Project Description

The holiday season is an exciting time of festivities, food, and friends for many. For marketers and small business owners, the approaching holiday season means it’s crunch time. Before you take off for a well-deserved vacation, think about using direct mail marketing as part of a successful, comprehensive, omnichannel marketing campaign.

With many marketers focused on reaching their audience via email, paid online advertising, and social media, it’s tempting to avoid the “hassle” of direct mail. After all, sending digital communication is much quicker (and often less costly) than direct mail.

However, digital isn’t always the way to go. Particularly around the holidays, when customers pay more attention to their mail than they do all year, a direct mail marketing campaign can give your brand the edge it needs to motivate customers to take action.

The fact is direct mail can be powerful. According to the United States Postal Service, approximately 3 out of 4 direct mail customers receive and open their mail the same day it’s delivered. Add to this statistic the anticipation associated with holiday greeting cards or gifts and your direct mail campaign reaches customers at a sweet spot of high open rates.

How do you simultaneously craft an eye-catching direct mail marketing campaign and rise above your customers’ junk mail? The truth is there is no secret, but there are a few things you can do to increase engagement with your direct mail marketing campaign and avoid the waste bin this holiday season.

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  • 1. Use Direct Mail Postcards

    Customers are bombarded with catalogs during the holiday season. Cut the fluff and focus on a single marketing message using direct mail postcards instead. Enlist the help of your creative team to make postcards personal and festive. Also, don’t opt for pre-printed text if possible. A personalized note of gratitude goes a long way.

  • 2. Add Texture to Direct Mail

    Want to stand out from the rest of the mail? Give your customers a reason to pay attention by adding texture to your card or postcard. A simple raised design is enough to trigger curiosity when sorting through otherwise flat pieces of paper. Want to be extra fancy? Use contrasting colors and texture, like a velveteen snowflake on a blue background, to set your direct mail marketing materials apart from the crowd.

  • 3. Use House Lists to Improve Direct Mail Marketing Results

    If your brand specializes in services specific to a particular location or type of homeowner/renter, the use of house lists can greatly improve your response rate while keeping costs down. Using lists to build your direct mail campaign means you can drill down your options to include only the most likely to respond to your marketing materials.

  • 4. Make It Memorable

    Much more than visual stimuli, taste and smell are tied closely to memory. The holiday season is a great time to include a treat, such as a small candy, a pack of spices or scratch and sniff sticker in your direct mail materials. Be sure to consider potential allergies or dietary restrictions. Any food or spices should be entirely contained within a protective package and clearly labeled.

  • 5. Don’t Forget the New Year

    Are the holidays not the best time for your brand’s messaging? Don’t forget the New Year when crafting your direct mail campaign. Most people take a vacation through the New Year and count on post-holiday sales to purchase home goods, late holiday gifts and New Year essentials.

  • 6. Combine Direct Mail Marketing with a Social Media Campaign

    Running a social media campaign for the holidays? Giving out some great prizes and want to reach your audience further? Make sure current and prospective customers know about it by using direct mail to increase reach. Statistics show that direct mail achieves higher open rates than any other digital channel.

  • 7. Mesh Direct Mail and Email to Increase Response Rates

    Direct mail campaigns targeting 5,000 people achieve 175 responses compared to email’s 65 responses. When you use both direct mail and email to reach a target market during the holidays, a time when people are already paying more attention to their mail, you can expect to experience better response rates.

The Key to Successful Holiday Direct Mail Campaigns

When you have the right direct mail provider in your corner, launching a successful direct mail campaign during the holidays is simple, cost-effective and a powerful way to boost business. Partner with a direct mail marketing specialist who understands your mission, audience and desired outcomes to achieve positive results.

Direct mail marketing is a great way to improve brand awareness, nurture leads and encourage existing customers to re-engage with your brand. As the last quarter approaches and the holiday marketing season is upon us, what strategies will your brand implement to capture new leads and retain current customers via direct mail?