With the holiday season almost upon us, you still have time to run an effective Christmas direct mail campaign. Here are five campaign ideas you can execute quickly, with practical tips for each.
Target your existing customers with exclusive early access to Christmas deals. This works well because it rewards loyalty and creates urgency before the main holiday rush starts.
Send a postcard or letter announcing exclusive early pricing or first access to limited stock. Include a specific deadline, such as "Offer ends 1 December".
Create a selection of your products or services positioned as gift solutions for different recipient types, such as "For him", "For the home", etc.
Try an A3 folded to A5 (UK) or a 17x11 self-mailer (US/Canada) showcasing 8-12 gift ideas with clear product images, prices, and a simple way to order, whether that's a QR code, website URL, or phone number. The folded format gives you enough space to organise products by category while still fitting through a letterbox.
Promote gift cards, vouchers, or digital delivery options for people who've left shopping until December and have run out of time or ideas.
A simple, bold postcard with a clear headline like "Stuck for gift ideas? Sorted in 5 minutes" or "The gift they'll actually want" would work well. Focus on convenience and instant delivery.
Send a holiday thank you to existing customers with a preview of what's coming in January, such as new products, services, or a New Year sale.
Try a personalised letter thanking them for their support this year. Include a sneak peek or early notice about January offerings with an incentive to return, for example: "20% off any January order with code THANKYOU20". The letter format works well here because it can feel more personal than a postcard.
Target customers within a specific radius of your physical location with Christmas offers designed to get them through the door. This works particularly well for retailers, restaurants, gyms, salons, or any service business that needs local customers.
Use a postcard or letter with a location-specific offer that requires them to visit. For example: "£10 off any purchase over £50 for [area] residents", "Free gift with any Christmas booking at our [location] store", or "Show this mailer for 20% off. Valid at [address] only".
During Christmas, when time is tight, proximity matters even more. Targeting by radius means you're only paying to reach people who can actually become customers.
Postcards work well for simple, bold messages like gift cards or single offers. They're cost-effective and get read immediately.
Letters suit more personal communication like thank you messages or detailed offers where you need more space to explain value.
Self-mailers/greetings cards grab attention and feel more premium. Good for exclusive offers or VIP customer communications.
A3 folded to A5 gives you room for multiple products or complex information like gift guides, while still being easy to handle and read.
Add unique promo codes, QR codes, or dedicated phone numbers to each campaign so you know what worked. This will help you shape and plan your next campaigns.
If you have time, send a small test batch to part of your list before committing to the full campaign. Even 100-200 pieces can show you if your offer and design are landing.
Don't send the same message to everyone. Past customers get different offers than cold prospects, high-value customers deserve exclusive treatment, and geographic relevance matters for local businesses.
It's all about reaching the right people with a relevant offer at the right time. Pick one of these ideas, adapt it to your business, and get it booked this week.