to follow California's new rules for the 5 feet around the house once they take effect.
Slope planting and erosion control with plants that hold the soil and need little water.

Rentals, ADUs and their owners (92104)

Many North Park homes are duplexes, small apartment buildings and rented bungalows, and many lots now have an ADU in back. Tenants rarely hire a landscaper. The owners, including landlords who live elsewhere, are the ones who pay for upkeep.

Low-maintenance yards for rentals: gravel, drip irrigation and tough plants that look good between tenants.
Monthly upkeep for small apartment buildings and multi-unit lots.
Post-construction yards after an ADU is built.

A homeowner list reaches the people who own these properties, even when they don't live in North Park.

A first North Park mailing plan

Garden design to the historic districts. Mail an 8.5 × 11 EDDM® postcard to the routes with the most owner-occupied homes, with photos of finished front gardens. Pick them in our EDDM® route planner for 92104.
Turf replacement to owners of single-family homes. Mail a 6 × 11 postcard to a homeowner list, so you reach owners and not renters.
Low-maintenance yards to rental owners. Mail a second list card to owners whose mailing address is outside the property.
Brush clearance to the canyon edges in spring, on the EDDM® routes along Switzer Canyon and Florida Canyon.

Mail each group at least three times, a few weeks apart. Use a different offer code on each card so you can see which neighborhood and which service brings the calls.

EDDM® or a mailing list in North Park?

In North Park, a mailing list is often the better choice. So many homes are rented that EDDM® sends many of your cards to people who won't hire a landscaper. A homeowner list reaches owners, including landlords who live outside the area. EDDM® still works on the blocks with the most owner-occupied homes, like the historic districts. Check the single-family and homeowner numbers in the table above, and tell us the areas you want and we'll recommend the right mix.

What to put on a North Park postcard

Show a garden that fits an old home. A Craftsman bungalow with a finished front garden tells owners you understand these houses.
Say small yards are welcome. Many owners assume landscapers only want big jobs.
One service and one offer per card, matched to the neighborhood above.
Your C-27 license number if you do installation work, plus "licensed and insured".

For the full list of services, offers and a 12-month calendar, see our landscaping direct mail guide.

Landscaping postcard designs

Start from one of our ready-made landscaping postcards. We add your logo, offer, license number and photos, send you a proof, then print and mail it. Need a custom design, or have your own? Just let us know.

Landscaping marketing plans in other cities

North Park at a glance

New movers: About 280 households a month
Best areas: Garden design and installation: Burlingame and the historic districts. Turf replacement and small-yard maintenance: the bungalow blocks. Brush clearance: the canyon-edge streets.
What it costs: $2,721 to mail 5,000 homes by EDDM®
Where to start: EDDM® with a garden design offer to the owner-occupied routes in the historic districts.

Frequently asked questions

How many homes are there to mail in North Park?

The table above shows the homes and carrier routes in 92104, straight from the USPS EDDM® route map. This ZIP Code also covers parts of South Park and the University Heights side. Most landscapers don't mail all of it at once: they pick 2,500 to 5,000 homes in the neighborhoods that fit the service they want to sell.

Are North Park yards too small to be worth mailing?

No. Small yards are quick jobs, and many homes close together make a route efficient. Owners here also spend on design and hardscape, because a front garden matters a lot on a street of older homes.

Can I reach landlords who don't live in North Park?

Yes. EDDM® only reaches the people at each address, but a homeowner list mails the owner wherever they live. That is the best way to reach landlords who own North Park rentals.

Do you mail in North Park?

Yes. Our print shop is in San Marcos, so we print your postcards there and take EDDM® mailings to the Post Office that delivers your North Park routes.

Get a quote for your North Park mailing

Tell us which neighborhoods and services you want to focus on. We'll reply with a price for printing and mailing, and the routes or list we recommend.

Landscaping direct mail in North Park:a neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan