| If you're worried about your marketing message | | | | or a very high cost up front will lower the number of |
| getting lost in a deluge of e-mail or stuck in a spam | | | | responses you get. |
| filter, try a postcard instead. It won't get filtered out, | | | | Use a Call to Action |
| and your message gets directly to your prospect. In | | | | Don't forget the call to action (call now, visit this |
| fact, a marketer at a Web domain registration | | | | Web address). Make it as easy as possible to |
| company recently told me they're moving towards | | | | respond. Put the phone number in bold type and use |
| using more postal marketing, because their electronic | | | | a Web address that's easy to type. Long, |
| messages are being overlooked. | | | | complicated URLs will discourage response. |
| As with any mailing, electronic or postal, you need to: | | | | Save Money on Printing and Postage |
| Write A Great Headline | | | | Use an online printer/mail service such as or The |
| You have only a few seconds to get your prospects' | | | | cards are full-color, and come in a variety of sizes. |
| attention when they sort through the mail. Keep it | | | | Your order will be "ganged up" (meaning that it is run |
| simple, focused on a benefit, and easy to read. | | | | at the same time as other mailers' postcards). You'll |
| Choose An Eye-Catching Image | | | | save money, even if your order is small, because a |
| Select one that shows your product being used, or | | | | large part of the cost of printing is in the initial setup, |
| the advantages of using it (such as a cell phone that | | | | getting the job ready to print, rather than the actual |
| gets a signal in the middle of a cornfield). It should | | | | printing process itself, so you will benefit from |
| match the headline and engage your audience. | | | | volume discounts. |
| Keep It Simple | | | | In addition, large postcard mailings are eligible for |
| Focus on a single big idea. Have a big headline, then | | | | discounts from the post office. Since your mailing will |
| one or two sentences or three or four bullet points | | | | be combined with mailings being processed for |
| pointing out the three key benefits your prospects | | | | hundreds of other businesses, you will get the |
| will want to get right away. | | | | benefit of those discounts. The current rate for a |
| You may not get a direct sale from a postcard, | | | | single postcard is 27 cents, but you can pay as little |
| particularly if your product or service is expensive, | | | | as 20 cents (a savings of 35%!). |
| but they're a great way to generate leads, tell | | | | Track Your Responses |
| current customers about special sales, or offer a free | | | | Use a unique code, telephone extension, or other |
| report or consultation. | | | | identifier on each mailing you send out. This way, you |
| Balance Commitment and Appeal | | | | can tell which mailings (and which mailing list) are |
| An offer that's very appealing (free gas for five | | | | generating the highest responses, and which ones |
| years!) will get a lot of responses, but the people | | | | aren't working so well. Once you have that |
| who do so may be more interested in the gas than | | | | information, you can mail again to the "good" lists and |
| your product. On the other hand, an offer that | | | | avoid the "bad" ones. |
| requires a lot of steps, such as a long form to fill out, | | | | |