As firms fine-tune their direct mail strategies for the coming year, a recent study indicates that key direct mail months and overall mailing patterns are holding steady—despite ongoing uncertainty about the economy, unemployment and ever-changing levels of consumer confidence.
In September, Paradysz Research released its 2011 Seasonality Study of direct mail trends. And while marketing and direct mail strategies remain focused on historically strong months, the report shows that opportunities exist for expansion or alternate seasonal testing in virtually all consumer categories.
The Seasonality Study—which focused on when mailings happen, when consumers subscribe, contribute or purchase, and opportunities to increase mail volume—covers activities over a three-year period in consumer publishing, non-profits, apparel and merchandise. Here’s a snapshot of the study’s findings:
Non-profits
January and the fall continue to be key months for non-profit acquisition mailings. Best performing months: September and November.
Publishing
Publishers maintain a focus on January, September and December (with March and June close behind). Performance indicators suggest this seasonal strategy yielded the best results.
Apparel and Merchandise
Mail in the Apparel category stays heavy in advance of the Spring fashion season, with the best performance reported in spring and early summer. For merchandisers, the bulk of their mailings remain focused on the year-end holidays, with November continuing to be among the strongest months for merchandise mailers. There’s also a growing trend of marketers mailing as late as possible in the year—late November and early December.
We can help you design the best strategy and the best timing for your next direct mail campaign. To learn more, call us at 800-342-8636.
(Our thanks to Print in the Mix for alerting us to the Paradysz Research study.)
