Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Reasons for Doing Postcard Marketing

Why consider postcard marketing, is going to be a good question that one would ask. Frankly, if you opt to consider the facts behind the lowly five by three-inch industry standard, then you might be surprised with how much potential postcard marketing will be for your business.
Consider the facts. Postcards, due to it’s minimal production cost, is one of the ways to get the message out to your consumers and prospective market. Basically a standard sized postcard is 35% - 435% cheaper than regular sized letters or posters.

Postcards also help keep mailing lists clean and updated. One of the biggest benefits of using first class postage for a regular -sized postcard is that it will be mailed back to the sender if it has a bad address, would help update your mailing list.

Postcards, surprisingly, have high impact. This is technically so because letters are sealed in an envelope and the consumer is often faced with the option to either open the envelope or simply throw it away, leaning towards the latter if the customer suspects that it is just junk mail that they are receiving. But with postcards, there’s no envelope to hide the message and it is almost always impossible to throw the postcard away without looking at the message, sometimes even just a glimpse of the texts on the postcards can immediately be comprehended by the reader.

Postcards can be made easily and can be sent with ease. Postcards do not require complicated assembling, stuffing, licking envelopes, collating, etc. and what could be the most difficult part of the process is just setting the postage stamp. Sometimes, it even gets automated, especially if you are using online resources of software that can help you with making and mailing your postcards.

Here are some tips on how to also make your postcards more appealing and attractive.

Always make sure to keep your messages brief and concise and only use your postcard for lead generation.

Never try to explain the details, but just give some teaser information to get your reader hooked to take the next step, be it logging in to your website, calling your office or a toll free recorded message.

Make your postcard look like it came from a personal friend. Make the most out of the vacant or blank spaces to give the reader an irresistible urge to take the next step. You can do this by using catchy phrases that will catch the reader’s attention.

Don’t spend too much on printing. You can simply design, lay-out and print your own postcards using a laser printer. All you need to have is creativity and the basic lay-out knowledge of mixing and matching colors or texts.

Lastly, make sure to make a very good selection of your mailing prospects. A little market research will do and this is where you may want to make good use of your knowledge in how you tailored your product.

Although it is also good to send out your postcards to the most number of people as possible, but the effectiveness of your mailing list will also determine the captured market you may end up with as you move on with your postcard marketing campaign.

So why consider postcard marketing? All you need to do is look at the facts and see how it can do wonders for you.

Remember, no matter what type of mailing you’re doing, it’s usually the list that will determine its success. Any in house list will outperform a rented list and if you’re wanting to use a rented list make sure you use a list broker to help you.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

What to Avoid When Doing Postcard Marketing

In truth, postcard marketing works. This could not be contested especially because numerous businesses and companies that used the strategy could attest that marketing using postcard really boosts sales and gains attention of prospective customers. If you are in search of an effective marketing campaign, there is no reason for you not to consider and use this advertising and marketing technique.

However, there are cases when postcard marketing fails to deliver what it should bring about. It is important to note that during such instances, the problem is not in the marketing strategy, but could be identified in the implementation. It should also be noted that marketing though postcard does not end in designing and producing the postcard. There are necessary and important activities and strategies that must be followed after. You have to still attend to several tasks to make sure the marketing technique would truly work.

Here are some of the most common mistakes you should avoid when using postcard marketing. It would be best if you would strive to avoid doing these actions so that your marketing campaign would be effective and would be worthwhile.

Not sending postcard mail as first class

Take note that a first-class stamp could cost higher than 25 cents per postcard. But it would be wise for you if you would spend a bit more for it. The recipient would surely appreciate it if he realizes that you have allotted money just to send the message. The postcard would create a friendlier appeal. When you send the postcard, do not forget to include a ‘return to sender’ address so you could determine whether the postcard has reached its intended recipient or not.

Overspending for the marketing campaign

Be reminded that the main reason why you should use postcard marketing is cost cutting. Spending on postcards alone could be unreasonable. It could also be considered a major mistake. This form of marketing would be effective if it would enable saving on costs, not spending more. On a large-scale marketing campaign, it could be less costly and more efficient if you would hire the services of professional printing businesses instead of printing the postcards for marketing yourself.

Poor message

Make sure the message is persuasive and effective. It needs to be clear, short, and highly compelling. To do so, it would be better if you would take more time putting together concepts of the postcard initiative rather than rushing to come up with a material with poor message.

Overstuffed postcard

Good layout is still essential. The marketing postcard should not be unnecessarily full with so much information and data. Rather, concentrate in just a product or a message per postcard.

