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Direct Mail Marketing Beginner’s Guide, Part 10: Timing is Everything

By: Andrew Glover
April 20, 2020

Timing is everything in a direct mail marketing campaign. Running your organization involves many moving parts. Planning perfectly timed direct mail may not rank as a high priority on your list, but timing is one of the simplest and most important aspects of any marketing campaign. Sending time-sensitive mailers too late can reduce your response rates. You are well on your way to maximizing your direct mail success if you get the timing right.

Here are a few ways you can ensure your direct mail hits mailboxes at the right time for maximum effect.

Anticipate Your Busy Seasons

You most likely know when your busy times are, but you may not know that you should send mail to your prospects way before your busy season starts. Sending direct mail in advance helps you avoid last-minute marketing when you are very busy. There is a bonus to reaching prospects before other organizations send out their mailers.

Effectively timing your mailers is easy. If you get busy around the summertime, ramp up your marketing efforts during the winter or spring. Or, if your organization’s busy time is around the winter, send your prospects mail during the summer or fall. Adding a seasonal touch to your mailer will help grab your reader’s attention. Seasonal styles and messaging are eye-catching and can make any mailer more attractive and intriguing.

Short Term Campaign Options

Depending on the goals of your campaign, a short-term campaign may be best. Short term campaigns usually span 3 months, up to a year, and you use them when encouraging a promotion, a new service, or a special event. A short-term campaign is a great option when you are focusing on timing because you have a set plan for a year. You can build your timetable around the specified offer or event and keep the focus and frequency consistent.

Send Time-Sensitive Mail Immediately

Timing is critical when you offer timed promotions, coupons with expiration dates, or when you use other time-sensitive content in your advertisements.

Promotions and Coupons

Getting coupons to your prospects and members before a sale ends may seem obvious, but delays in the direct mail process and other possible unforeseen issues can place you behind schedule. Send your mail well in advance to give your recipients time to think about your offer and determine when they can use it. You can also avoid timing issues by using the term “Limited Time Offer” instead of implementing a firm expiration date.

Time-Sensitive Content

A great way to stay at the top of your members’ minds is by including useful information in your direct mail pieces. For your pieces to remain valuable and to increase the likelihood of your prospects holding onto the mailer, you should send your mail as soon as the information is available. This ensures you are providing topical, relevant, and timely information before other organizations share similar details.

The Best Days to Deliver Mail

You should consider the best day of the week when timing your direct mail. The best days of delivering mail vary per industry, but the general rule is that the three best days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Days in the middle of the week provide you with the best opportunity to get your direct mail into the hands of your targeted audience.

Most of your members or prospects make checking and sorting the mail part of their evening routine. You also don’t have the potential distraction of someone having a “case of the Mondays” or dreaming of the weekend working against you.

Planning Your Timing with Valtim

When you stay one step ahead of your competition and your members’ schedules, you’ll more easily eke out a winning strategy. You need to work closely with your direct mail provider to minimize potential issues that can derail the marketing process.

Valtim is a trustworthy direct mail company that will let you know how long it will take for you to build and mail a campaign. We understand that timing is everything. We will help make sure your campaign reaches all your prospects and members during the best time.

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