08 Mar 2008 12:28:38 | Martha Retallick
Introduction: Why Use Postcards?
If you've priced out display advertising or Yellow Pages
listings, you know that they can add up to big money in a hurry.
Quite often, these valuable promotional tools are beyond the
budgets of many small and home-based businesses.
But since promotion is a necessity, even for the smallest of
businesses, what can you do?
I've found a way around this dilemma by using four-color
postcards. They've been an essential part of my marketing
toolkit for more than six years, and they've brought thousands
of (U.S.) dollars worth of business to my web and graphic design
studio.
Here are my Top 10 Tips to help your grow your business with
postcards.
Tip #1: Keep It Simple, Sister (or Sir).
The image on the front of the postcard should be simple, but
attractive. I've found that brightly colored cards pull a better
response than the dark, moody cards. So, I'd recommend that you
save your artistic angst for some other medium.
You should also create an image that's easily comprehended. Why?
Because your recipient will only give your card a one- or
two-second glance before deciding to keep it or throw it away.
Tip #2: You Need a Good Mailing List.
There are many companies that will rent you a mailing list, and
if you're targeting a specific industry, you'd be well advised
to travel this route. On the other hand, list rental fees aren't
cheap, and the fees only cover one-time use of the list.
When I first got started with postcard marketing, I could barely
afford to pay my own rent, so mailing list rental was out of the
question. So I made my own mailing list instead.
I found names by flipping through directories of organizations I
belonged to. The Rolodex on my desk was also a rich source of
names. And since my first postcard promoted a website showcasing
my family's business interests, my dad also contributed a lot of
names. He still sends me a name now and then.
Before I put any name on the list, I ask myself if this person
would be interested in hearing from me on an ongoing basis. If I
think so, that individual goes on the list. If not, I keep 'em
off the list.
Tip #3: Frequency is Important.
My dad is a man of very few words. He has this to say about
promotion: "You gotta let 'em know you're still alive." In other
words, a business that clients and prospects hear from is one
that they'll keep in mind.
And the flipside of that statement is the old adage, "Out of
Sight, Out of Mind." That's why I make it a point to send nine
or ten postcards each year.
Tip #4: Give Them the Old One-Two.
It's not enough to just send your cards. You need to follow up
with your key clients and prospects. You know who they are, so
phone, e-mail or visit with them within a week of any postcard
mailing.
Tip #5: Pictures Good, Copy Better.
My first tip was about the type of image that should go on the
front of the card. Your image is important, because that's what
gets the recipient's attention. But the copy on the flipside is
what helps make the sale.
Although entire libraries of books have been written on the
subject of effective direct mail marketing copy, let me boil
these books down to this essential fact: You want your copy to
get your audience to do something.
What should your postcard copy inspire your audience to do?
Well, that's up to you, but here are some ideas:
1. Visit the website you just created for a client.
2. Come to the grand opening of your remodeled store.
3. Use the discount on your new product or service.
This, in essence is what sets direct marketing apart from
conventional advertising. Most conventional advertising is aimed
at building an image of a company. This requires a lot of
repetition of an advertising message, and as you would expect,
the process can take a long time and cost a lot of money.
On the other hand, direct marketing isn't so much concerned with
building an image as it is with getting people do something NOW.
This is a much more cost-effective approach for small business.
Tip #6: Follow Your Printer's Instructions Carefully. This one
goes without saying, but I have a confession to make: I delayed
the printing of a crucial promotional postcard by sizing the
card to the wrong dimensions. The printer was kind enough to fix
my error without charging me, and for that I am very grateful.
Printer's instructions can be lengthy - and confusing. There's a
simple solution to this problem: Ask Questions. Most printers
are happy to help, especially if you contact them before you
actually send them the stuff you want printed.
Tip #7: Proofread Once. Proofread Twice. When I worked in the
editorial field, I found myself on the receiving end of many a
Boss Tirade about the importance of proofreading. This was
because I wasn't very good at it, and a lot of Boss-Annoying
errors got by me.
If you're a lousy proofreader with a lot of money, you can hire
others to do it for you. If your budget isn't that hefty, you'll
have to do it yourself. If I'm faced with the onerous task of
proofreading, here's how I do it:
I read every word out loud. Slowly and carefully, just like I
did back in first grade reading class. Sometimes, I decide to
have some fun and do my proofreading in the form of dramatic
readings. Hey, it makes the job go faster…
Tip #8: Who are you? Where are you?
My cards include the following contact information:
Lrpdesigns Web & Graphic Design P.O. Box 43161 Tucson, AZ 85733
Telephone: 520-690-1888 E-mail: Info@Lrpdesigns.com Web:
http://www.Lrpdesigns.com/
I include all of this information so people can get a hold me by
mail, Internet or telephone. Most of my responses tend to come
via phone or e-mail. The return address is there so the post
office can get the card back to me if a recipient's address is
no longer valid.
Tip #9: Maintain Your List!
If your mailing list grows to any size, maintaining it can get
to be a chore. And this task can be quite time-consuming. It is
for me, but I like to have an accurate list. More of the mail
gets through that way.
Occasionally, people will call or e-mail and ask to be taken off
my list. I do so immediately, no questions asked.
Tip #10: Keep At It!
This is another one of my dad's favorite expressions. But those
three words reveal a lot of truth. Like other marketing efforts,
postcard mailings must be done over and over again to have a
positive effect on your bottom line.
Although postcard marketing can cost less than, say, a campaign
of magazine advertising or promoting your business in the Yellow
Pages, it is not cost-free. On a yearly basis, my postcard
printing and mailing costs run around U.S. $2,500. However, I
believe that this is money well spent, so I keep doing it.
About Author :
Martha Retallick is an avid (and some say rabid) postcard
marketer from Tucson, Arizona, USA. Examples of her postcards
can be seen at:
