Back-to-School Is Here. Keep Your Direct Mail Simple and Local

Well summer is officially ending, now that pumpkin spice coffee is on the shelves at my local Acme supermarket. It’s also back-to-school season, which provides a great opportunity to reach customers with direct mail.

Back-to-school shopping is one of the biggest retail seasons of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, families with K-12 students are expected to spend nearly $39 billion this season, averaging about $875 per household. More than half of shoppers have already started buying, but I’d bet most still have plenty left on their lists. Besides, are you ever really done?

Many of the big national retailers, drugstores, supermarkets, and supermarkets will be in the mail soon, if they’re not already, with offers that at least make a passing school reference to grab the attention of shoppers.

If you have clients who are local or regional businesses, there are lots of ways to remind customers that they're close by.

A simple postcard or a shared mailer like Valpak or Clipper are two examples. Parents are already driving around town dropping kids off for sports, music lessons, doctor appointments, and shopping for school supplies. Give them one more reason to stop at your business while they're already out.

For them, back-to-school means a lot of things. Routines, early mornings, late nights, busy weekends, and deadlines. Lots of coordinating schedules.

You don’t need a complicated direct mail campaign. Keep it clean. Keep it visual. Keep the copy short. Include an offer that's easy to understand.

Think about the businesses that naturally fit into the back-to-school window from a few weeks before well into September.

A pizza shop can offer a "First Week of School" family dinner special for those evenings when everyone is exhausted.

A dentist or orthodontist can remind parents to schedule regular checkups or school physicals.

An eye doctor can encourage families to schedule vision exams before classes are in full swing.

A local coffee shop can welcome parents back to their quieter mornings with a coupon.

A hair salon can promote back-to-school haircuts.

Even businesses that aren't traditionally associated with school can find an angle. Auto repair shops can remind parents to get the family vehicle ready for another year of carpooling and pickups. Fitness centers can promote after-school activities for parents while the kids are back in class.

The same goes for teachers and school staff. Think dry cleaners, spas, office supplies.

The format matters, too.

A postcard with one strong image, one clear headline, and one offer is often more effective than trying to squeeze every product and service onto the page. If you're in a shared mailer, the same rule applies. One compelling offer will usually outperform a crowded ad filled with tiny text.

And don't forget timing. Families are shopping earlier than ever, but they're also spreading purchases over several weeks as they look for deals in this shaky economy. A mailbox appearance in late July or August can put your business in front of customers while they're already planning trips around town, and stand out against a crowded inbox.

Or include an expiration date on it for down the line, like September 30, so they can put the mailer on their fridge until they’re more ready to spend.

The best plan is to mail at the right time, with the right offer, and remind people that sometimes the easiest shopping trip is the one that's just a few minutes from home.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.