You fret about the design of your mail piece, the incentive or “hook”, the list of names you plan to mail, but are you considering another important detail? When it lands in their mail box.

Every Direct Mail marketer has their opinion of the best time to land in a recipient’s mail box so, it’s pretty difficult to answer the question of “When is the best time to land”. That’s because for each direct mail offer there is no one answer. Your landing date for a batch of coupons will likely be much different than an advertisement for a weekend sale or private members only sale. But that’s not to say there are not a few key rules that most marketers try to follow.

Days of the Week:

  • Monday is typically the highest volume mail day. Some people believe this is because recipients are most attentive and responsive at the beginning of the week, but it can also give your promotion a lot of competition on that short walk back from the mail box.
  • Tuesday through Thursday is my personal preference. Recipients are well into their week and likely staying at home and receptive. It’s also easier to aim for a range of days rather than an exact day, trying to hit a Tuesday allows you much more flexibility. Shooting for Tuesday and landing early on a Monday is still a good day to hit, with a later Wednesday or Thursday landing being perfectly fine as well.
  • Friday is not ideal, as Loverboy says, “Everybody’s working for the weekend” and it’s true. Unless you’re including coupons for takeout or Pizza, there’s not a lot that really catches someone’s eye when they are focused on the weekend ahead.
  • Bank Holidays should also be avoided. It’s a common time for recipients to be planning trips or long weekends away, and the added risk makes it better to avoid these long weekends.

But assuming you have now decided what day of the week you want to drop your mail, it’s important to note that there is a difference between “deposit” date and “landing” date. You may have a goal in mind, but achieving that date can be a tricky mix of “guesstimation” and ensuring your deposit date is on time.

The first thing you need to calculate is how long your mail will be with your carrier. Most carriers post their general delivery times online for most service options, like the below example for Canada Post and their Personalized Mail service.

You will see that the guidelines show most mail will arrive at its destination anywhere from 3 to 5 business days from deposit date.

That said, I have a tip; Talk to your lettershop and ask them about the delivery times they are experiencing. For example, a local mailing Vancouver to Vancouver might state 3 days from Canada Post, however through experience I have been noting that Canada Post is typically delivering next day at this time of the year. That means to accurately hit a Tuesday to Thursday drop time right now, I will want to deposit the mail on Monday.

If I was in the middle of the Christmas rush however, a Tuesday drop time might see my delivery landing on Friday. That’s why it’s important to talk to those with their ear to the ground.

The guidelines are there to give you a maximum allowable time for delivery, but the quotes your carrier provides are the maximum in normal situations, which is important to remember.

The key here is to be in contact with your lettershop and make sure that you are clear about your desired deposit date and you have given the mail shop enough time to print and prepare your mail to meet that date.

And remember if all of this feels like too much to manage, reach out to JR Direct for help. We apply our years of experience to your direct mail campaign to maximize results and minimize cost. Get in touch with us for help with your next Direct Mail Campaign.