"Drains, water heaters, leaks, remodels, 24/7!" Every plumber says the same thing, and the card goes in the recycling.
Plumbing play · Postcards
Plumbing postcards that tell you which homeowners are ready to call.
Most plumbing postcards are a cartoon plumber, a list of services, and a coupon. Spur writes a card for each home that names its age and the plumbing it likely has, prints it, mails it USPS first-class, and alerts your office the moment someone scans the QR code.
Free forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
USPSFirst-Class
Daniel Okafor8306 Ridgeline BlvdAustin, TX 78750Scan to book your check
Daniel O. scanned your plumbing postcard · 10 min ago
AI-written for this owner · Mailed in 2 days
1 cardper home, written for its age and likely plumbing
QR per houseso every scan has a name and address
2 daysfrom approval to USPS first-class
The problem
Most plumbing postcards say nothing about the house they land at.
A 2021 build gets the same water heater pitch as a 1955 home with galvanized pipe. Half the message misses.
When the phone rings, nobody knows which card, street, or offer did it.
How it works
From list to mailbox in one workflow.
Five steps from a blank card to a booked service call.
app.usespur.com
See it in Spur
Who gets which plumbing postcard
A sample northwest Austin list split by build year, so each home gets the right offer. Names are partly masked.
Zip 78750Single-familyOwner-occupiedBuilt 1980–2012Not a customer
- Daniel O.8306 Ridgeline Blvd2,410 sq ft · built 1998Plumbing check cardOwned 19 yrs
- Holly & Ben R.10712 Pinehurst Dr2,980 sq ft · built 1986Polybutylene eraRepipe card
- Arjun S.9205 Spicewood Pkwy2,150 sq ft · built 2010Water heater cardOwned 12 yrs
- Connie M.8811 Mesa Dr2,640 sq ft · built 1991Polybutylene eraOwned 28 yrs
- Will T.10304 Oak View Dr2,290 sq ft · built 2006Water heater cardOwned 15 yrs
AI draft for Daniel O. · 8306 Ridgeline Blvd
YOUR 1998 HOME'S PLUMBING IS 26 YEARS OLD.
Hi Daniel, homes on Ridgeline Boulevard were built in 1998. At this age, the parts that usually wear out are the water heater, the supply lines to sinks and toilets, and the shutoff valves nobody has turned in years.
Our $89 whole-home check covers all of it: water pressure, the water heater, every supply line and shutoff, and a leak test. You'll get a written list of what needs attention now and what can wait.
Scan the code to pick a time.
Hill Country Plumbing · TX RMP #41820 · (512) 555-0193
Sample data for illustration. Your results depend on your market and filters.
Playbook
What makes a plumbing postcard work
Plumbing is an emergency trade, so most plumbing marketing tries to be remembered for the day something breaks: a phone number on a magnet, a list of services, "24/7." That works for some calls, but it's hard to stand out when every plumber says the same thing. The postcards that get read talk about the homeowner's house: its age, the plumbing it was built with, and what tends to wear out at that age.
Build year tells you a lot. Homes built from roughly 1978 to 1995 may have polybutylene supply lines. Homes built before about 1960 often have galvanized steel. Homes 10 to 15 years old are likely on their original water heater. Homes 20 to 30 years old are due for supply lines, shutoff valves, and fixtures. Each era gets a different card and a different offer.
Lead with one offer that matches the home. A whole-home plumbing check is a strong, low-cost offer for most homes: it puts a plumber inside, finds real problems, and often leads to a water heater, fixture, or repipe job. EPA WaterSense estimates that household leaks can waste nearly 10,000 gallons of water a year in an average home, and about 10% of homes have leaks wasting 90 gallons or more a day, which gives a check-up offer a concrete reason.
Keep the design clean. On the front, a headline about their home. On the back, your license number, one line of proof, the offer, and a QR code with a clear action. A household QR code tells you exactly who's interested, so you can call back the same day.
Plan the second card before the first one mails. Send a follow-up three to four weeks later to homes that didn't scan, with a new headline. Most responses come from repeat exposure, and plumbing problems don't wait for your schedule.
10×return on a year of postcards and software from one month of booked checks
A handful of plumbing jobs pays for a year of postcards.
- Spur Team: $588/yr, plus 1,000 postcards at $0.94 = $940
- 20 whole-home checks at $89 = $1,780, leading to 3 water heaters at $2,200 and 1 repipe at $7,000 = $15,380
- $15,380 from $1,528 of software and postage = about 10×
Example math. Your ticket size, response rate, and close rate will vary. Run your own numbers →
One tool, not four
Spur vs. the usual plumbing postcard workflow
What you needThe usual waySpur
Card copy for each homeOne template for everyone✓ Built in
DesignCanva or a print-shop designer✓ Built in
Mailing listEDDM carrier routes or a list broker✓ Built in
Printing and postagePrint shop with minimum orders✓ Built in
Knowing who read itWaiting for the phone to ring✓ Built in
Second card to non-respondersRebuilding the order by hand✓ Built in
Postcards by the numbers
Why a plumbing check-up is an easy yes
~10,000 gal
of water a year can be wasted by household leaks in an average home
1 in 10
homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day
10×
return on a year of postcards and software from one month of booked checks
FAQ
Plumbing postcard questions
What should a plumbing postcard say?
One headline about the homeowner's house and its age, one offer matched to that age, your license number, one line of proof, and a QR code with a clear action. Avoid long lists of services.
What offer works best on plumbing postcards?
A low-cost whole-home plumbing check works for most homes. For specific eras, use a water heater check, a repipe inspection, or a sewer camera inspection.
How many plumbing postcards should I send?
Enough to reach each target home at least twice. A focused list of 500 to 1,500 owner-occupied homes usually beats thousands of saturation cards.
Are plumbing postcards better than magnets?
Magnets help with emergency recall. Postcards with a household QR code start conversations now and tell you who's interested, which magnets can't.
Can I use my own plumbing postcard design?
Yes. Upload your design or start from a Spur template, then let AI fill in the per-home headline and body. Your logo, colors, and license number stay the same on every card.
Keep exploring
Related plays and guides
Start in minutes. No card required.
Send a plumbing postcard each homeowner can tell was written for them.
Pick your zips, choose an offer, and mail your first plumbing postcard this week. Free to start.
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