Postcard Marketing

Postcard marketing is a form of direct mail marketing used to expand a business' customer base.

Postcard marketing, when done right, works as a lead generation tool. Though small in size, postcards can be a potent part of your direct mail marketing and a dynamic part of your overall business marketing strategy. They open the door to creativity, as you must choose both art and content designed to reach potential and existing customers. The benefits of using this small, but effective marketing tool starts with cost. They are relatively inexpensive but prove to be a powerful instrument to reach new business. Other advantages to using postcard marketing include:

• Flexible marketing
• Campaign can launch fairly quickly

It is probably best for you to use the services of a graphic designer and professional printing service that know and understand postal rules when developing your postcard, because the design can influence the amount paid for:

• mail handling charges
• postage
• acceptance outside the USA such as in Canada's postal system

When you discuss the design of your postcard with your graphic designer/printer consider the following details:

• Size: Short and long and oversized. Oversized will cost more in postage.
• Weight: If your postcard weighs more than 100 grams, no matter what size it is, the weight will place it into the Oversize category and increase postage costs. Design the postage area of the postcard taking the size and weight into consideration.
• Thickness: If your postcard exceeds 3/16 inch or 5 mm, it will be classified as oversized.

Once you've designed you're postcard, use it to your maximum advantage. One use is to drive visitors to your website where they can become subscribers.

To use postcards to their full advantage, your mailing list should target prospects most likely to be interested in what you are selling, whether a service or product. If possible, use a mailing list that includes people who have a record for taking advantage of offers that interest them. Build your list with customers of non-competing businesses that target your same segment of the market. If you don't have a current list, or want to expand your current base, mailing lists are available through mailing list brokers.

There are a number of approaches to use with postcard marketing. One is to design a card that looks like a message from a friend instead of a printed ad. This catches the attention of the recipient and more often evokes an emotionally familiar and pleasant reaction rather than the urge to throw the card into the trash as junk mail.

Use the space available on the postcard wisely. You don't have a lot of room to work with, so it's best to concentrate on the benefit people will experience when buying your product or using your service. Be sure to include:

• Brief explanation of what you have to offer. This must get right to the point. If it's too long, it will require small print and decreases the chances of the card being read.
• website
• phone number
• physical address if applicable

Including contact information allows your potential customer to contact you with sales inquiries.

Ideas for what to offer on your postcard include:

• Special offers and discounts
• Introduction of new products or services
• Details to keep your current customers informed
• Special event

While you can save money by mailing bulk rate, mailing by first class has proven to generate more replies. Another factor to take into consideration is what day the card arrives in the mail. Plan ahead. If you send the cards so they arrive in mailboxes on Tuesday or Wednesday, more people are likely to read them because those are most often "light mail" days. In that way, your postcard has less competition as people go through their mail. The chances of your postcard being read go up. In that same vein, avoid having your postcards arrive on Mondays, because it is often the day people receive the most mail.

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