Case Study
We created a fictitious business to show that our mailer drives leads
On June 14, 2026 we bought the domain HersheyFrenchDrain.com and built an SEO website highlighting how the company specializes in french drain installation, basement waterproofing, and yard drainage. Outside of creating the website, the only promotion we did was run an ad on our shared mailer to 8,215 homes in Hershey and Hummelstown.
The card
The mailer went out to 8,215 homes across Hershey and Hummelstown. Our french drain business was advertised on it like any other, and we reserved the plumbing space for ourselves. The mailer arrived in mailboxes the week of July 9.
The full Hershey and Hummelstown card, back. See where we mail. · Tap to flip
The kicker? Our ad prompted people to scan a QR code for a free guide on diagnosing water buildup in their basement or yard. We didn't include any direct-response push asking for calls. We even stated on the ad that no phone call was needed.
The call
About a week and a half later, on July 20, we got a call from a homeowner who left a voicemail. They said they saw our flyer and shared the details of their issue.
Here is the part we didn't expect. They didn't scan the QR code. They didn't go to the website or fill out the form the ad pointed them to. They read the phone number off the card and called it. No click to catch, no funnel, nothing digital in between. A card in a mailbox, and a phone that rang.
Another surprising finding? Look how small our phone number is on the ad. If someone is interested in contacting you, they'll move the mailer closer to their eyes to read your phone number and call you. The lesson: devote as much of your ad as possible to your core offer, not to your contact details, logo, or other elements unrelated to it.
Takeaways and Learnings about Direct Mail Performance
This is one call, from one card, to one homeowner. We can't promise the same happens for you, and we won't. We don't know whether a given week brings you one call or ten or none, and anyone who promises you a number is guessing.
What you are guaranteed is the exposure: your ad in every mailbox on the route, seen and re-seen for weeks. Without sharing the mailer with competitors. What comes of it depends on your offer and your business, and we build every part of the ad to give you the best shot. And you benefit from sharing the card with other reputable local businesses. Did this homeowner keep the mailer because of the water in their basement? Or was it the ice cream shop's BOGO, the coffee roaster's 15% off, the Cocoa Kitties pet adoption listing, or something else entirely? We don't know.
What we do know is that sharing the card with other advertisers gives it the best chance of floating around a home and staying top of mind for when the problem you solve arises.
Why it took a week and a half
The card didn't result in a phone call the day it arrived. It sat on a counter, or a fridge, or in a stack of mail, until the morning their basement took on water and they needed someone. You may not see results from direct mail the same way someone clicks on your ad on Google because they're searching for "water leaking in basement help near me". Our mailers float around homes because of the varied businesses on them. And when the need for your services arises, you have a much higher chance of capturing a lead than you would without advertising.
The same asset gets found online, too
The card is one side of it. The Hershey French Drain site also ranks #1 on Google when someone nearby searches for a french drain contractor. The card and that search result are the same asset, both built to get found. If you want help getting your own business to the top of Google, tell us below.
Where the lead went
We don't service basements ourselves. We handed the lead off to a reputable local company to make sure they were looked after.
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