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Direct mail marketing means sending physical materials—usually postcards—directly to a customer’s mailbox. For home service businesses, it’s one of the most effective ways to win jobs and keep customers coming back.
Whereas emails and texts keep you top of mind, a postcard sticks around. It’s tangible—homeowners see it, hold it, and often stick it on the fridge until they’re ready to act.
In this article, we’ll explain how direct mail marketing works, share real postcard examples, and provide step-by-step tips to create, send, and track campaigns that get results.
→ Want to see how easy it is to launch your own postcard campaign? Check out our step-by-step guide to creating and sending postcards with Housecall Pro.
Key takeaways
Direct mail marketing helps home service pros reach more homeowners to book jobs.
Understand the basics: Direct mail means sending physical postcards that reach customers directly—no crowded inbox required.
Follow a proven process: Choose your audience, design eye-catching postcards, time mailings seasonally, and track every result.
Use strong offers and CTAs: Highlight one clear promotion and make it easy for homeowners to book right away.
Learn from real examples: Postcard campaigns across trades delivered an average of 945% ROI and up to 50% response rates.
Automate with tools: Housecall Pro Postcards makes it simple to design, send, and track mailings for ongoing success.
Jump ahead
How does direct mail marketing work?
Direct mail marketing follows a clear process that makes it easy to plan, launch, and measure campaigns.
Step 1: Choose your target audience
The first decision is who you want to reach. For most home service businesses, this begins with past customers—send reminders, thank-yous, or upsell offers.
If you want to expand your reach, you can send to entire neighborhoods using Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) or get more precise by targeting ZIP codes, income levels, or home types. This ensures your cards go to homeowners most likely to need your services, not wasted addresses.
Step 2: Design your postcard
A strong postcard grabs attention and gets the phone ringing. Keep it simple and to the point with:
- A bold headline
- A single offer (like “$25 off your tune-up”)
- Bright imagery (before-and-after photos or seasonal visuals)
- Contact info on both sides
Always end with a clear call-to-action (CTA): “Book today,” “Schedule before [date],” or “Call now.” The easier it is for a homeowner to respond, the better your results.
Step 3: Mail at the right time
Timing is everything. Postcards hit hardest when they line up with seasonal demand. For example:
- HVAC: Spring and fall tune-ups
- Plumbing: Winter freeze prevention
- Roofing and gutters: Before storm season
- Cleaning services: Before the holidays
Send postcards a few weeks before peak season so you’re the first pro customers call.
Step 4: Track ROI and results
Direct mail isn’t guesswork anymore. You can measure success just like digital marketing. Use:
- QR codes to drive postcard readers to your booking page
- Promo codes unique to each mailing
- Dedicated phone numbers that forward to your business but track calls back to the postcard
Review response rates and ROI after each campaign so you can refine targeting, messaging, and design for even stronger results next time.
How effective is direct mail marketing?
Direct mail marketing is incredibly effective. It often outperforms digital ads for home services because it feels personal and stands out. While email inboxes are crowded, postcards land directly in a customer’s hands.
Why it works
Direct mail marketing works because it taps into simple, everyday habits and local trust that digital ads can’t match. Here’s why:
- Tangible reminders: Customers often pin postcards to the fridge or set them on the counter.
- Less competition: Unlike crowded inboxes, mailboxes hold fewer ads.
- Local trust: Homeowners are more likely to respond to service providers in their area.
Direct mail marketing isn’t just about promotion; it’s about consistency. Send campaigns throughout the year to build recognition so customers remember your business first when they need help.
Learn more: 10+ marketing ideas to stay booked all year long
Real direct mail marketing examples
Here are eight examples of real campaigns that drove measurable results for home service businesses across different trades.*
*Data based on an anonymized case study shared by a leading postcard marketing company.
1. Plumbing (Fort Walton Beach, FL)
A plumbing company mailed 14,205 postcards offering free drain inspections with a QR code to book.
The results? $250,000 in revenue from an $8,409 investment, amounting to a 2,873% ROI.
