The economy has affected a lot of US households and people are looking for bargains everywhere they can. Some people order a pizza on Friday night instead of going out to their favorite restaurant while others have stopped eating out altogether to keep the family budget intact.
Since people are looking for bargains, now is a perfect opportunity for smart contractors to renew their direct marketing campaigns. Here are some tips for targeting the best times to push the button on your direct-mail drops.
Time of year
According to the Direct Marketing Association, the best months for direct-mail are February through May, and September. “OK” months are January, August and October. The absolute worst months for direct-mail are June and July.
Day of the week
Local mailings should get mailed out on Fridays, this generally gives enough time for the mail to be sorted and delivered on the best days of the week which or Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Seasonal promotions tied to holidays work great when mailing to consumers. Try to plan at the beginning of each year for specific mail drops tied to the corresponding holiday dates on the calendar.
If your budget is tight and you need to send bulk mail (which I don’t recommend) then make sure your timing your mail drop accordingly. In other words, add more time!
As I mentioned above consumers are looking for value now more than ever in the offers they receive via direct-mail. And a direct-mail campaign done right can pay for itself many times over. So make sure you create a solid offer with a strong call to action to move your reader into the sales funnel. See my recent article on direct mail to help create your next piece.
Photo Credit: Nieve44
2 responses to “Direct Mail For Contractors – When Should Your Mail Drop?”
While the worst months for direct mail in general is June and July, I do disagree with using that as the argument against mailing in those months.
Contractors best months are Summer months. Most remodeling projects will be sold then. I find that our busiest season for contractors is the Summer. Fall advertising really tapers off.
Travis,
1st of all I want to thank you for stopping by! While I also agree that Summer is when most remodeling jobs are done, I would bet you a donut that the decision to do a remodel is made long before the smell of Coppertone and hotdogs fills the air! That’s why home shows are in the Fall & Spring. Indoor jobs in Winter and outdoor gigs in the Summer.