"The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing."
With Direct Mail, timing is crucial. In fact, according to one expert, it accounts for 20% of the key criteria for a successful campaign. The best mailer sent out at the wrong time can be a total failure, and there are many different things that will determine the right time for your campaign. Some are obvious, others may surprise you.
So, for instance, if you're opening a new casino you know to send out launch invitations around a month before the opening date, ditto if you have a seasonal offer or if you're promoting a scheduled event, such as a special lottery draw.
It's the more subtle elements of timing that are often missed. For example, December is a bad time to send out your Christmas campaign as people are already focused on the big day. It's also likely to be buried in a sea of Christmas cards, or even lost altogether, so if you're promoting a Christmas casino bonus or Spain's Christmas El Gordo lottery, do it in November.
The trick is to think about dates that suit your business. Birthdays are always a really good time to send a special offer or bonus, especially for consumer-focused products such as lottery, bingo or themed casino games, while the myriad of special days we find in the calendar are also worth looking at. It's great to have a timely hook for your campaign so that people can relate to it and feel motivated.
Finally, and most importantly, take account of the postal service you're using. It's never an exact science, but if you want to hit people on a certain date, make sure you work closely with your mailing partners to maximise the likelihood that it will happen.
Secure Direct Mail is a division of Isle of Man Post Office which means customers using its services are able to gain instant access to national and international mailstreams and ensure mailings are dispatched quickly and efficiently.