The holiday season is a prime time for businesses around the world to reach out and boost sales, and Canada is no exception. As people become more active during this festive period, there is a strong opportunity to connect with customers through effective marketing campaigns.
Marketers are putting in extra effort to create impactful holiday greeting cards, personalized messages, and holiday deals that truly resonate with consumers.
However, as the USPS, Canada Post and other mailing services face pressure to manage the surge in mail volumes, it leaves many marketers worried about whether their carefully planned direct mail campaigns will be delivered on time.
The good news is, planning your holiday season direct mail campaign doesn’t have to be complicated. In this guide, we break down all the tips you need to plan a successful direct mail campaign across Canada this holiday season.
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What We’ll Cover:
- Why Direct Mail Matters for the Canadian Holiday Season
- 2024/2025 Holiday Season Direct Mail Holidays in Canada
- Factors Affecting Delivery: Weather, Volume, and Logistics
- Direct Mail Scheduling Tips for 2024
- Navigating Canada Post and Delivery Delays During the Holidays
- Maximizing Your Holiday Campaigns with Direct Mail Marketing in Canada
- Plan Ahead for a Successful Holiday Direct Mail Campaign
Why Direct Mail Matters for the Canadian Holiday Season
Holidays are a big deal in Canada, just like in many other parts of the world. As people get into the festive spirit, they become more open to messages that feel thoughtful and personal. Despite the flood of digital ads popping up on screens, direct mail remains a powerful way to connect with customers, especially during the holiday season.
Canada’s direct mail advertising industry has grown, now reaching an estimated $1.5 billion in 2024. Direct mail marketing has become even more valuable as companies look for ways to stand out and engage their customer base during the busy holiday season.
Why does direct mail have such an impact? It offers a more personal and memorable way to share greeting cards, special promotions, and brand stories.
For companies, this means that direct mail campaigns can leave a stronger, more lasting impression. Holiday postcards, flyers, or catalogs with a festive design can stay on someone’s kitchen counter or fridge, keeping the brand top of mind far longer than a digital ad, which may get scrolled past or closed quickly.
2024/2025 Holiday Season Direct Mail Holidays in Canada
For the 2024 and 2025 holiday seasons, keep in mind that the USPS and Canada Post will observe several federal holidays during which no mail or package deliveries will take place.
Accounting for these dates in your campaign schedule will help you avoid delays and ensure your holiday messages, promotions, and offers arrive when they’re most impactful.
For 2024:
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Day (National) | Wednesday, December 25 |
| Boxing Day (National) | Thursday, December 26 |
For 2025:
| Holiday | |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day (National) | Wednesday, January 1 |
| Good Friday (National) | Friday, April 18 |
| Easter Monday (National) | Monday, April 21 |
| Victoria Day (National) | Monday, May 19 |
| Canada Day (National) | Tuesday, July 1 |
| Labour Day (National) | Monday, September 1 |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (National) | Monday, September 30 |
| Thanksgiving Day (National) | Monday, October 13 |
| Remembrance Day (National) | Tuesday, November 11 |
| Christmas Day (National) | Thursday, December 25 |
| Boxing Day (National) | Friday, December 26 |
During these dates, USPS and Canada Post offices will be closed, and regular mail or package deliveries will not occur.
However, online USPS services remain accessible, allowing for label printing and certain package pickups.
Factors Affecting Delivery: Weather, Volume, and Logistics
The holiday season brings a unique set of challenges that can impact the delivery of your direct mail campaign. Weather conditions like snowstorms or freezing temperatures can significantly slow down mail delivery.
Additionally, the sheer volume of mail and packages during this period can lead to delays. Logistics, including staffing shortages and equipment malfunctions, can also play a role in affecting delivery times.
To ensure your direct mail reaches its destination on time, it’s crucial to plan ahead and take these factors into account when scheduling your campaign.
