Postcard Marketing

[edit] Postcard Marketing Insight From the Pros

[edit] Direct Mail Postcards Target Your Audience

Postcards are a cost effective marketing tool that reaches your target audience directly. They out perform sales letters, flyers, self-mailers, snap-mailers, and dimensional-mailers, because they are simple, immediate, and concise. Your readers can easily and quickly view your message at a glance without having to open an envelope. Postcards, unlike other forms of advertising, give you a better chance of prospects seeing your ad, and allow you to easily track the results of your campaign.

[edit] Postcard Marketing Campaign

A business that customers hear from is one that they will keep in mind and keep doing business with. Like any other marketing campaign, sending postcards to your customer and prospect list is not a one-time event. If postcard marketing is the only vehicle you are using to connect with your customers, you should consider a minimum of four mailings and ideally up to 12 mailings per year. Effective postcard campaigns are based on the season and sales cycle of your business. For guidance on planning your next postcard campaign, download WriteProz Communications Free Postcard Planning Tool Kit.

[edit] Postcard Marketing Copy

For many businesses finding the time to create and write a sustainable campaign prevents them from taking full advantage of this low cost yet effective marketing tool. Hiring professional writers to create your copy not only saves you time, but also ensures that the right message is sent. For those on tight budgets, a cost effective writing service worth investigating is:

• GetContent.Com offers professional writing services starting at $24.95 for 400 words of copy. You will need to provide a description of the copy you need for each postcard. Turn around time is seven days.

[edit] Postcard Marketing Ideas That Sell

Effective postcards offer useful snippets of information that your target audience will hold onto or use to redeem your service. In fact, when done properly, your prospects will not only collect your postcards, but will also look forward to receiving them. Popular postcard ideas include:

• How To Postcard
• Tips Postcard
• Did You Know Postcard
• News Postcard
• Announcement Postcard
• Invitation Postcard
• Appointment Reminder Postcard
• Save This Date Postcard
• Maintenance Schedule Postcard
• Time to Reorder Postcard
• Calendar Postcard
• Sale Announcement Postcard
• Coupon Postcard
• Discount Postcard
• Contest Postcard
• Reward/Loyal Customer Postcard
• Welcome Postcard
• Thank You Postcard
• Miss Your/It's Been A While Since Your Last Order/Visit Postcard
• Happy Birthday Postcard
• Happy Anniversary Postcard
• Happy Holiday/New Year/Valentines/Independence Day/Thanksgiving Postcard

According to industry measures effective campaigns average a 5 percent to 15 percent response rate, with some campaigns such as Miss You or Reward postcards averaging 15 percent to 50 percent response rate.

[edit] Postcard Design Planning

Beyond the look of your postcard, there are critical elements that your design must consider:

• Concise Copy - Avoid using too much information.
• Effective Address Side - Remember the back of the card is just as important as the front.
• Talking Headlines - Write compelling headlines.
• Timely Offer - Make a dated offer tied to only one service.
• Key Benefits - Focus on one Unique Selling Proposition or a single benefit.
• Company Contact - Include your company’s complete contact information.
• Customer Testimonials - Use front left of card for a testimonial when appropriate.

[edit] Why Postcard Marketing Fails

Two most common reasons why postcard campaigns fail are:

1. Lackluster Backside - Prospects are most likely to see your postcard's backside (address label) first, since it makes postal sorting and delivery easier. If the back of your postcard is not as compelling as the front, you have lost your opportunity.
2. Hit and Run Mailing - On average, it takes up to seven targeted messages before a prospect responds to your advertising campaign. Plan to mail your prospects at least nine times before removing them from your list.

[edit] Postcard Mailing List

Mailing your newsletter to customers and prospects that are familiar with your business shows a greater return on investment than buying a list of strangers. Build your mailing list based on current and former clients, prospects, referral sources, staff, and association/trade group board members or newsletter editors related to your business niche. Segment your mailing list, and build a campaign targeted to each group.

[edit] Postcard Postage Costs

Depending on the size, number, and design specifications, the cost of mailing a postcard ranges from $0.32 to $0.41. The U.S. Postal Service offers online calculators and design guidelines to assist you in determining our postage costs:

• Standard Domestic Rates
• Business/Bulk Rates
• Physical Standards for Discount Postcards

[edit] Postcard Marketing Resources

1. WriteProz Communications' Postcard Marketing Resources
2. Postcard Smart
3. PostcardMania's Free Marekting Articles
4. Guerrilla Marketing with Postcards

[edit] Wanted - Postcard Success Stories

Do you have a postcard that really works for your business, or you have received a postcard that moved you to action? If so, submit it to the Postcard Marketing Success Gallery.

Submission Guidelines:

1. Email electronic copy (front and back side) in .jpg format to armercado@writeproz.com.
2. Provide your name, business name, and web address.
3. Provide a brief description on how the postcard boosted your business, or why it prompted you to action.
4. If applicable, provide the name and web address of the company that printed your postcard.

[edit] About WriteProz Communications

WriteProz is dedicated to providing the best resources, services, and how to guides available for home based businesses. We focus primarily on:

• Blogs
• Websites
• Brochures
• Newsletters
• Case Studies
• Postcards

Why these tools only? Studies show they are the most cost-effective and hardest-working advertising techniques for small and medium-sized companies.