Seasonality Of Direct Mail
Have you ever thought about how the time of year affects your Direct Mail campaigns? Seasonality is an important consideration in your Direct Mail..
Summer barely ends and suddenly the shops are full of tinsel and everyone's panic-buying presents. For businesses, seasonal marketing is not optional anymore, its essential. And here is the thing about direct mail that nobody talks about enough: it really works!
Everyone is supposed to be all-in on digital these days. But think about the average letterbox for a second. Between the bills and the takeaway menus, when something genuinely interesting shows up, people notice it. They hold it. They read it. Try getting that kind of attention from a Facebook banner ad.
Why direct mail still hits different
It cuts through the digital noise
We are all drowning in digital. Every app wants attention, every website's got pop-ups, inboxes are overflowing. Physical mail does not have to fight for space on screens because it is already in people's hands. Even if someone only glances at it for three seconds, that's three seconds of proper focus. When did anyone last give a social ad that much time?
Timing matters more than you think
Send the right message at the wrong time and it’s wasted. But get the perfect timing? That is when the magic happens. The Data & Marketing Association found that direct mail gets about a 9% response rate on average, and seasonal campaigns often do even better. Why? Because people are already thinking about buying. Brands are not interrupting them, they're meeting them where they already are.
There's research from MarketReach showing that 73% of people actually prefer getting promotional mail over digital messages, especially when they're already overwhelmed online.
It speaks to how people actually feel
Christmas shoppers are not just buying stuff, they're feeling generous. New Year people want fresh starts. Parents before school term? They are in planning mode. Direct mail lets brands match those moods instead of shouting the same message at everyone.
How to make this happen
Do not leave it till the last minute
The campaigns that work start 8–12 weeks ahead of time. That gives businesses room to sort out their mailing lists, get the design right, test campaigns, and make sure everything lands when it should.
Lean into the season (but don't overdo it)
Every season has a feeling to it. Winter's cosy, spring feels optimistic, summer is all about fun, autumn makes people nostalgic. But there is no need for snowflakes covering every centimetre of a postcard. A few well-chosen colours and a bit of seasonal imagery is usually enough. Keep the focus on what's actually being offered.
Match the offer to the moment
Christmas and Mother's Day? People want bundles, gift wrapping, something that feels special. Black Friday and back-to-school? Offer a good clear percentage or dollar savings, BOGO offers that drive volume. Valentine's and Father's Day work better with personal, emotional angles. It’s just about paying attention to what people actually want at different times of year.
Getting it to the right people
Even brilliant creative is useless if it goes to the wrong address.
Think about who is most likely to care. Families notice school and holiday campaigns. Younger people pay attention around Valentine's and Halloween. Health and family messaging tends to land better with older audiences.
Geography matters too. Up north, winter hits earlier. Down south, summer promotions can stretch longer. City people shop differently to rural people.
And if there's data on past purchases, use it. Someone who bought last Christmas? They're gold. Send them something exclusive. People who buy garden stuff every spring? Reach out when the weather turns.
Stannp.com’s platform makes all this segmentation stuff pretty straightforward for businesses just getting started: Register here (UK) or register here (US/Canada).
Checking if it's actually working
Businesses need to know what's landing and what's not. Keep an eye on:
- Response rate (around 9% is good)
- How many responses turn into actual sales
- How much people are spending (usually goes up during seasonal campaigns)
- What it's costing to get each new customer
Add in some promo codes or QR codes so that campaigns can be tracked properly. Then when planning next year's campaigns, it's clear what worked and what didn’t.
Christmas: The big one
Christmas is where most businesses make or break their year. It’s also when everyone else is shouting for attention, so planning is essential.
Try hitting different types of shoppers at various times:
- Mid-November: Give early planners something exclusive.
- Mid-December: Last-minute people need gift cards and fast delivery options.
- Early January: Send a thank you and a New Year offer to keep things going.
This way businesses are not just blasting everyone at once and hoping for the best.
Where Stannp.com fits in
All this theory is great, but actually doing it can be a headache. That’s where Stannp.com comes in. Businesses can design campaigns, target specific groups, personalise the messages, and track how everything performs. All in one place.
Whether trying to catch early Christmas shoppers, last-minute buyers, or people in the post-holiday lull, Stannp.com helps send the right thing to the right people at the right time without losing anyone's mind over the logistics.
Ready to give it a go? Register now and see what a proper seasonal campaign can do. Make every season count!
US/Canada: register here (US/Canada).
