With online ads becoming noisier, more expensive, and harder to trust, many trade business owners are rediscovering the power of physical, personalised marketing that actually gets noticed.
In Episode 481 of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt Jones sits down with Wilson Zehr, direct mail and marketing automation expert from Zairmail, to unpack why direct mail is making a serious comeback for tradies in 2026 and why relying on digital-only marketing may be hurting your conversions.
This episode is packed with real-world examples, practical frameworks, and clear do’s and don’ts for using direct mail alongside digital marketing to win more local jobs, improve follow-up, and stand out in crowded markets, so make sure to listen until the end!
Key Chapters:
00:00 – Teaser
02:43 – Meet Wilson Zehr: From Software Engineer to Strategic Marketing
06:17 – The Nike Success Story and Why *Shoe Dog* is a Must-Read
08:52 – From Surfboards to Zairmail (Mail as Fast as Email)
12:26 – The “Junk Mail” Flip: Why Direct Mail Breaks the Digital Noise
15:04 – Marketing as a Mechanic (Direct Mail & Digital)
17:42 – Building Communication into the American Routine
20:30 – The 70/20/10 Rule (The Ultimate Direct Response Formula)
24:43 – Segmenting Voters for Overwhelming Success
27:32 – Proximity Mail: The Best Way for Home Service Businesses to Target Geographically
30:40 – Case Study or Offer, How Real Estate Agents Use Mail?
33:41 – Avoid the Shotgun Approach (Hyper-Personalization is Key)
36:25 – Why You Need to Be Remembered Before Disaster Strikes
39:34 – The Power of Fridge Magnets and Referral Stickers
43:56 – Scaling Past Word-of-Mouth
47:37 – Why Monthly Newsletters Beat Unreliable Email Deliverability
50:23 – Nurturing Leads with Email, SMS, and Direct Mail
53:24 – Direct Mail Best Practices
56:24 – Keep Messages Short and Drive Traffic to Video
1:00:33 – Your Website is Your Credibility
📲 Watch the video version! https://youtu.be/03B4nwRFBLM
CONNECT WITH WILSON ZEHR
Website: https://www.zairmail.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilsonzehr/
Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/wilson.zehr
Facebook (Business): https://www.facebook.com/Zairmail/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonzehr
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TradiewebguysAus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
