Have you thought of sending a direct mail campaign this holiday season?

Pumpkins have been replaced by Christmas trees, white string lights have taken the place of Halloween decorations, and the smell of peppermint is in the air. It’s official: The holiday season has begun! 

Despite the holiday cheer, this season is looking different from years past. As the pandemic surges on, businesses are looking for ways to compete and stay top of mind amongst customers.

One way you can capture consumers’ attention is with a well-done holiday direct mail campaign. Direct marketing campaigns can provide many solutions to help your business leave a mark. Plus, you can choose the strategies and materials that work best for your marketing goals. The earlier you get your message out, the better.

So, let’s take a look at why and how you can use direct mail to enhance your marketing campaigns this holiday season.

Why Should You Use Direct Mail During the Holidays?

As your competitors are probably taking more obvious marketing routes this season, direct mail is a unique way to reach customers. With email and digital marketing as an easy focus for most businesses, direct mail will help you cut through the messaging clutter.

I don’t know about you, but during the holidays, my inbox is flooded with deals, offers, and sales reminders. Some great, many annoying. A physical, personalized piece of direct mail, on the other hand, is the perfect way to reach consumers. You won’t annoy your audience, and the odds of your message being read is much higher. In fact, according to a survey done by Epsilon, 77 percent of consumers look through their mail right away. Those are great odds of having your potential customers get your message, read it, and act on it.

Holiday Campaigns Are Perfect for Non-Profits

Not only do direct mail campaigns help businesses with their marketing, they are also great for non-profits to garner donations.

The holidays are a time of giving, and people are often looking for ways to give to their local community during this time. Be top of mind among the generous by sending an impactful mailing!

Plus, there are many different options for how you do your mailing, depending on your goals. 

Here are 5 ideas to consider for your holiday direct mail campaign:

1. Use Your House Lists for a Campaign

It may sound like a no-brainer, but sending holiday mail to your current customers and clients will increase the ROI of your mailing.

Your house list is a list of all the customers that have purchased from you and all the clients you have worked with. It is always a great idea to send a mailing to new prospects to build your customer list. However, a customer that is familiar with your work – and has had a positive experience with your brand – is much more likely to purchase from you again.

Trust is a huge incentive for buying, especially during the holiday season. When there are so many options vying for customers’ attention, sending a reminder that is tangible and personalized will make your brand stand out in their minds.

Remind your customers that your products or services are available with a holiday direct mail offering. Odds are you’ll get a much higher response rate, and get a solid return on your investment.

2. Reward Your Loyal Customers & Clients

Show genuine customer appreciation during this holiday season. 

People go where they are appreciated, so why not go the extra mile and offer a special reward to your most loyal customers. It’s a much better investment than trying to source new customers in the middle of the busiest time of the year. 

You can reward your customers and clients however you want. It can be as simple a gesture as offering a 10% discount on their order, to as personalized as sending a customized promo gift. At South City Print, we send our top 50 clients a special holiday gift such as cookies or chocolate!

You can send your offer via a postcard mailing with the option of coming in-store, or provide a QR code so customers can order online. 

Especially with the difficult year that 2020 has been, offering a touch of gratitude is a great way to build an even better customer relationship. With direct mail, you can get as personalized as you want! Add the customer’s name, as well as mention of past purchases or services.

3. Make It Easy to Purchase

This holiday season, many people are going to forgo shopping in-person due to safety precautions. Direct mail pieces are appealing to consumers because they are tactile, creating a multi-sensory experience. By offering a tangible communication, you’re adding another “touch” with your customers, leading them to purchase. 

Nowadays, consumers expect to have a seamless shopping experience. A big part of that is the expectation of an omnichannel experience. As I mentioned, you can make your direct mail pieces as user-friendly as possible by adding a QR code, so consumers can go directly to your website or landing page to browse or act on an offer.

4. Enhance Your Direct Mail Campaign’s Success with South City Print’s Omni-Channel Solution

If you’re looking to really pack a punch with your holiday direct mail campaign, consider integrating your mailing with digital follow-up. Direct Mail MAX by South City Print is a marketing solution that seamlessly integrates your direct mail campaign with digital technologies.

How it works:

Instead of just a traditional mailing, Direct Mail MAX combines your direct mail campaign with seven digital technologies to create an omni-channel direct marketing campaign. Linked with digital advertising, Direct Mail MAX helps you increase your ROI by reaching your target audience on multiple channels simultaneously. And, you can track your results with an online dashboard!  

Your mail pieces will be mailed to your target prospects. Then, your campaign reaches those prospects simultaneously via Google and social media ads. Plus, we’ll track the engagement along the way – including those who visit your website.

Most sales are made between the 8th and 12th impression, so this program is a great solution for promoting your holiday sale events by creating as many “touches” as possible. Check out Direct Mail MAX.

5. Send A Thanksgiving Card or Personal Holiday Card to Really Make an Impact

Sending a personal card to celebrate the time of thanksgiving is another great way to show gratitude for your clients, customers and even employees – without any expectations. 

Thanksgiving is not a key buying holiday, but it is a day leading to big sales days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. By sending a low-stakes, personal Thanksgiving card to your customers or prospects, they’ll see you as genuine. Plus, it’s the perfect opportunity to set up your upcoming marketing messaging leading to the Christmas season. 

Thank your customers with a personalized mailing this Thanksgiving. If Thanksgiving doesn’t work for your timing, then sending a branded Holiday Card at the start of the season- with no offers or gimmicks – is also a great way to kick off the Holiday season.

Your Best Holiday Direct Mail Marketing Campaign Strategy

How you market this holiday season is ultimately up to you and your marketing goals. However, using these tips for your holiday season marketing will help you stand out amongst your customers in ways your competitors are not. You’ll be more memorable, and your customers will appreciate your attention to detail and dedication to connecting during the holidays. 

Be at the forefront of your customers’ minds this holiday season. I advise you to send as early and as often as possible!

We are here to help. If you’re looking for custom designed holiday cards for your organization, we can help with that. With minimal direction, our team of designers can craft the perfect card for your use. 

Or, we also offer a large variety of pre-designed holiday cards that you can explore via our Digital Catalog!

Whether you are familiar with direct mail campaigns, or new to the game, our team will help you create the perfect holiday campaign so you can be successful this season.