How To Execute The Perfect Direct Mail Marketing Holiday Campaign - 2024

The holidays are a season of letters. There are missives to Santa and Christmas cards from loved ones. Not to mention all the packages that arrive during this time.

Yes, it’s safe to say that more people are paying attention to their mailboxes during the holidays than any other season.

That makes it the perfect time to also capture customers’ attention with direct mail marketing campaigns. Especially since it’s a more lasting and less escapable form of advertisement than a 30-second TV commercial.

A well-executed direct mail marketing campaign can significantly boost your holiday sales and brand awareness.

Here's how to create the perfect direct mail marketing holiday campaign for 2024, with insights from an experienced direct mail marketing company.

Start Early: Planning Your Timeline

The 2024 holiday shopping season is shorter than usual, making early planning for all types of advertising crucial. There are five fewer days this year between Black Friday and Christmas than last.

As a direct mail marketing company, we recommend starting your campaign preparations now. Preferably, you would have already started planning before October, but for those who have not had the ability to begin, now is the next best time.

This allows ample time for strategy development, design, printing, and mailing. Here’s a timeline of what you should be doing each month of the holiday shopping season.

• October: Finalize campaign strategy and begin design process. Begin awareness campaigns so you are on your customers’ minds heading into the thick of the holiday shopping season.
• Early November: Launch initial holiday-themed direct mail pieces
• Late November: Ramp up frequency for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
• December: Focus on last-minute shoppers and post-holiday sales

Understanding The Holiday Shopper Mindset

Throughout the holiday season, customers cycle through different shopping mindsets. Digital marketing giant Google has helpfully defined these phases and outlined strategies businesses can employ during this time

1. Deliberating Stage (September-October): Customers are planning purchases. Send informative catalogs and product guides.
2. Deal-Seeking Stage  (November): Highlight special offers and promotions.
3. Determined Stage (December): Emphasize convenience and last-minute gift ideas.
4. Devoted Stage (January): Focus on post-holiday sales and loyalty programs.

Despite an economy that has had its ups and downs lately, the majority of customers are still feeling optimistic heading into the 2024 holiday season. However, more than half are also saying they plan to spend less this year than last year.

This means offering strategic deals could be more important this year.

The Holiday Catalog

One of the most special-to-the-season ways to market during the holiday is with a catalog.

Some customers look forward to these glossy booklets every year and have come to expect them from their favorite brands.

If you are interested in starting your own catalog or if you are in charge of this year’s product, here are some things to keep in mind:

Design Time

Allow at least 4-6 weeks for design and revisions. A catalog is a significant undertaking and it requires time to put together.

Printing Options: 

You’ll have to decide what type of paper you want your catalog to be printed on. 

A glossy look will mimic the quality of magazines, raising your chances for earning a coveted spot on your customers’ coffee table. But a matte look with high quality paper can be a cheaper and even more modern looking choice. 

The weight of your paper matters, too, with a heavier stock typically costing more.

Binding Choices

The way you join together your catalog matters, as well. The three most common types of binding for a catalog are: Scored & Folded, Saddle Stitching, and Perfect Binding. 

Scored & Folded binding involves creating a crease in the paper to allow for easy folding. Scored and folded pieces are lightweight, cost-effective and quick to produce. However, they're limited in page count and may not convey the same premium feel as other binding methods

Saddle stitching involves folding sheets of paper and stapling them along the fold line. This method is also quick to put together and it can accommodate more pages than scored & folded binding.

Perfect Binding offers a more professional, book-like appearance, ideal for high-end holiday catalogs or annual reports. This method involves gluing the pages and cover together at the spine, creating a flat edge. 

Perfect bound materials have a sleek, upscale look and can accommodate a higher page count. They're durable and allow for printing on the spine, which can be advantageous for shelf display.

However, they're typically more expensive and time-consuming to produce than the other methods, which may impact your campaign timeline and budget.

Mailing Date

Catalogs are a lot of work, so you’re going to have to ensure they are in your customers’ hands before they have completed the majority of their Christmas shopping. Aim to have catalogs in homes by early November. 

Holiday Direct Mail Marketing For Charitable Organizations 

For nonprofits, the holiday season presents a crucial opportunity for fundraising. In fact, around 34% of all charitable giving occurs during the final three months of the year.

Here's how to leverage direct mail for charitable campaigns:

1. Emotional Storytelling: Use direct mail to share impactful stories of your organization's work.
2. Targeting: Send mail to previous donors and target specific neighborhoods and zip codes with your direct mail marketing efforts.
3. Personalization: Address recipients by name and in a letter format to speak to them more directly.
4. Donor Appreciation: Include personalized thank-you notes in your direct mail strategy.

Beginning Your Holiday Campaign

Now that you know all the complexities behind a holiday direct mail marketing campaign, it’s time to start crafting your own. 

If you need any help, we recommend contacting a direct mail marketing company like us who has years of experience executing these types of campaigns. 

Think of these companies as the Santa of direct mail marketing: They have the workshop, workforce, and years of experience that can make putting together a campaign quick and easy.