Postcards - the unsung heroes of marketing

With all the industry buzz-words flying around lately, the simple little postcard seems to have been pushed to the back burner. After all, how could it be expected to compete with the kings of cool, like guerrilla marketing or podcasting?

As business owners, we’re not really interested in looking cool though. We are interested in making a reasonable profit, and when it comes to direct marketing, there really isn’t much that can beat a solid postcard campaign. When compared to other forms of direct mail, postcards have a far higher response rate because there is nothing to open or sort through. Your message is right there in your prospects hands. The cost can also be significantly lower than other forms of direct mail.

So how do we get the most from a postcard mailing?

• Start with a highly targeted mailing list. A broad, shotgun approach to direct mail will lower your ROI in a big way. By using a highly targeted list, you are ensuring that only people who would truly benefit from your offering get your message. This keeps your initial costs down while improving your conversion ratio.
• Make an offer they can’t refuse. People can get a 5% discount anywhere, anytime. They will break down your doors for a 20% discount. You’re offer doesn’t have to be a discount though. It could be a 100% money back guarantee, a free product or service with their purchase or anything else of a reasonable value. Just make sure that you don’t give away so much that you are loosing money.
• Have your postcards professionally designed. Yes, you can get your nephew to whip something up for free but doing so will not generate much business for you. Think of it this way ? you probably could perform your own liposuction in your garage but the results would be significantly different than those of a real plastic surgeon. A skilled graphic designer is well worth the investment because they will generate more business for your company.
• Have your postcards professionally printed. Printing your postcards on your own ink jet or laser printer looks unprofessional, is time consuming and actually ends up being more expensive than having them printed professionally. You can have 5,000 4″ x 6″ postcards printed on a heavy gloss stock for less than $250 and present the right image while saving yourself time and money.