Free download: Plumbing postcard template
2. HVAC (Westfield, MA)
An HVAC shop mailed 12,000 postcards alongside digital ads. The postcards included rebates, customer reviews, and a benefits list to boost trust.
The results? $285,000 in revenue.
Free download: HVAC postcard template
3. Handyman (Columbus, IN)
A handyman sent 1,000 postcards to higher-income homeowners with pools. The design included a list of services, a photo of uniformed staff, and a limited-time offer to emphasize urgency.
The results? $30,000 in revenue, plus remodeling work from referrals.
4. Pest control (Concord, CA)
A pest control company mailed 4,876 postcards to affluent, gated neighborhoods. The postcards highlighted common pests and featured a bold headline, 5-star review, and benefits list.
The results? Demand grew enough to hire two staff members and open a new location.
5. Home cleaning (Springfield, IL)
A cleaning business mailed 15,000 postcards monthly for a year. Residential and commercial messages were split.
The results?
- Leads averaged 100 per week with a 57% conversion rate.
- Revenue grew from $581,000 to an expected $1,000,000.
- Customer value reached $3,000 annually with two-year retention.
6. Gutter cleaning (Clearwater, FL)
A gutter cleaner mailed 350–400 postcards monthly to past customers encouraging seasonal cleanings. Postcards were brightly colored with bold headlines and easy-to-find contact info on both sides.
The results?
- Response rates averaged 10%.
- Customers increased by 35–40 per mailing.
- Revenue grew $42,000 annually, plus $1,000–$2,000 for commercial jobs.
7. Garage Doors (Elgin, TX)
A garage door service company sent 5,200 postcards to ZIP codes with a high number of single-family homes. The design featured before-and-after photos, a customer review, and two service discounts (50% off rollers or $99 service).
The results? They booked 40 jobs and generated $5,600 in revenue, achieving a 67% ROI.
8. Roofing (Hiawatha, IA)
After storms, a roofer mailed 21,000 postcards with Google Street View images of each property to target those in need of repairs. The design also featured a $500 discount and 5-star review.
The results? They booked nine jobs worth over $200,00 in revenue, netting a 1,200% ROI.
Direct mail marketing best practices and tips
To maximize results, follow these best practices when running postcard campaigns.
Personalize your mail
Use customer names, service history, or neighborhood mentions. Example: “It’s been six months since your last water heater check.” Personalization makes postcards feel more relevant.
Design for impact
Use bold visuals, before-and-after photos, or seasonal imagery. Keep the copy short and clear. Always include your logo and contact information.
Use strong CTAs
Encourage immediate action with clear CTAs:
- “Book today and save $25.”
- “Call now for your free estimate.”
- “Claim your seasonal discount before [date].”
Segment your audience
Not all customers need the same message. Send reminders to existing customers, special offers to high-value accounts, and awareness postcards to new neighborhoods.
Time campaigns strategically
Mail 500–1,000 postcards at least three times per year. Repetition builds familiarity and keeps you top of mind when customers are ready to book.
Track results and refine
Use QR codes, promo codes, or call tracking to measure ROI. Compare which offers and designs perform best, then double down on what works.
How to run a direct mail campaign with Housecall Pro Postcards
Direct mail marketing works best when it’s consistent, and with Housecall Pro Postcards inside Campaigns, running direct mail is easy. Create your design, choose your audience, and hit send—printing, mailing, and tracking are all handled for you. Here’s how to get started.
- Log in to Campaigns in your Housecall Pro dashboard.
- Choose a one-time or recurring campaign.
- Apply advanced filters like location, job type, lifetime value, or last service date.
- Use Write it for me to generate a polished message or write your own.
- Preview, approve, and send.
You can set up recurring campaigns that run in the background, keeping your business top of mind without adding to your workload. Plus, you can track responses with QR codes, promo codes, or call tracking to see exactly which postcards bring jobs back to your calendar.
Not using Housecall Pro yet? Start your free 14-day trial and see how Postcards makes direct mail simple to run, easy to track, and powerful for growing your home service business.
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