When it comes to local contractors and home service providers, marketing strategies must focus on trust, local awareness, and customer retention. Direct mail is a powerhouse in this space, consistently proving its ability to drive leads, conversions, and return on investment (ROI).
According to Taradel’s 2024 Construction and Home Services Marketing Survey, 77% of contractors plan to increase or maintain their direct mail efforts in 2024.
Additionally, based on survey results, direct mail ranks as the second-highest ROI driver for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), just behind Facebook ads, making it a must-have marketing tool for local contractors looking to grow their business in a competitive environment.
The Benefits of Direct Mail for Contractors
1. Building Trust: Trust is paramount when customers are making decisions about who to invite into their homes for repairs or renovations. Direct mail fosters that trust by offering a tangible, reliable connection. In fact, 56% of consumers consider print marketing, such as direct mail, the most trustworthy type of marketing.
2. Higher Recall Rate: Print advertising boasts a 70% higher recall rate than online ads. For contractors, this is crucial because while a potential customer may not need your services immediately, they are more likely to remember your business when the time comes.
3. Staying Power: Direct mail isn’t just remembered; it’s often saved. Around 36% of people save direct mail ads in a specific place for future reference, which means that when a homeowner needs to replace a roof, fix a plumbing issue, or repaint their home, your ad will be in their drawer ready to go.
4. Amplified Response with Multichannel Campaigns: Direct mail propels digital marketing. Campaigns that combine direct mail with digital elements see a 63% increase in response rates, a 68% rise in website visits, and a 53% increase in leads.
5. Referrals through Direct Mail: Referrals are a contractor’s most valuable lead source, and direct mail can facilitate this. About 51% of consumers sometimes or often share direct mail with friends and family, especially if it includes discount coupons. This is significant because referrals are consistently ranked as the top source of leads for contractors.
6. Personal Connection: Direct mail allows contractors to create a personalized experience for their customers. 70% of consumers feel that direct mail is more personal than online communication, which helps build a deeper connection with potential clients.
Direct Mail in Action
Now that we’ve seen how crucial trust, awareness, and retention are for local contractors and home service providers, it’s time to spotlight how direct mail is making waves in real campaigns.
With its proven ability to drive results, direct mail is not just an effective tool—it’s a powerful way to transform brand recognition into tangible business growth.
Let’s take a look at a real-life example of how one contractor turned this marketing approach into a resounding success.
How Repair Specialist Books 100 New Jobs with a Single EDDM Campaign
Overview: Elevator Works, a Maryland-based home elevator maintenance and repair specialist, faced the challenge of raising brand awareness in a niche market. Despite their expertise, they needed a way to connect directly with potential clients.
The Solution: Partnering with Taradel, Elevator Works executed a targeted direct mail campaign using Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM). They distributed 13,588 postcards to affluent neighborhoods offering a limited-time discount to attract new clients.
The Results: The campaign was a resounding success, generating 100 new clients in its first run. With a client lifetime value of $6,000, the ROI for this campaign was tremendous, and the jobs continued to roll in. The owner of Elevator Works even stated, “Direct Mail has been our best ROI so far. We are a niche industry and folks are not used to seeing hard mail from a company like mine.”
Read more case studies like this one here!
Why EDDM Is Perfect for Contractors
Direct Mail is great, but EDDM is even better for local contractors and home service providers!
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is a direct mail service offered by USPS that allows businesses to send promotional mail to specific geographic areas without needing a mailing list.
Here’s why EDDM works particularly well for local contractors:
1. Hyper-Localized Targeting: Contractors often serve local areas, making EDDM’s ability to target specific neighborhoods invaluable. You can choose exactly which postal routes best fit your ideal customer demographic.
2. Cost-Effective: EDDM is one of the most affordable direct mail options available. You can reach an entire neighborhood for less than the price of a single stamp per piece, with the cost per postcard as low as 29¢ at higher volumes.
3. No Mailing List Required: EDDM eliminates the need for a mailing list, saving you time and money. You simply choose the areas you want to target, and USPS handles the delivery.
Conclusion
Direct mail is a proven performer for contractors and home service providers. From building trust to generating referrals and staying top of mind with customers, it delivers measurable results. When paired with digital marketing, its power is even greater.
For contractors looking to grow their local business, direct mail—especially through EDDM—offers a high-ROI, cost-effective, and highly targeted way to reach homeowners when they need services most.
