Santa’s Mailroom: Behind the Scenes of a Massive Direct Mail Operation

Have you ever wondered what happens to letters addressed to Santa? Each holiday season, thousands of wish lists flood Santa’s mailroom. Not only are the stakes high for the hopeful children trying to reach Santa, but the postal service, paper suppliers, printers, and large direct mail agencies are also working at maximum capacity to fill the mailboxes of consumers.

Whether sending to Santa or your target market, the goal is to guarantee delivery before key in-home dates, meaning that your production and mailing schedule must be aligned with tight deadlines. Here’s how SeQuel helps keep mailrooms organized during this perfect snowstorm of letters addressed to Santa and letters addressed to consumers. 

FAQ: What Really Happens to Letters Addressed to Santa?

Now you might be wondering, where do Santa’s letters go?

Thousands of children drop their wish lists in standard mailboxes or special mailboxes specifically meant for Santa’s letters. Postal workers collect these letters and then head to the nearest postal facility. Letters addressed to Santa are then set aside as they’re handled a bit differently than regular mail.

In countries like the U.S., the postal service works with special programs designed to manage Santa’s letters. For example, USPS Operation Santa offers volunteers an opportunity to adopt children’s letters and make their wishes come true. Thoughtfulness and care are prioritized throughout the process to ensure no message goes unnoticed.

Source: USPS Operation Santa

How SeQuel Keeps Santa’s Mailroom Organized

Direct mail marketers worldwide face immense pressure from Halloween until New Year’s. During this critical purchasing window, shoppers expect their favorite brands to deliver the best sales of the year right to their mailboxes. According to eMarketer, holiday sales in the United States will reach a record $1.353 trillion this year.

It is normal for marketers to start planning for the holidays much earlier than non-seasonal campaigns, often as early as mid-summer. Yet, even with careful planning, unforeseen delays can occur. Perhaps you work with a large agency that operates via an automated platform. While efficiency is a plus, you might notice a mix of high volume and insufficient focus, in which bottlenecks slow down the process.

The holiday season is stressful enough. Let’s dive into how a specialized direct marketing agency like SeQuel Response sets up holiday mail campaigns to get the attention they deserve.

A Full-Service Approach Wrapped Just for You

Our goal is to give you peace of mind during this critical time for your business. Rather than being passed around between various departments or account managers, we ensure our clients have direct contact with dedicated teams to guide them every step of the way. We also have direct relationships with top vendors which allows us to secure exclusive discounts, high-quality paper, and timely delivery.

Stocking Up on Smart Strategies

Repeat customers have a higher chance of purchasing if they have already had a great experience with your product or service. Our approach celebrates the season of giving by crafting personalized messages aimed at referral, retention, cross-selling, up-selling, and win-back strategies, helping you reconnect with your existing customer base in search of the perfect holiday deals.

Sleighing Multichannel Impact

During the holiday season, consumers intentionally consider your advertisements in both mail and digital formats. That is why we encourage clients to complement their direct mail efforts with an integrated digital campaign. Telling a cohesive story in multiple channels strengthens brand recognition and increases conversions by offering repeated touch points and purchase opportunities.

Creative That’s on the Nice List

Our team is dedicated to keeping your customers jolly with holiday themes and images that align with your product or service and enhance your offer. We excel at customizing our clients’ packaging by playing with package style, size, die cuts, and texture, or adding an interactive element like scratch-offs or unique folds. It is critical to present a clear and attractive offer or a unique gift to help your piece stand out from the crowd.

Decking the Halls Early

Since 50% of holiday shoppers will start shopping before Thanksgiving, we initiate holiday direct marketing campaigns early to ensure you beat your competition to the mailbox and give your prospects time to make a purchase decision. Year-round targeting, testing, and reporting allow you to fully understand your audience and their purchasing behavior to build a holiday package that sells.  

Retargeting & Rejoicing

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean consumers are finished shopping. Postponed celebrations, New Year’s parties, late gifting, and self-gifting cater to post-season deals. Repeating your marketing message is a proven best practice, so we advocate for our clients to plan for a second or third campaign. Maybe your first offer was lost in the mailbox shuffle, or they just need a merry reminder to spend their cash gift on the item they secretly hoped to receive.

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This festive season, let’s not just aim for the mailbox. Let’s aim for the hearts of your customers and create experiences that last well beyond the new year. The most impactful way to engage and resonate with your audience is to remember the importance of creativity, preparation, and adaptability.

Santa’s mailroom may be chaotic, but SeQuel keeps things running smoothly. So, if you’re ready to kick off your campaign, contact us to learn how our experienced team and data-driven approach can help you grow.