Holiday marketing is becoming a timing and trust problem for small businesses: customers want relevant messages, but sending them too early—or through the wrong channel—can drive them away.

Email remains the leading way consumers want brands to communicate during the holiday season, according to new research from Adobe. The company found that 57% of consumers prefer holiday communications by email. Direct mail follows at 34%, while 27% prefer SMS.

The findings, published in Adobe’s holiday marketing calendar insights , offer a useful starting point for small businesses planning promotions, product launches and customer outreach in the months ahead.…