Postcards: Marketing's Secret Weapon

These days, you cannot have a marketing conversation without the term "online marketing" taking center stage. Online marketing is a great promotional vehicle for businesses, but it isn't the only way to market. Many entrepreneurs are simply seeking a low-cost, easy-to-implement, "tech-less" way to reach out to their customers. Well, the answer lies in postcard marketing. Even large technology companies like postcard marketing. Intuit, which makes accounting software, recommends postcard marketing to its accounting firm clients.

Why?

Postcards can be an irresistible way to get someone's attention. Postcards can:

Generate sales leads

Promote special offers or coupons

Introduce a new product or service

Keep in touch with existing customers

Drive traffic to a website

Postcards are an easy read

Almost all postcards are read and the reason is simple: Unlike mail that's sent in envelopes, nothing has to be opened in order for the recipient to read the message. With traditional direct mail, people often look at just the envelope and decide they are not interested. And just like that, you've lost the opportunity to connect with that person.

A postcard is already "opened," ready to read, and, at the very least, the message will be seen by the recipient. It offers you at least 15 seconds to capture someone's attention.

You can create, print and mail postcards without a big investment of either time or money. Lots of companies such as PsPrint offer free design templates, or you could have a talented friend design a card for you. Printing is very inexpensive and can take as little as a day. Plus, bulk mailing is available for quantities more than 500, helping to keep the overhead costs low while benefiting from this marketing strategy.

The ingredients for a successful postcard campaign include:

Colorful. Make sure your postcard is attractive. Add a high-quality photo or other image. Children and animals are the most eye-catching according to the direct-mail experts at USPS.

Concise. Simple bold headlines work best. "Spring Fashions Are In" or "Buy one book, second is free" capture attention and get your prospect thinking of their need for your products or services.

Timely. Messages such as "50 percent off this weekend only" or "Your contract is about to expire" work as a call to action.

Utilize both sides. Consider treating the front like a poster and the back to provide a few details. Make sure you leave the proper room needed for addressing and other post office regulations.

Staying power. Have you postcard serve as a coupon or gift certificate. You want to present information in a manner that makes the recipient want to hang on the postcard.

Marketing your small business does not have to be expensive — just effective. A direct-mail postcard marketing campaign could be exactly what you need to help jump start your sales in 2009.