Absence of contact details

Make sure you include your name, business address, email address, Website URL, telephone number, and fax number in the postcard. These are important information that needs to be printed correctly on every postcard. The postcard marketing material should point out to you so that recipients would know who to call and where to go in case they like what you sell.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Understanding What Is Involve In Postcard Marketing

Postcard marketing is still a popular means of trying to market a business or product directly to people. The fact that this method of direct marketing is still being used can profess to how effective it can be. And there are many things a seemingly ordinary postcard can do as a marketing method.

There are many ways that a postcard can be used for marketing purposes. A postcard can be sent to your marketing contacts in order to ask for business referrals. It can also be used to send out announcements of certain events to customers. You can use postcards to let people know that you are conducting seminars, classes, sales event, etc.

A postcard can also be used as a preliminary means to reach out to new prospects. A simple postcard can help "soften the effects" of marketing rather than actually directly reaching out to prospects through phone. You can also use the postcard to make an offer or if you have certain giveaways or discounts for your customers. Postcards can help spread out the word by mailing them out to the homes of your customers and prospects. A postcard can also be a more endearing way to say thanks to people for their help, for information or for referrals.

There are many reasons why you should use postcard marketing for your own business. For one ting, it will effectively work as a marketing method for all types of businesses. From providing sales leads to generating store traffic, postcards can easily help do the job. What makes postcard marketing so attractive is that designing them can be fairly simple and easy.

If you consider other types of advertising such as billboards or in magazines and newspapers, postcards can be considered much simpler since it does not require following a certain process and incur quite an expense in your marketing plans. From designing to the costs, postcard marketing is considered quite simple and inexpensive to conduct considering its potential of providing effective results.

What also makes postcard marketing quite effective is that they nearly always get read by the people who receive them. The reason for this is that postcards are "ready to read" once people receive them. There are no envelopes to open or any other covering to open up.

Another advantage of postcards is that they are likely to be passed on from one person to another, depending on how attractive and appealing they can be. This can help add up to the number of people they can reach the more they are being passed on from one person to another. As a direct marketing approach, postcards can also be used to target the market segment that a business would want to focus in, be it in terms of geographical reach or by age bracket.

Postcard marketing is an effective way to help bring out better results for your business. The way they offer to get your point across in the business and marketing sense can be considered to valuable to pass up. It is something that your business should be considering when you are trying to plan your own marketing efforts for your business.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Things to Consider for a Postcard Marketing Campaign

Just like in typical marketing initiatives, there is a need to do ample and appropriate research before you launch any postcard marketing campaign. While the strategy is proven effective and truly bringing about desired results, there is a need to make sure you are well informed and necessary preparations are in place before the campaign. Otherwise, the whole activity and initiative would only fall into futility and uselessness. Take note that no marketing strategy would ever work without preparation and proper planning.

Before you embark on any marketing campaign using postcards, it would be best if you would consider looking at three major aspects, namely, mailing list, headline, and message. Contrary to common beliefs and perceptions, this marketing technique is not all about the artistic side of producing postcards. There are obviously many other factors and aspects that are more important than producing an aesthetic and colorful postcard alone.

Begin by using an appropriate mailing list

Before you launch the campaign or even before you produce the postcard, you should determine the target market. Who are you intending to send out the postcards to? Be honest in assessing and determining the market segment that is most likely to appreciate the products and services your business offers. After knowing the target market, you should also strive to determine the best and most effective way to teach those people.

Do you have mailing addresses? If you do, how sure are you that the contacts in the mailing address are all part of your target market? If not, you should spend time and effort making that list or buying a good list from businesses that currently sell such. It may not be practical to send out postcards that could not provide you results you are expecting.

Create an effective and curious headline

In this regard, postcard marketing could be compared to traditional advertising and copywriting. Good marketing postcards are those that are containing strong headlines. A headline is the initial thing that a recipient would read. In just a few seconds, the use of headline could determine whether the marketing campaign has been effective or otherwise. When writing headlines for postcards, stick to the catchy phrases. As much as possible, prevent using headlines that are too long or too vague. Be specific and clear in catching consumers’ attention and interest. The use of strong words is essential in this regard.

Make sure the message is clear and persuasive

The postcard marketing campaign should call to action. Whether you want consumers to buy your products and services or you want them to support your business initiative, it is important that you state your message and intention very clearly. Specify what it is you want the recipient of the postcard to do. Be clear when stating the potential benefits and advantages you offer consumers.

