The Complete Guide to Cheap EDDM Postcard Printing for First-Time Mailers

The Complete Guide to Cheap EDDM Postcard Printing for First-Time Mailers 

If you have never sent a direct mail campaign before, EDDM is the easiest place to start. Cheap EDDM postcard printing lets you put your message in every mailbox on a route without buying a mailing list or hiring a marketing agency.

This guide walks first-time mailers through the whole process, from picking a route to picking up the finished postcards.

What Is EDDM Postcard Printing?

Every Door Direct Mail, or EDDM, is a USPS program built for small businesses. It lets you send postcards to every address on a chosen mail route, no names or addresses required. You pick the neighborhood. The post office delivers to every home on it.

This is what makes cheap EDDM postcard printing so attractive for first-time mailers. There is no list to buy, no data to clean, and no guesswork about who lives where. You just pick a route on the USPS map tool and print enough postcards to cover it.

How Cheap EDDM Postcard Printing Works, Step by Step

The process is simpler than most first-time mailers expect.

• Pick your route: Use the USPS EDDM map tool to select neighborhoods by carrier route. Each route shows how many homes it covers.
• Design your postcard: Keep the message short, the offer clear, and the call to action obvious. A bold headline and a clean photo go a long way.
• Choose your size and stock: Standard sizes like 6.5"x9", 8.5"x11", and 9"x12" keep printing and postage costs low while staying eye-catching in the mailbox.
• Print in bulk: Larger print runs bring the per-piece cost down fast, which is why bulk orders are the real secret behind cheap EDDM postcard printing.

Drop and deliver: Your printer bundles the postcards by route and hands them to USPS, ready for delivery.

For someone mailing for the first time, having a printer handle steps three through five removes almost all the guesswork.

Read More: Affordable EDDM Postcards for Cost-Effective Local Marketing

What Affects the Cost of Your EDDM Campaign

A few factors drive the price of any EDDM run:

• Postcard size: Bigger cards cost more to print and mail, but they also stand out more in a stack of mail.
• Paper stock and finish: A glossy UV coating looks sharp but adds a small cost per piece. A matte finish is often the more budget-friendly choice.
• Print quantity: The more you print, the lower your per-piece cost. This is the single biggest lever for keeping your campaign affordable.
• Design complexity: Simple, clean layouts print faster and cheaper than heavily layered designs with lots of colors and photos.

On average, printing and mailing a postcard runs somewhere between $0.30 and $0.50 per piece, though bulk orders and standard sizes can push that number even lower.

It helps to think of the cost in two buckets: printing and postage. Printing costs shrink fast as your quantity grows, since setup and press time get spread across more pieces. Postage, on the other hand, stays fairly steady per piece, but EDDM postage rates are already discounted well below standard bulk mail rates.

That combination is exactly why EDDM works so well for businesses testing direct mail for the first time.

Learn More: EDDM vs. Traditional Direct Mail: Which is Better for New Jersey Small Businesses?

Tips to Keep Your Postcard Printing Costs Low

First-time mailers can save real money with a few simple habits.

• Stick to standard sizes: Custom dimensions almost always cost more to print and mail.
• Order in bulk: Even a modest increase in quantity can meaningfully lower your per-piece price.
• Use a proven template: Free or low-cost templates save on design fees while still looking professional.
• Bundle your print run: Printing several routes at once, rather than one at a time, spreads your setup costs across more postcards.

Cheap EDDM postcard printing does not have to mean cheap-looking results. A clear message and a clean design go further than a fancy finish ever will.

Affordable Catalog Printing: Pairing Postcards with a Bigger Story

A postcard is a great first touch, but it can only say so much. Many businesses follow up an EDDM drop with a catalog once a customer shows interest. Affordable catalog printing lets you tell a fuller story, showing your full product line instead of just one offer.

Pairing the two gives new customers a reason to keep your materials around longer. A postcard earns the first look. A catalog earns the second one.

Why Direct Mail Printing Services Matter Beyond Postcards

As your marketing grows, you may want more than one type of mail piece. Direct mail printing services cover the full range: postcards, brochures, letters, and catalogs, all printed, addressed, sorted, and mailed under one roof.

Working with a single provider for everything keeps your branding consistent and your logistics simple. You are not juggling three vendors for three different mail pieces. One team handles design, printing, and delivery from start to finish.

Common Mistakes First-Time Mailers Make

A few missteps trip up most beginners.

• Skipping the map tool: Guessing at a route instead of checking real household counts leads to over-ordering or under-ordering postcards.
• Overloading the design: Too much text or too many offers confuses the reader. One clear message wins every time.
• Ignoring the call to action: A postcard without a clear next step rarely gets a response.
• Printing too few: Small runs cost more per piece and leave little room to test different routes or offers.
• Forgetting to plan for follow-up: A single postcard rarely closes a sale on its own. First-time mailers see the best results when they treat EDDM as the opening move in an ongoing conversation, not a one-time event.

The Bottom Line

EDDM is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to start direct mail marketing, and cheap EDDM postcard printing makes it possible to test the waters without a big budget. Keep your design simple, your sizes standard, and your print runs generous, and you will see real results from your first campaign.

Curcio Printing handles the entire process, from design to delivery, so first-time mailers do not have to guess their way through it. Call (607) 729-2477 to get a quote on your first EDDM run today.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does cheap EDDM postcard printing actually cost?

Most campaigns run between $0.30 and $0.50 per postcard, including printing and postage. Bulk orders and standard sizes bring that number down further.

2. Do I need a mailing list for EDDM?

No. That is the whole point of EDDM. You choose a route, and USPS delivers to every address on it, no list required.

3. What postcard size works best for a first EDDM campaign?

Standard sizes like 6.5"x9" or 8.5"x11" are the most cost-effective and still get noticed in the mailbox. Oversized cards can work too, but they cost more to print and mail.

4. Can I combine EDDM postcards with other printed materials?

Yes. Many businesses pair postcards with catalogs or brochures as part of a broader direct mail strategy, using one provider to keep everything consistent.

5. How long does an EDDM campaign take from design to delivery?

Timelines vary, but most campaigns move from finished design to mailbox delivery within one to two weeks, depending on print quantity and route selection.