GRAPHIC DESIGNERS FROM OUR DESIGN COMMUNITY
 |
home > Graphic Design Articles > Postcards Design > 7 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL POSTCARD MARKETING
by Bob Leduc
Simple low-cost postcards have become a valuable business tool for modern marketers. They can produce a surge of traffic to your web site or a flood of high-quality sales leads.
|
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
||
The following 7 tips will help you get the maximum response from postcards at the lowest cost.
Tip 1: Focus on the Mailing List Make sure your postcards go to prospects likely to be interested in your offer ...and who also have a proven history of acting on offers that interest them.
For example, send them to customers of non-competing businesses that sell to your targeted market, subscribers to publications read by prospects in your targeted market or to prospects who previously requested information about products or services similar to those you offer.
You can get all of these lists from most mailing list brokers.
Tip 2: Be a Friend
Set up your postcard to look at first glance like a message from a friend instead of like a magazine ad printed on a postcard. It will boost the number of replies you get.
A postcard that looks like a friendly message produces a pleasant emotional reaction from readers instead of the harsh emotional reaction most people have to advertising.
Tip 3: Ditch the Sales Pitch
Don't try to close sales directly from your postcard. You don't have enough space to provide all the information most prospects need to make a buying decision. Instead, use your postcard to generate sales inquiries.
Begin your postcard by briefly stating the major benefit(s) you offer. Then use the remainder of your postcard to motivate readers to get more information from a source where you can close sales ...such as at your web site or from a phone number they can call.
Tip 4: Get Right to the Point
Postcards are delivered "ready to read". Take advantage of this. Get right to the point to capture the reader's attention immediately. This makes it difficult for prospects to avoid reading your postcard - especially if your entire message is brief and easy to read.
Tip 5: Go First Class
Send your postcards by First Class Mail. It costs only 23 cents in the US if make them at least 3 1/2 by 5 inches but not over 4 1/4 by 6 inches.
This gives you all the benefits of First Class Mail for just a few cents more than Standard Mail ("bulk rate mail") ...and it produces a lot more replies.
Tip 6: Watch Your Timing
Send your postcards so they arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday. The volume of mail delivered in the US on those days is usually light and your postcards won't have to compete with a lot of other mail delivered at the same time.
Try to avoid having your postcards delivered on Monday. It's usually the biggest mail delivery day of the week and a very busy day for most people.
Tip 7: Economize on Designing and Printing
Don't spend a lot to design and print your postcards. Using an elegant layout with colorful graphics can be expensive and it rarely improves your reply rate - unless you are selling those services.
Simple postcards designed to look like a message from a friend can be printed on your own computer for only 1 or 2 cents per card ...or you can have a commercial printer do the job for as little as 4 to 7 cents per card.
The next time you want to drive a surge of traffic to your web site or generate a flood of new sales leads - send postcards. And be sure to follow the 7 tips revealed in this article to get the maximum response to your postcards for the lowest cost.
Copyright Bob Leduc http//BobLeduc.com
Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales. He just released a New Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You'll find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV
RECENT ARTICLES from Graphic Design BloG
Business Cards: Ideas and Inspiration, Part II
Today we continue looking at business cards that stand out, and here’s hoping you get some inspiration and ideas! After all, you only get one first impression, so your business card should be something that showcases the best of your design abilities. On Wednesday we looked at the use of interesting shapes, 3D business cards, [...]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Business Cards: Ideas and Inspiration, Part I
As a graphic designer, your business card should do more than let people know how to contact you. If you’re interested in truly making a good first impression, the business card has got to stand out. Whether through color, design, die cutting, unique materials, 3D shapes, or actual samples of your work, a stand-out business [...]
Collaborating and Negotiating: Part II
Today, we’re looking at the collaboration side of negotiation and collaboration in graphic design. Because your work is ultimately for the client, at times you as the designer must be willing to compromise to reach a mutually agreeable goal. Here are some tips to help you collaborate with clients.
Ways to Collaborate
Listen. On page 28 [...]
Collaborating and Negotiating: Part I
It’s there in the design brief: the problem your client wants you to solve. But whether your objective is to create an advertisement, exhibition or public announcement, sometimes you and the client aren’t quite on the same page about what exactly the best design solution is. OC Photographer asked a great question about the collaborating [...]
When Things Go Bad: 5 Tips for Firing Clients
Most graphic designers will be in a similar situation at some point: the client will not pay, the client is never satisfied with your work yet won’t collaborate to fix it, or you simply realize that you and the client are not meshing. Regardless of when and why you need to fire a client, everyone [...]
Tips for Working with Clients: Approaching the Relationship
Whether you’re looking for design classes, design degree programs, internships or first jobs, it’s important to choose an option that will help you learn clear communication, especially when it comes to designer/client relationships. Knowing how to work with clients should always be part of a successful graphic design education. The following tips can help you [...]
Working for Good: Pro Bono Design, Part II
If you’re interested in doing pro bono graphic design work, it’s important to educate yourself about smart ways to do it. Once you’ve got some guidelines, you can approach your pro bono work with creativity; unless your client specifically requests it, you don’t need to limit yourself to a brochure. Consider these ideas for pro [...]
All Graphic Design Resources is a Directory Full of Tools for Graphic Designers
All Graphic Design Portal is a Graphic Design education directory with resources & articles for Graphic Designers & Web Designers including a Design forum, blog, graphics software tips, graphic design jobs, advice for new designers about design schools and education as well as tips for freelance graphic design business owners, and much more.