It is always effective and persuasive to include in the message reasons why consumers should heed your call to action. Not all recipients of the postcard could read and interpret your message accurately, so do not be vague and unspecific.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Success With Postcard Marketing

Success in postcard marketing can be achieved with having the right plans in place. Just like any other marketing efforts, postcard marketing also requires having a plan of action in place. Despite this marketing method considered as easy and simple, it would still require having a plan in place to become effective. The plan would ensure that you get what you wish to achieve with postcard marketing.

Establish Goals And Objectives

One way to plan your postcard marketing efforts is to establish your marketing goals and objectives. One way to do this is to gather around people who will make up your marketing team. You should try to define what you wish to achieve in your postcard marketing efforts. The more specific you can be with your objectives, the more effective your marketing efforts would become.

It is also important that the objectives be as realistic as possible. In order to do this, you should have a good idea of what postcards can do for marketers and then establish the goals within what this marketing method can do and avoid going beyond it. Try to make sure that the objectives set should be based on some form of response from customers and people that they are being addressed to.

Other Considerations

In order to ensure the success of your postcard marketing efforts, you should consider whether you have the means to mount the campaign all by yourself or you might require some help. For example, postcard design is an important aspect of this direct marketing method. If you think that you may not have the means or the skills to effectively design your planned postcard, you might consider handing this part of the work to a more able postcard designer or printer.

If you are just about to try out postcard marketing for your business, you might want to seek help so that you do not have to start your marketing efforts right from scratch. You can contact a friend or a business colleague who already have mounted a successful postcard marketing campaign in the past. You can ask for recommendations and valuable suggestions on how you may be able to mount a postcard marketing campaign successfully for your own business.

Target Audience

Another important thing to consider when mounting a successful postcard marketing campaign is determining the target audience you wish to reach out to. Identifying your target audience can help you effectively design and create a postcard with good results. This will help you determine the wants and needs of your audience more effectively. In doing so, you may also be able to get the right message across through your postcard marketing campaign.

Getting your postcard marketing campaign to succeed depends on how you try to plan and develop the different steps fro start to finish. The plan that you put in place will help ensure that you mount a more effective postcard marketing campaign that will give you the results that you wish for.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Ideas for Postcard Marketing

Postcard marketing is a relatively old yet still effective means to reach out to your customers as well as potential markets. It is considered as a direct marketing method as it is used to directly reach out to people who would help in increasing your business profits. Knowing how to effectively conduct your postcard marketing campaign may greatly help improve your business bottom line.

There are different strategies that can be employed to undertake your postcard marketing campaign. But if ever they are effective for your business still remains to be tired out. The reason for this is because these different strategies don't always work for certain businesses. And also, there are certain trends that may develop over certain times that will help determine if the type of postcard marketing that you conduct would be effective or not.

Although there are different ways in which you can conduct your postcard marketing campaign, there are certain things that prove to be common in all or most of them. And there are things that you can always improve to make them effective. Here are some of the postcard marketing ideas that you can try out to make your campaign effective enough to gain some response from your target audience.

Having Big Ideas Work

In order to garner some response, postcard marketing campaigns might need a big idea that appeal to your audience. You can use a good offer to elicit some response from them. This will easily help to motivate people to respond. Find out a certain idea that you can use for your postcard that you yourself would really be interested at. It may not necessarily concern how pretty you design will be. As long as you have a big and interesting idea to work with, you would be okay depending on how you develop it.

Make Words Count

One way to make your postcard marketing campaign successful is by making the words you put in them count. Postcards are just small enough usually to hold a limited number of words. It is important that you try to choose carefully the words that you put in them to effectively get your point across. This also includes the headlines that you use. Bear in mind that a passing glance is the opportunity that you should take advantage of. Your postcard should be able to catch their attention even though a glance from them would only take a couple of seconds. That is why your words on the postcards along with good design count a lot.

No matter how many postcard marketing methods there may be, the only way to truly know if they work is by trying them yourself. You may try to get suggestions from other people you know who may have already tried them. But ultimately, it is how you would modify certain strategies that would work to cater to your own needs and that of your target audience. Only then can you be sure enough that your own postcard marketing ideas would work effectively for your business.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Exciting New Innovations in Postcard Marketing

Your best edge in your postcard venture would have to be your application of new innovations in postcard marketing, especially one that would tend to be more competitive and attractive in the market.

The advent of advanced technologies like web advertising, e-mail or other high-tech marketing methods are just some of the most common pitches in the market these days.

Many entrepreneurs nowadays, aside from applied technologies, are also simply seeking an easy –to –implement, low -cost sales tool and aren’t just limited to the latest technology fad.

