Despite the rising costs of postage and printing, postcard marketing remains an effective direct marketing tactic that can be easily incorporated into your small business marketing mix. Whether you hire a graphic designer to create a unique and appealing postcard or you use common software such as Microsoft Publisher or Word to craft your card, you can design, print and mail a simple yet effective postcard marketing campaign today. Here are five tips for effective postcard marketing.
1. Choose your message carefully.
When customers receive your card, they'll glance at it, and in the space of only a few seconds, decide whether or not they want to read more. Be sure to think through your message carefully, whether it's a sale at your store, a reminder for a dental checkup, or a promotion for a new product. Craft bold, compelling messages. Focus the copy on benefits and support it with features. Benefits are what's in it for the customer - the reason he or she must buy, use, or have the product or service. Features are the facts supporting the benefit to buy. Benefits drive marketing response.
2. Design for quick visual punch.
Postcard design relies upon a quick, hard hitting visual punch. While you'll want to keep your brand strategy in mind and use appropriate colors and fonts, your postcard must stand out from the batch of mail it's mixed in with on the customer's desk. Use strong colors, intriguing photos, and large headlines to gain attention.
3. Review postal guidelines before designing.
The United States Post Office provides a free PDF on their website called the Domestic Mail Manual. In it you will find the exact dimensions for various types of mailers, and design specifications so that you can design your direct mail pieces to achieve maximum postage savings. Always review the current copy and guidelines online. The post office changes them often, so be sure to follow the latest specifications. If you're sending mail by bulk rate, be sure to review mailing panel specifications, since these panels are machine-read and must meet certain requirements for bar coding and setup.
4. Use both sides of the card.
You don't know which side will face up when customers receive their mail. Design your postcard marketing with both sides of the card in mind, and be sure to repeat your message. This way you'll have the best chance at attracting the customer's attention.
5. Use an online print vendor for maximum cost savings.
Online printing vendors provide beautiful cards at a fraction of the traditional printing costs. Companies such as Vista Print, iPrint, and others can print standard and oversized postcards with color sides, one color sides and more. If you can upload PDF files, you can use their services. Some companies also bundle postcard printing with mailing services, saving small businesses time and money.
Track and Measure Responses
For any direct marketing activity, always be sure to track, measure and analyze the response rate. Include a way for customers to respond to the postcard marketing that can easily be tracked back to that specific card. For example, include a landing page URL that is only promoted on that specific card; you'll know customers responded because the only way they could obtain the URL is by receiving the card. Other techniques used in direct marketing to track responses include unique phone numbers or extensions, special post office boxes for mail order responses, coupons, order codes and more.
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