Start with relevance and fulfilment
Past customers know the business, but a holiday mailing still needs a reason to arrive now. Choose customers whose purchases make the offer relevant. Exclude recent buyers where the reminder would be mistimed. Check stock, production capacity and shipping deadlines before choosing the promotion. A persuasive offer creates problems if the business cannot honour it.
Choose a few meaningful versions
Use the approach in our customer grouping guide. Yotru’s personalization examples provide another creative reference. Keep the number of versions manageable enough for proper review. Each version needs a clear audience rule, approved copy and a destination page that presents the same terms. Include a general fallback for uncertain records.
Work backwards from the deadline
State eligibility, expiry and important conditions clearly. Calculate the discount against the contribution available after fulfilment and marketing costs. Allow uncertainty in postal delivery when planning the schedule. The USPS guide to customized mail covers formats and response options. Test mobile checkout before production and prepare a page update for when the offer expires or stock runs out.
Measure reactivation carefully
Define inactive and reactivated customers before launch. Customers ordering during a holiday period might have purchased anyway. Where feasible, reserve a comparable group from the mailing and compare outcomes over the same window, as described in our measurement guide. Use campaign parameters for digital responses. Align email, postcards and the shop through the channel plan so buyers see consistent conditions. Include campaign costs when deciding which groups merit another reminder.
Frequently asked questions
Should every past buyer receive a postcard?
Prioritise relevant offers and usable addresses, applying customer preferences and the business’s exclusion rules.