How Direct Mail Lead Generation Works for Contractors in Ontario

You have heard that direct mail works for contractors. But what does that actually mean? How do flyers end up in mailboxes, and how do those flyers turn into phone calls? This guide walks you through every step — from choosing your target neighbourhood to answering your first lead call.

Step 1 — Choose Your Trade and Target Neighbourhoods

Every successful direct mail campaign starts with targeting. You pick the neighbourhoods where your ideal customers live. A roofer targets streets with 20-year-old shingles. An HVAC contractor targets homes built before 2005. A landscaper targets new subdivisions where yards are bare dirt. We use Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail data to map every postal walk in the Niagara Region, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, and Mississauga. A postal walk is a carrier route — typically 300-500 homes. You choose the walks; we handle the rest.

Step 2 — We Design a Mailer That Sells

A pretty flyer is not enough. Your mailer needs to sell. Our design team builds every piece around a proven direct-response framework:

• Headline that calls out the homeowner's problem
• Offer that gives them a reason to call today (free estimate, seasonal discount, inspection)
• Trust signals — licensed, insured, years in business, local references
• One clear phone number in large type
• QR code linking to your quote page for digital-savvy homeowners

You approve a digital proof before anything goes to print. Most contractors are surprised by the quality — 14pt card stock, full-colour, UV coated on the front.

Step 3 — Professional Printing on Premium Stock

We print on 14pt card stock with UV coating. This is not flimsy newspaper-insert material. It feels substantial in the hand, and homeowners treat it differently — they keep it on the fridge, on the counter, in the junk drawer. When they need a contractor six weeks later, your name is the one they find. Print turnaround is 48 hours from design approval. No two-week waits. If you need to respond to a storm or seasonal rush, we move fast.

Step 4 — Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail Delivers to Every Door

We use Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail (formerly Unaddressed Admail) to deliver your mailer to every residential address on the postal walks you selected. This is not a flyer taped to a door handle. Your piece goes inside the mailbox, alongside the real mail. Why does that matter? Because mail that arrives in the mailbox is perceived as more legitimate. It gets opened. Canada Post reports an 81% open rate for Neighbourhood Mail — compared to 2-3% for email marketing. Delivery takes 3-5 business days after we hand the mailers to Canada Post. You receive a delivery receipt confirming your postal walks were covered.

Step 5 — Your Phone Rings

This is the part that matters. Within 7-10 days of delivery, most contractors start receiving calls. Average response rates for targeted contractor mailers:

• 250 doors (Test Strike): 2-7 calls
• 500 doors (Block Buster): 5-15 calls
• 1,000 doors (Street Sweeper): 10-25 calls
• 2,500 doors (Takeover): 25-60 calls

Every campaign includes a unique tracking phone number or QR code so you know exactly which calls came from the mailers. No guessing.

Step 6 — Close the Job and Calculate Your ROI

The average Ontario contractor closes 30% of qualified leads. That means a 500-door campaign generating 10 calls can produce 3 jobs. If your average job is $3,000, that is $9,000 in revenue from a $647 campaign — a 13.9x return on investment. And the mailer keeps working. Homeowners keep flyers for an average of 17 days. Some keep them for months. You will get calls from a single campaign for weeks after delivery.

The Psychology of Direct Mail — Why Physical Beats Digital

Direct mail works because of a principle called the endowment effect. When someone physically holds your flyer, they feel a sense of ownership. It is real. It has weight. Compare that to a Facebook ad that scrolls past in 1.7 seconds or a Google Ad that disappears when the budget runs out. Canada Post's own research shows that direct mail requires 21% less cognitive effort to process than digital ads. Homeowners understand it faster, remember it longer, and are more likely to act on it. For contractors, there is an additional trust factor. A professional mailer signals that you are an established business — not a pickup-truck-and-a-ladder operation. The homeowner sees quality printing, a real business name, and a local phone number. That builds confidence before they even pick up the phone.

Direct Mail Packages for Ontario Contractors

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources

• Direct Mail Lead Generation for Contractors in Ontario — Complete guide
• Direct Mail ROI Calculator for Contractors
• How Much Does Direct Mail Cost?
• Best Neighbourhoods to Target in Niagara
• When to Send Direct Mail
• Case Study: Roofer Got 12 Calls from 500 Doors
• View All Lead Generation Packages