Marketing plan · National City

Roofing direct mail in National City:
a neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan

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

National City is one of the oldest cities in San Diego County, and so are many of its roofs. There are Victorian homes and bungalows near downtown, postwar houses on the east side that are on their second or third roof, and many duplexes and small apartment buildings with low-slope roofs. Much of the housing is rented, so the person who pays for the roof often lives somewhere else.

The whole city shares one ZIP Code, 91950, so the real choice is which streets to mail and whether to reach the resident or the owner. Below is what we'd mail where, starting with the public numbers for National City: how many homes there are, how old they are, how many are houses and who owns them.

National City by ZIP Code

ZIP Code	Built before 1980	Single-family houses	Owner-occupied	Median home value	New movers a month (average)
91950 All of National City, plus Lincoln Acres	72%	42%	36%	$612,200	about 135

What the columns tell you:

Built before 1980: the share of homes more than 45 years old. Many are on their second or third roof, and the higher it is, the more owners are due for a replacement.
Single-family houses: the share of homes that are detached houses. The higher it is, the fewer EDDM® cards go to apartments and condos, where the association or the landlord decides on the roof.
Owner-occupied: owners buy roofs. Renters don't.
Median home value: higher values point to tile, metal and premium shingle roofs. Elsewhere, financing and a clear price matter most.

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.

Home age, 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 130 households move to a new home in these ZIP Codes every month. Many buyers get a roof report from their home inspection and plan the repairs in their first year.

What a mailing costs: starting from $2,034 for 5,000 homes with a 6.25 × 9 EDDM® postcard, or $2,544 with our recommended 8.5 × 11, including printing and postage. See our EDDM® prices for other quantities.

What to mail in each neighborhood

Historic National City (91950)

Around downtown, Heritage Square and Kimball Park, Victorian homes and bungalows from the early 1900s through the 40s sit next to apartments and shops. Roofs on these houses often have steep pitches, old wood sheathing underneath and details that owners want kept, so they look for a roofer who has worked on older homes.

Replacements and repairs for older homes, with a photo of an older house you have reroofed and a note that you replace damaged sheathing the right way.
A free inspection with photos, so owners can see the problem before they decide.
Mail the owners, not the routes. Houses and apartments share these blocks, so a homeowner list keeps your cards with the people who decide.

West National City, toward the bay (91950)

On the west side, toward I-5, the Navy base and the bay, homes are mixed in with duplexes, small apartment buildings and businesses, and most are rented. Many of the multi-unit buildings have flat or low-slope roofs, and close to the bay, salt air can be harder on metal flashing, fasteners and gutters.

Rental roof repairs and coatings for landlords, mailed with a homeowner list that goes to the owner's mailing address.
Flat roof repair and replacement for duplexes and small apartment buildings, with a fast response promise for leaks.
Flashing and gutter checks, where rust and loose fasteners let water in.

Central National City, Las Palmas and El Toyon (91950)

In the middle of the city, around Las Palmas Park and El Toyon Park, most homes are single-family houses from the 1920s through the 1950s on small lots, with duplexes and small apartment buildings along the busier streets. Many of these houses have asphalt shingle roofs that have been replaced before and are due again.

"Is your roof over 20 years old?" A free inspection or replacement estimate before the rainy season.
Leak repair cards in November, after the first storms.
Pick the house routes. EDDM® works on the streets that are mostly houses; skip the routes along the busy corridors.

East National City and Lincoln Acres (91950)

On the east side, toward Paradise Valley, Plaza Bonita and the unincorporated Lincoln Acres area, most homes are single-family houses from the 1940s through the 60s, with more owners than the rest of the city. These are the best streets in National City for a replacement card mailed to whole routes.

Replacement estimates with financing. Many owners here have been in the same house for decades and are careful with a big job.
Gutters and repairs as a smaller first job for owners who aren't ready for a new roof.

A first National City mailing plan

Owners and landlords across the city. Mail an inspection and repair card to a homeowner list from August to October, before the rain, so every card goes to an owner, not a tenant.
Replacements to the house streets. Mail an EDDM® postcard to the routes on the east side and in Las Palmas and El Toyon with the most houses. Pick them in our EDDM® route planner for 91950.
Neighbors of every job. After each roof you finish, mail the carrier route around it: "We just put a new roof on a home on your street."
New homeowners every month. Many buyers of older homes get a roof report from their home inspection. A welcome card with a free inspection reaches them first.

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 National City?

Which one is better depends on the neighborhood. National City has more renters than most cities in the county, and renters don't buy roofs, so a homeowner list is usually the better start: it reaches landlords wherever they live and skips the apartments. On the east side, where more homes are owner-occupied houses, EDDM® reaches nearly the same people for less. Compare the home age, 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 National City postcard

Say you're local. "Serving National City and the South Bay" tells people you'll be there for the warranty too.
A photo of a National City roof you installed. Real local work beats stock photos.
One service and one offer per card, matched to the neighborhood above.
Your C-39 license number, plus "licensed and insured" and your warranty. Landlords and property managers ask.

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

Roofing postcard designs

Start from one of our ready-made roofing 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.

Roofing marketing plans in other cities

National City at a glance

New movers: About 130 households a month
Best areas: Replacements: east National City, Lincoln Acres, Las Palmas and El Toyon. Older-home roofs: historic National City. Rental and flat roofs: west National City, by homeowner list.
What it costs: Starting from $2,034 to mail 5,000 homes by EDDM® (6.25 × 9), or $2,544 with an 8.5 × 11
Where to start: An inspection and repair card to a homeowner list from August to October, reaching owners and landlords.

Frequently asked questions

How many homes are there to mail in National City?

The table above shows the homes and carrier routes in 91950, straight from the USPS EDDM® route map. That ZIP Code also includes Lincoln Acres, a small unincorporated area on the east side. Most roofers start with the owner-occupied house streets and the routes around each job they finish.

Which National City neighborhoods are best for roofing postcards?

For replacements, the house streets on the east side, in Lincoln Acres and around Las Palmas and El Toyon parks. For rental and flat roofs, landlords on the west side, reached with a homeowner list. The table shows the share of homes built before 1980, single-family houses and owner-occupied homes.

When should a National City roofer mail?

August to October, before the rainy season, for inspections and replacements, and November for leak repair after the first storms. Landlords respond well to a repair card any time of year, since a leak in a rental can't wait.

Do you mail to National City from San Marcos?

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 National City routes.

Get a quote for your National City 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.

Roofing direct mail in National City:a neighborhood-by-neighborhood plan