Postcards can be valuable marketing tools for just about any business. Here are a few ideas that will help you get the most from your own postcard campaign.
Postcards work because they deliver short, concise messages in the minimum amount of time – perfect for the “time-poor” society we live in today. They get the information across rapidly, with a quick and easy flip of the wrist. With postcards, you can take your idea from concept to distribution within just days. Since postcards can be produced in any quantity to suit any budget, they’re great for businesses of all sizes.
You could even save a bundle on your marketing expenses by utilizing postcards instead of other, more costly tools. Currently, in the USA, postage costs are considerably lower for postcards vs. first-class mail. The same advantage may not be available to marketers in other countries, like Canada, for example. However, postcards still offer tremendous opportunities to entrepreneurs at any rate of postage.
Postcards work best when used to:
generate leads
follow-up with prospects as part of a campaign
make an announcement
thank customers for their patronage and invite them back
with a special offer
The key to a successful postcard is to have instant impact. You’ve got to make your piece grab attention in your prospect’s crowded mailbox. You want to try to catch the eye, pique the readers curiosity and unload your marketing message as quickly as possible.
Every postcard has a front and a back. Use the front as leverage to “woo” your prospect enough to flip the card over and get the full impact of your complete message. Use the back of the card to unveil all the benefits of your product or service, provide an offer and list prominently your contact information.
As with any type of advertising, be sure to include a strong headline. It’s the most important part of your postcard and should be featured prominently on the front side. When you’re sure you’ve got a headline that works, try to enhance it visually, to really make it stand out. Try reverse-type (white text on a dark-colored background). Employ graphic options like cartoons, if they assist you in getting your message across. Use brilliant photographs only if they help convey the message in your headline.
The text of your postcard should be benefit-laden, telling your prospect in clear, vivid detail all the advantages that he/she will enjoy with your product.
Also try to include a few testimonials. These act as the “proof” of your claims and help build your credibility as a reliable supplier. Testimonials help to overcome the fear many people have in trusting a vendor they haven’t done business with before.
Another important ingredient of successful postcards is the offer. Always give the reader an extra incentive to take action now. If your postcard is sent as a “thank-you” to new customers after their first purchase, entice them back with a 15% discount on the next. Make the postcard actually worth something in terms of redeemable value.
Strive to make it easy for recipients to respond to your message. That means a clear, legible phone and fax number, address, web site, etc. People like to respond in various ways. Giving them various options, makes it easy for prospects to respond which in turn will make you a more successful marketer.
Robert Boduch is the author of Great Headlines Instantly! How
To Write Powerful, Attention-Grabbing Headlines That Pull In
More Prospects, More Customers And More Profits, NOW! which
features hundreds of helpful tips, techniques, strategies, and hands-on
formulas for writing successful headlines for any purpose, on demand.
Click here to master the skill of writing explosive, attention-grabbing
headlines in mere minutes!
Copyright 1999, 2000 by Robert D. Boduch
