Direct Mail Marketing Postcard Campaign
Vacation memories are collected on postcards. “I miss you mom” notes from camp on postcards go directly into the family scrapbooks. “Save the Dates” wedding announcements on postcards remind the receivers of the big day ahead. Doctor appointment reminders sent on postcards are put onto the front of refrigerators for the purpose on not missing the important meeting. Postcards are a way of tradition, of memories and of marketing. Yes, there are those emails and cute evites, but, postcards are tried and true and forever. They are still one of the best ways to market a service, a product or an event. They have long served as one of the best ways to precisely target the types of customers that you want. When people open their email inbox and see 50 new messages, they tend to hit the “delete all” button. Postcards, on the other hand, can be an excellent way of making your business stand out from the competition. There are so many creative uses for postcards. The following are a few ways to make your postcards outstanding and unusual and read for all of the perfect occasions whether it is personal or business..
The key to a standout postcard that grabs the attention of the potential customer is in the design. The design should have visual appeal but, it should also have an emotional purpose. Postcards, particularly oversized ones, can show a lot of information and art work or photographs that get your message across with a glance and pulls on the heart strings with a relatable picture. It doesn’t need to be laid out with so much information that you can’t read it all. It doesn’t need to appear crowded. Use short headlines, direct language, timely references and calls to action that will entice your potential clients to take the next step. You want them to contact you for more information. Your goal for using postcards is to put together a piece that is intriguing, grabs their attention and motivates them to contact you. Postcards that look like ads can turn people off. Design one that makes the receiver say, “Oh Wow!”
Designs that have that “Wow” factor could include one that is a three-panel postcard for industry related tips, emergency phone numbers, a mini-calendar, a local high school sports schedule, or even recipes. Or, another is when your design is a folded postcard with the fold along the short side of the card, allowing your postcard to open into a panoramic promotional piece. You can consider adding a die-cut shape to enhance your postcard design. This will certainly ensure that your postcard stands out from any other mail that they receive. A postcard in the shape of a football, a gingerbread man or folds into the shape of a box are always standouts in the mailbox.
When your business is attending a tradeshow, use postcards as a pre mailer for both an invitation to the tradeshow and an announcement for specials you will offer during the show. Include a convenient tear away to drop at your booth for a chance to win door prizes or other giveaways. Before sending out an invitation to any upcoming events, sales or seasonal promotions, create excitement and increase attendance by sending a “save the date” postcard just like they do for weddings. Create a “we’ve missed you” postcard campaign with a photograph of your entire staff waving or with open arms to help reactivate old customers. Use the extra space for a tear-away coupon or exclusive promotion for those old customers only..
Save on postage and envelope costs by designing an announcement for your website newsletter, brochure, or catalog as a folded postcard in the shape of a diamond or your company mascot, with a link on the inside to your website for more information and the entirety of the catalog, brochure or newsletter. Include a teaser when designing a postcard, of an article or special report posted on your website. Redirect readers to your site by adding “read the rest of the story here…” This is a terrific way to keep your audience engaged and to gain traffic to your website.
