Summer Camp Direct Mail Case Study: Camp Chatuga

The Situation

Camp Chatuga in Mountain Rest, South Carolina is a popular summer camp for kids 6-16. Many of the children come back year after year, but when they were looking for new kids to enroll, they called PostcardMania for help.

The Solution

They decided on a direct mail marketing campaign bundled with Google, Instagram and Facebook advertising in our Everywhere Small Business package. You can see those advertisements above. We were happy to help them navigate the difficult road that is efficient digital marketing.

Camp Chatuga’s postcard included:

• A wooden sign-like design, giving that “summer camp” feeling
• Pictures of children participating in enriching activities
• An offer for $50 off registration

The biggest reason for this campaign’s success was the diversity of their mailing lists. They targeted 2 main groups. The first mailing list was provided by them and was composed of previous campers, which is a group that will be particularly receptive to the camp’s messaging. This group ensured that their campaign would have guaranteed traction.

The second mailing list was meant to find new campers that have never attended before. They purchased a mailing list of single family homeowners with children ages 7-12 and an income of at least $75,000. These specs ensured that every recipient would be receptive to their messaging and be able to afford the private camp prizes.

The mailing schedule and timing was another huge success factor. They mailed out the 6,000 postcards 5 times over 5 months, spanning from November to March. Hitting the houses on a monthly basis ensured that each recipient was well aware of the camp. In addition, the timing aided their cause because it ended right before their summer camp began, so the 5 months of mailing acted as a buildup to the event.

The Results

$10,000-$20,000 increased profits this year!

With their postcard campaign and new website, Camp Chatuga was able to triple their enrollment in just a few months, increasing their yearly profit by $10,000-$20,000. Since so many kids return to the camp year after year, they estimate their total return will be about 5x that amount!