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Marketing with Post Cards

Marketing with Post Cards
By Jeffrey Dobkin

Postcard Marketing

Postcard Marketing

How can you stay in your customers’ mind? It’s easy with a few post cards. Mail post cards to prospects and customers every few weeks and they’ll think of you first when they need something. They’ll pick up the phone and call YOU when they’re ready to buy.

Post cards are hard working marketing tools because…

Post Cards are cheap to produce.
One sheet, no folding, stuffing, inserting.

Need fast delivery?
Post cards are cheap to mail first class.

Mailing house costs can be completely offset by postage savings.
Tired of doing it yourself? Take your post cards to a mailing house. Costs are low since post cards are so easy to handle.

Post cards have high readership.
Almost everyone reads post cards. By the time they grab the post card to toss out, they’ve already read your headline. Hope it was a G-R-E-A-T one!

They’re diverse.
Post cards can be as personal as a one-to-one communication – so you can be “jest settin’ on your front porch, talkin’ to one person…” or as formal as a bound book with an embossed gold leaf cover.

Print on demand now makes it possible for real personalization.
Personalize name and address, also photos of house or car, map of neighborhood, township or area.

Post cards can come back to haunt you.
Double and triple post cards are great as a response vehicle, offering a concealed spot for a credit card number.

Post cards handle illustrations well.
Line art, airbrush, four color – even crayon… whatever you have, it can look great on a post card. Better paper stock enhances the “It didn’t come out as good as we thought it would!” designs.

They’re inexpensive to print – no need to go four color.
A nice thing about post cards – one or two color post cards work just fine, and they’re cheaper to print. Make sure your copywriting sparkles, though.

Four color post cards are cheap to have printed.
The cost can be as low as $295 for 5,000 cards. Call 800-POSTCARDS for a fast price quote. Or call Jason at Mitchell Graphics, 800-583-9401, for samples and pricing on post cards and their full mailing services.

They’re easy to handle.
If you’re doing the mailing yourself it’s easy: no stuffing, no folding. Not much messing around – just print, address, and mail.

4 Hard and fast “Don’ts” for post cards.
1. Don’t use cheap paper.
2. Don’t go for glossy paper unless you are printing in four colors or have heavy ink coverage – the post office sorting equipment will mark the surface. I recommend a crisp, bright-white 80 pound linen stock.
3. Don’t go for the smallest size card. The minimum size card (4” x 6-1/4”) doesn’t scream out for attention like a 5-1/2” x 8-1/2” card does.
4. It’s a short format: don’t try to make a sale, just try to generate a phone call. When people call, then YOU can make the sale.

6 Steps to Creating successful post cards:
1. Use a big bold headline to entice scanning readers.
2. Use Bold Subheads: written and designed to entice and interest the reader further.
3. The first line each paragraph must be written smart and sharp to keep the reader reading.
4. Using your logo? Keep it small. You may like it but it doesn’t make the phone ring.
5. Print “Save this card!” somewhere near the top, and people will.
6. Point every line at generating a phone call – it’s the post card’s ONLY objective: make people call. Show a large phone number.

5 Post card objectives
1. Generate an inquiry – have people CALL.
2. Generate an order by having people CALL.
3. Come into your store, or CALL.
4. Have people CALL for more information.
5. Have people CALL for your FREE Booklet.
Tell the reader exactly what you want him to do: call. Be specific.

It’s OK to send a card more than once. Successful cards can be sent forever as long as they continue to bring results. You get sick of looking at your post cards long before your customers get tired of receiving them.

Mail frequently. Direct mail is a game of numbers – mail as many cards to as many people as you can.

 Jeffrey Dobkin is a heck of a writer… a fun and motivational speaker, and a seriously great consultant.  His advertising and direct marketing agency specializes in creating highly responsive letters, post cards, full direct mail packages, website copy, brochures and booklets.  He is heavily experienced in marketing, writing & communications strategy. 610-642-1000 rings on his desk. Visit www.jeffreydobkin.com