Even for the technologically- challenged, old-fashioned postcard marketing is still a good option.

Much to many’s surprise, technology companies love postcard marketing since it is the most cost effective and efficient way to promote their products and services.

One globally renowned software company recommends postcard marketing to its accounting firm clients primarily for these simple and practical, yet logical reasons:

Postcards are less disruptive and intrusive than e-mail, since many consider email spamming as an inconvenient way to get unsolicited information. Postcards also enjoy less competition.

It’s easier to read a postcard at a glance than to open an envelope
Unlike e-mail, postcards can take on any size, color, gloss or graphic and is even more personal and tangible than email communication.

Another good and practical reason for resorting to postcards is that you can create, print and mail postcards without a big investment.

Innovation and creativity are basically two of the most basic components for postcard makers to make its niche in the postcard industry.
Here are some more reasons why postcards continue to enjoy a good share of the market.

Postcards are eye-catchers. Postcards do not have to be an artwork, but it would surely help if it is a bit attractive and creative, as well as adding a high quality photo, art or computer generated image can also help.

Postcards are simple. This is so because it does not have a lot to it. Messages are timely, ideas straight to the point and messages brief and concise.

Postcards are practical. This is practically so because you can use both sides of the postcard, although not every inch. You may use side like a poster or a picture display and the other for a few details. Or simply put an advertisement on one side and a personal message on the other, whichever suits you best.

Postcards are multi- faceted since it can double as a gift certificate, coupon and event ticket, among others. Recipients can then present the card to claim an offer or avail of a good discount as well as a good tool to measure effectiveness.

Lastly, you have the liberty to design and create your own postcards. One of the best and most effective ways to make your postcard more effective is not only coming up with good designs and creative lay-outs, but also establishing a feedback mechanism where you could also adjust the product based on customer feedback.

Nowadays, making the most out of your postcard business by taking all the necessary steps to enhance and improve your marketing potential and this is indeed highly possible by adopting new innovations in postcard marketing.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

How To Make Your Postcard Marketing A Real Success

Since it is one of the easiest and one of the most lucrative ventures today, postcard ventures are indeed today’s few competitive markets today and how to make your postcard marketing campaign a success can be determined by how much time and effort you put into it.

Nowadays, people always look for and embrace alternative ways to add a few bucks with the rising cost of basic and prime commodities and some people have actually seen good business with postcard marketing.

Whether you are a computer savvy technician, lay-out artist or a writer, some people have actually taken advantage of the potential money-making capacity of the postcard industry as an alternative source of income.

Looking back from the past, man always has the insatiable need to communicate, whether it be the standard norm of talking to another person, writing a personal and intimate letter or through long distances with the use of the telephone, communication will continue to be a part of every day living.

For a period of time, with the advent of analog communication systems like the telegraph and telephone systems led the way in innovating and speeding up communication and making the world a smaller place.

At the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, newspapers became common carriers of information, but even with telegraph lines and messages, the most popular means of communication was still letter writing.

This was until the postcard came along and was first introduced in the 1870’s as a promotional advertisement primarily aimed at businesses.

This became very popular with the public and several publishing and printing companies adopted the process by coming up with laid out sheets of paper advertising business and leaving blank spaces with which people can write notes or short messages as they continue to pass it around or even mail the postcards to friends and family.

A few years after it has been introduced, the United States Congress passed a legislation allowing people to write notes on the postcards.

This further caught on with the public and demand for more postcards, steadily rose with publishing and printing companies surprisingly striving to meet up with public demand,

From an initial demand of 770 million postcards printed on that first year, the popularity of this innovative print media resulted to a breakthrough production of 1 billion two years after.

The fad kept on growing and by 1909 the leading printing firm Illustrated Postcard Company churned out a staggering 3 million printed postcards everyday.

By this time, people thought of a variety of ways other than postcards being just a means of communication.

Presently, postcard marketing has become one of the low-cost, yet surprisingly one of the most effective marketing campaigns effective today, mainly because it’s utilization of minimal resources for maximum effect has served to attract a large share of the consumer market.

There are basically several simple rules on how to make your postcard marketing campaign a success and these includes the basic tools for marketing almost anything under the sun and those are planning, organizing, directing, control for the decision-making process of production lines, pricing, promotion and servicing.

Just make good use of those tolls and for sure, you will know how to make your postcard marketing campaign a success.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Good Business Practise with Postcard Marketing

People nowadays are always looking for alternative ways to add a few bucks due to the rising cost of basic and prime commodities and some people have actually seen good business with postcard marketing.