Direct Mail Scheduling Tips for 2024
Now that you know the holiday dates (be sure to mark them on your calendar!) and factors that could affect your delivery, here are some simple, tried-and-true tips to help you schedule your holiday season direct mail campaign effectively.
#1 Start Early
Begin strategizing your campaign well in advance. For Canada Post, mail volumes peak in December, and addressing supply chain issues early is crucial. Aim for mid-to-late November to ensure timely delivery for Christmas Day and Boxing Day promotions.
Using Postalytics’ advanced scheduling tools, you can plan and automate your mailings, avoiding last-minute rushes and keeping your holiday campaign on track.
#2 Choose Mailing Class Wisely
Prioritize using First Class mail for holiday greeting cards and other time-sensitive materials to guarantee on-time delivery. Standard Class can be more cost-effective for non-urgent mailers, such as general holiday deals or New Year’s promotions.
However, keep in mind that Standard Class mail may face delays during December due to high volumes at Canada Post offices.
#3 Plan for Buffer Time
Account for extra days beyond the estimated delivery dates, especially in areas known for harsh winter weather.
This precaution ensures that your holiday messages and promotions are delivered despite potential disruptions. A buffer is essential to keep your customer base engaged and happy.
#4 Test Early
Before your main rollout, send a test mailer to a few locations to check delivery times. This step can help identify any unexpected delays and optimize your strategy.
With Postalytics, you can track mail delivery and gather address data in real-time, allowing for accurate adjustments that will keep your campaign running smoothly. Testing early will help you connect more effectively with your customers and avoid common holiday season headaches.
Taking the time to plan and execute properly will give your business a clear advantage and keep your brand top of mind during the festive season.
See “When To Use First Class vs. Standard Mail”
Navigating Canada Post and Delivery Delays During the Holidays
Canada Post experiences its heaviest volumes in December. In addition, winter weather can affect transportation routes and delivery times. Here’s how to manage these delays:
- Monitor Canada Post’s Holiday Schedule: Canada Post shares a holiday schedule with deadlines for guaranteed delivery. Check these dates and plan your mailings to make sure they arrive on time.
- Consider Priority Mail Services: Although it’s a bit more expensive, priority mail is more reliable during busy holiday times.
- Send in Batches: Don’t send all your mail at once. Instead, send it in smaller batches over a few days to avoid delays in Canada Post’s system.
- Use Postalytics Tracking: A direct mail service like Postalytics allows you to monitor your mail’s delivery status using QR codes and pURLS and quickly adjust if any delays come up.
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Maximizing Your Holiday Campaigns with Direct Mail Marketing in Canada
A well-timed direct mail campaign can create memorable experiences for recipients, but it requires a strategic approach to achieve maximum impact. To get people’s attention and encourage them to take action, you can try limited-time promotions, exclusive discounts, or loyalty rewards.
To make your campaign even stronger, combine direct mail with digital marketing.
Direct mail can be a helpful reminder for customers and, when it includes personalized messages, becomes even more powerful.
For example, adding QR codes or personalized web links (pURLs) to mail pieces can lead customers online, making it easy for them to connect with your brand both offline and online. This creates a smoother and more engaging experience for customers.
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Plan Ahead for a Successful Holiday Direct Mail Campaign
Early and strategic planning is key to a successful holiday direct mail campaign, and direct mail services like Postalytics make creating, sending and tracking these campaigns as easy as email marketing.
If you’d like to speak with one of our experts about your holiday season direct mail delivery in Canada, we’d love to hear from you!
About the Author
Dennis Kelly
Dennis Kelly is CEO and co-founder of Postalytics, the leading direct mail automation platform for marketers to build, deploy and manage direct mail marketing campaigns. Postalytics is Dennis’ 6th startup. He has been involved in starting and growing early-stage technology ventures for over 30 years and has held senior management roles at a diverse set of large technology firms including Computer Associates, Palm Inc. and Achieve Healthcare Information Systems.