Every Door Direct Mail delivers to every home on the carrier routes you choose, so choosing routes is the most important decision in a shared postcard. This guide shows how to find USPS routes by ZIP code and pick the right ones for your print run, using a free tool.
What a carrier route is
A carrier route is the stretch of addresses one mail carrier delivers to. Each route has a code made of the ZIP and a route ID, for example 85203-C004. EDDM lets you pick routes instead of buying a mailing list, so you do not need any addresses.
Step 1: search your ZIP code
Open the free EDDM route planner and type a ZIP code or a town. The planner loads every USPS carrier route in that area on a map. For each route you see the number of homes, the number of businesses, the median income and the post office it is delivered from.
Step 2: choose a print run
Pick how many cards you plan to print. The planner compares the homes on your chosen routes with that number in a meter. If your routes add up to more homes than your print run, you will pay postage on the extra doors. If they add up to fewer, some cards go unused. The goal is a close fit.
Step 3: tap the routes you want
- Look for neighborhoods with mostly single-family homes. They tend to suit home services such as roofing, HVAC and landscaping.
- Check the businesses on the route. A few local businesses nearby make the card feel local.
- Watch the post offices. Routes delivered from different post offices mean separate drop-offs.
- Use “Pick for my run” to get a starting set, then add or remove routes.
Step 4: copy or download your routes
Copy the route codes, one per line, in the format printers ask for, or download a spreadsheet with homes, businesses and income for each route. You can do all of this without an account.
Step 5: turn the plan into a campaign
When you are ready to sell the spots, press Save this plan and create a free account. Campaign setup in 9x12 CRM opens with your routes already picked, so you can choose the card, set the spot prices and publish a sales page where advertisers pay online.
Check the money side
Once you know how many homes you are mailing, run the numbers in the free postcard profit calculator: how many spots you need to sell to cover print and postage, and what each advertiser pays per home.
Route data comes live from the U.S. Postal Service when you search, and USPS is the final word on routes and counts. 9x12 CRM is not affiliated with USPS.
