Every home across America receives advertisements in the mail. Some of them are in the form of flyers, others in envelopes, and even more are on postcards. The majority of flyers get tossed aside to maybe look through for coupons later. Maybe. The envelopes are usually solid-colored with large letters claiming “Urgent” or “Last Chance” on them. In most cases, they get tossed directly into the trash can without ever even being opened. But what about the postcards?

Sure, people tend to throw out some postcard advertisements that they receive, but most of the time, it’s not before they’ve read the offer first. Why? No envelope to open. No pages to flip through. Oftentimes, postcards are read on the walk back from the mailbox to the house.

One of the largest benefits between postcard promotion and other mailing options is that there is no barrier between your message and your recipient. Your potential customer actually sees your product or service and can make a valid decision on whether or not they are interested.

It is essential that your message is persuasive, attention-grabbing, visually-appealing, with relevant copywriting. But there’s more that needs to be addressed when creating a successful Postcard Marketing strategy.

Why Postcard Marketing?

As with any Marketing campaign, you will have some people who do not read your content and some who do, but are not interested in what you are offering. It’s just how it is. However, postcards are inexpensive, making it a worthwhile promotion, even if you only manage a one or two percent response rate. However, you can increase your response rate, and therefore, your return on investment (ROI) if you consider the following tips.

Target Your Audience

Do not randomly mail postcards, covering an entire neighborhood or city, unless you are certain that everyone in that area is part of your target audience. One situation where you might need to canvas an entire neighborhood is if you are opening a new local store or business. Take the time to do your research and determine not only a profile of your ideal customer, but who on your mailing list matches that criteria.

Your best option is to collect emails and addresses through your web site and e-zines, rather than purchasing a contact list. Request contact information with each online purchase and provide interesting information through resources and blogs where you can also collect verified, approved addresses.

Narrow down your demographic, filtering your mailing list by gender, location, income, or other variable. Don’t forget that you can (and should) send different postcards to different demographics. So if you are aiming your campaign towards 18-25 year old males, then choose a trendy design with masculine colors. If you are sending to a 40-60 year old affluent market, select a more classic design with a sophisticated style.

Attract Attention

The design on your postcard should attract the attention of your target group. It should have bright colors, an intriguing image, and inviting text. Don’t forget to include your logo – or even your logo with a new twist to catch the eye of the recipient. The first job of your postcard’s appearance is the get people to pause and read it. If you just have a white card with black text, people are more likely to just toss it into the trash without even giving it a second thought.

Use Both Sides

Since you won’t be sure which side of your postcard will be viewed first, it’s best that both sides are full-color, vivid, and contain a call to action. Both sides of your postcard marketing piece should attract the attention of your recipients to minimize the chances of them throwing the postcard away without even reading it.

Make It Useful

People are less likely to toss your postcard if it is useful to them in some way. For instance, if it contains a coupon, people are more likely to view it as a piece of currency and keep it, even if they don’t intend on using it right away. They see the worth in it. The postcard is less like an advertisement and more valuable than a piece of trash if it offers a percentage off a purchase.

Some companies make their postcard magnetic, particularly if it contains valuable information, such as an event’s details or even a restaurant’s menu. This encourages people to save the postcard, placing it on their fridge for future reference.

Use A Different Size

You can also make your postcard stand out from the competition by using a different size, an aqueous coating, a satin finish, painted edges, or even luster cards. Choosing something out of the ordinary may cost a little more, but the return-on-investment on higher-quality cards is often greater.

Keep To Your Brand

Don’t stray too far from your tried and true brand. You are reaching out to potential new clients, so you should stick with the same style that is used in your web site and other marketing materials. Otherwise they may accept the design and style of your postcard, only to be derailed at the sight of your website, if they don’t match. Keep all of your advertising, including a postcard design, consistent with your brand.

Utilize Online Resources

No marketing piece stands alone. Your business cards should have your email address. Your website should link to your social media accounts. So reference your blog or use a hashtag or connect in some way with your online resources. You don’t want your recipients to begin their research from scratch upon receiving your postcard. Tell them where to find more information.

Postcard Marketing For The Win

Some companies are relying solely on electronic and digital marketing methods: email, e-zines, social media accounts. However, these organizations are missing out on the benefits of a marketing piece that you can touch and hold. Online postcard printing prices are incredibly reasonable, even for organizations on a tight budget. When using a vivid image alongside an engaging call to action, your targeted postcard campaign should be a success. Give the recipient something worth looking at and even provide something useful like a magnet or coupon and your postcard will be less likely to be thrown out with the trash.

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