Inbox Versus Mail Box: Postcard Marketing Still Worth The Stamp

With the the surge in social media marketing, small businesses and new comers are getting lost in the crowd. According to a recent blurb from my favorites small business source, Deliver Magazine, postcard marketing is what’s getting results. "The average inbox receives 60 to 100 messages a day, but the average mailbox sees only one or two postcards."

Postcards That Reach Your Customers

Direct mail pieces, such as post cards, are cost effective marketing tools that reach your target audience directly. Unlike newspaper adverting, your have a better chance of your prospects seeing your ad and can easily track the results of your campaign. Direct mail pieces are versatile. In a single mailing you can seek business from prospective customers, and solicit repeat business from existing customers.

Creating Postcards That Are Kept
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. Successful post cards will focus on a particular theme for the calendar year. Themes include:

• How To
• Tips
• Did You Know
• Invitations
• Reminders
• Maintenance Schedules/Calendars
• Sale Announcements
• Coupons/Discounts
• Recipes/Mini Menus
• Thank You
• Contests

Planning Your Postcards

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.

Designing Your Post Cards

• Avoid using too much information.
• Remember the back of the card is just as important as the front.
• Make a dated offer tied to only one service.
• Focus on one Unique Selling Proposition or a single benefit.
• Include your company’s contact information.
• Use front left of card for a testimonial when appropriate.

Get the Word Out With Postcard Newsletters

Postcards are an ideal vehicle for sending short bits of news to your mailing list on a frequent basis. Unlike their traditional 8.5 x 11 counterparts, postcard newsletters are less expensive, quick reads, and easy to carry and pass on to others.

When designing your postcard newsletter, take full advantage of both sides of the postcard. Ideally your font size should be 12 points and no less than 10 points for optimum readability. Even if you are using a 4.25 X 6 postcard, you can fit about 80 to 100 words on the back/address label side along with your contact information, and about 100 to 125 words on the front/picture side along with a masthead.

Keep your content short and to the point. Either focus on one specific topic, or include short snippets of information such as tips, statistics, customer Q&As, customer profiles, customer feedback, company/staff news, product/service updates, etc.


Postcard Newsletter Tips

• Postcard Newsletters - By Chuck Green
• Postcard Newsletters Attract New Business - By Roger Parker
• Postcard Newsletters: Petite Periodicals Pack A Punch - By Jacci Howard Bear
• A Postcard and A Newsletter
  

Postcard Newsletter Services

• One Minute Newsletters

Postcard Newsletter Books

• Marketing With Newsletters: How to Boost Sales, Add Members & Raise Funds With a Print, Fax, E-Mail, Web Site or Postcard Newsletter - Elaine Floyd