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Santa Letter FAQ
by Lisa Freeman
How much do I charge for Santa Letters?
The going rate is between $5 and $7 per letter, depending on where
you're located. You may wish to charge more or less depending on your own
expenses and the complexity of your product.
Where should I distribute my Santa Letter flyers and order forms?
- Mailings to past customers, friends, family, and coworkers
- Banks and Credit Unions
- Convenience Stores
- Gift and Card Shops
- Daycare Centers
- Anywhere else that will let you leave a stack of flyers!
What are other things I can do to help market my Santa Letters?
- Advertise a "Special Gift" for each child and enclose a
sheet of stickers (available from Current, 1-800-848-2848) or other item
which will fit easily in the envelope.
- Code each flyer according to the business where you placed it. Offer
each
business $1 for each letter that their shop generates. Also ask friends to
give out flyers to everyone they know and give them $1 for each letter
they sell.
- Contact charitable organizations (e.g., Toys for Tots or other
holiday-related fundraising organizations) and offer to donate $1 from
each letter sold to their charity. Then get your letters mentioned on the
radio, in the newspaper, etc., in conjunction with that charity.
When should I start promoting Santa Letters?
Start preparing your promotional materials no later than September, and
try to have flyers out by early to mid-October.
Where can I get Christmas paper and envelopes?
The following are just some of the sources for these supplies.
Paper Direct: 1-800-272-7377
http://www.paperdirect.com
Expensive, but has a large selection. Call for a catalog.
Viking Office Products: 1-800-421-1222
http://www.vikingop.com/
Call and request a holiday catalog.
What color paper should I print my flyers/order forms on?
The consensus among people who have sold Santa letters for a few years seems to be to photocopy
flyers onto red paper. Some people are even are taking originals to print shops
and having color flyers printed on white paper. You will probably need a
very large volume of flyers printed up for this to be cost effective.
How do I get a North Pole postmark on my Santa Letter envelopes?
The address for the North Pole postmark is:
Postmaster
ATTN: Steve Cornelius
North Pole Branch U.S. Post Office
325 Santa Claus Lane
North Pole, Alaska 99705-9998
Turnaround time is said to be 7 to 8 days when mailed to
North Pole, Alaska by late November.
When do I need to mail the letters to the children?
It depends on whether or not you're going to use a North Pole or other
"Christmassy-town" postmark. If you're going through a special post
office, late November or no later than the first week of December would be
best. If you're going to mail them from your local post office, a December
15th mailing should allow enough time for the letters to get to everyone.
Copyright 1996, 1997, 2001
Lisa E. Freeman
All Rights Reserved
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