Whether you are a computer graphics geek, lay-out artist or a writer, some people have actually taken advantage of the potential money-making capacity of the postcard industry as an alternative income source.

But did you ever know that the creation of the first postcard immediately became an instant hit and actually became a fad at the turn of the 20th century?

Historically, man always has the insatiable need to communicate, whether it be the standard norm of interacting face to face, by written communication or through long distances with the use of the telephone.

Its predecessor- the letter – transcended time since even in olden times, letter writing was the primary means of communication over long distances.

For a period of time, with the advent of analog systems for communication, telegraph messages and telephone communication led the way in innovating and speeding up communication and making the world a smaller place.

But as the years go by, more advancements are introduced and the fastest way to get a message from one point to the other would be the best option, still, written letters remain to be the most dominant communication media.

Varied forms of media were introduced, with newspapers leading the way as the primary source of communication by bringing information to the people.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, newspapers became common carriers of information, but even with telegraph lines and messages, the most popular means of communication was still letter writing.

Then came the postcard.

Postcards were first introduced in the 1870’s as a promotional advertisement primarily aimed at businesses as sort of a media campaign, especially for resorts and hotels.

This became very popular with the public and several publishing and printing companies adopted the process by coming up with laid out sheets of paper advertising business and leaving blank spaces with which people can write notes or short messages as they continue to pass it around or even mail the postcards to friends and family.

Then in 1906, the Unites States Congress passed a legislation allowing messages to be written on half the blank portion at the back of the postcard, allowing people to make use of the postcard to write short letters or messages.

This led to the rising popularity of the postcard and has since then, like the letter, postcards have transcended time as a media form continually being patronized in its original form and process, with very little or no innovation at all.

Technology and the advent of the internet provided alternative means of presenting or making postcards available, but still, postcards retained its true and basic form as a communication media for short or brief messages.

Altruistically, postcard marketing is just supplementary to the reputation of the postcard itself and many people have taken advantage of this to innovate selling or promoting postcards for business.

So try to discover the possibilities and innovations to selling postcards, after all, it is a given fact that you can see good business with postcard marketing.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Getting Started With Your Postcard Marketing

Now that you have immersed yourself with your postcard venture, getting started with your postcard marketing strategy is as important as any other aspect of the business.

Your primary consideration should always be to sell your product my making it easy for your target customers to appreciate and value your product and you may do so by identifying their needs and preferences.

Generally, postcards have multiple advantages and getting to know these things will give you an edge in innovating or crafting your products.

Be it your primary product or a secondary tool to increase value of another product, your postcards can be a good tool for your marketing strategy.

Here are some good suggestions to ponder on which could help boost the potential of your products,

It can be incorporated as a type of order slip for a magazine or publication subscription. Be it a newsletter or journals, reason being that the small size of the postcard can surely provide an eye -catching printed card that one can easily differentiate from the primary product.

The postcard can also function as coupons or promotional material that can be easily handed out and secured well either in a small bag, shirt or pants pocket.

On the other hand, you can also increase the effectiveness of your postcards, especially when you want to innovate your postcard marketing strategy.

You can offer your postcard product with a prepaid return postage. This way, it would make it easier and more convenient for the sender to easily get a reply for the correspondence with the prepaid return postage option.

This can be arranged with your local postal office.

Similarly, this can also be done by adding a pre-addressed envelope or customized return address.

This is particularly good and practical for those who think they do not have much time to waste in responding to postcard correspondence or even go to the postal office to mail their postcard reply.

Design and make your postcard products with attractive colors, ideally, neon or pastel colors appeal to the eyes and will allow your postcards to become more attractive.

Always design and lay – out letter types or fonts using readable or large type fonts. This allows for good visibility and allows readers to easily understand or read the prints on the product.

For postcards incorporated with product promotions or with commercial purposes, placing check boxes to general questions to be filled out will make the postcard more convenient.

Another innovation that may be applied are small incentives or gifts for the recipient to allow them to patronize the product and can even help to promote your postcard products.

As a matter of information and detail for your product, you may include you mailing address, contact numbers and other basic information on the postcard to make it easy for customers to get in touch with you.

Lastly, do not just limit your designs or products to one basic lay-out, for which multiple designs help attract more people of varying preferences, as well as also to provide you with more freedom to work on innovating your products to suit specific needs of your customers.

It’s not difficult in getting started with your postcard marketing strategy, all you need to know are common and logical marketing practices, coupled with an innovative and creative eye.