I Want to Send Marketing Postcards - How to Start
Written by Brent Doyle | @brentdoyle
Beginner
Mailing postcards works. It has always worked and is becoming more effective than email for millennials according to a recent Direct Marketing Association (DMA) study.
Follow these steps for a successful mailing.
Give some thought to your objectives.
This will help answer the next steps in the process. Common objectives include:
- Launching a new business or service.
- Maintaining customer relationships or generating new inquiries via special offers.
Decide who you want to send it to.
- Consider renting a mailing list. You can get a list of households based on demographics such as age, gender, income and geographic location.
- If sending to every home in the neighborhood around your business is the best option, the USPS - Every Door Direct Mail® program is ideal for you.
Prepare the postcard.
- Craft a compelling message - Determine exactly what you are going to offer to get them to take action. Remember, effective messages underscore benefits to the person rather than product features. David Ogilvy famously said "The headline is 80% - when you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar".
- Include a "Call to Action" - It has to be compelling and clearly tell the recipient what you want them to do. Be sure to repeat it more than once.
- Good design is important.
Get ready for the response.
- Decide how you will handle the response. Order extra of your popular items and let your staff know to expect extra traffic or calls.
Frequency.
- Be committed to sending more than one time. On average it takes up to 6 times to get a prospective customers attention. Many small business owners give up after one mailing if the response is lower than expected.
Test, test, test.
- Try a different headline, tweak your offer, or try various postcard designs for each mailing. Experiment with them to determine which work best.
Other helpful resources
Getting Started - our list of resources to help you send better postcards
5 Absolutely Essential Elements of a Great Postcard
Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®) - learn more
Targeted Mail - learn more
