Postcard Power
 By Lee S. Shaffer

Right now, your potential customers are waiting to bring you into their homes and set aside valuable time to focus on what you have to say. When you use the mail to market your product or services, this is exactly what happens.

Every day people throughout the country look forward to receiving their mail. In fact, a U.S. Postal Service study has found that 98 percent of consumers bring in their mail the day it is delivered and 77 percent sort through it immediately.

What does this mean to you? Direct mail is a goldmine not only for attracting new prospects, but also for reaching out to current customers. Your mail gets into the hands of consumers who are eager to see what’s waiting for them in their mailboxes.

You may say you don’t have the marketing dollars to launch a pricey direct mail campaign. However, there is an effective tool you can use to tap into the direct mail goldmine on a shoestring, small-business budget – postcards. Here are five reasons you should consider using postcards to market your business.

1. Postcard Marketing Is Cheap
Postcards are a cost-effective way to reach your target audience.

You can typically produce postcards for just pennies each. And they’re less expensive to mail than other direct mail options: The current mailing rate for postcards is only 24 cents each.

Just be sure to observe postal regulations. To qualify for this rate, your mail piece must be at least 3½ x 5 inches and .007 inches thick, but no larger than 4¼ x 6 inches and .16 inches thick.

2. Postcards Grab Attention
Postcards are like small billboards. They’re quick and to the point. They get your message out fast because they’re delivered ready to read.

There is no envelope to open, no letter to remove or unfold, and postcards don’t take up a lot of space. As a result, almost everybody will read them. Even people who throw out other forms of direct mail will stop and read a postcard.

Plus, a postcard with bright colors and an exciting caption is more likely to jump out in a pile of mail than a boring black and white envelope.

3. Postcards Are Personal
Although it may be easier and cheaper to use e-mail for your marketing campaign, you may want to rethink this medium. According to the U.S. Postal Service, 67 percent of consumers feel traditional mail is more personal than the Internet. Furthermore, consumers are predisposed to receiving commercial messages in their mailbox and therefore expect it.

Advertising via e-mail is getting a bad rap these days in the name of spam. Plain and simple, your message may end up in junk folders instead of in front of your customers.

You may get better results for your advertising dollars by using snail mail. Set yourself apart from the pack and use a physical mailbox instead of a virtual one to get your message across .

4. Postcards Get Fast Results
Once you decide to use postcards to promote your business, they’re quick to produce and get working for you.

You can usually start seeing results in just a matter days. Postcards normally generate more than 90 percent of their total response rate within seven to 10 days. Ask prospects to present the card to redeem an offer and you have an even easier way to measure effectiveness.

5. Postcards Have Multiple Uses
Postcards can work in many ways and for any type of business.

Promote your Web site and increase traffic. Attract new customers or remind past customers about your product and services. Announce new products, sales, specials or upcoming events.

You can even use them as a coupon or gift certificate. The ways you can put postcards to work marketing your business are limitless. Use your creativity to take full advantage of the power of postcards.

(Posted April 2007)

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