Marketing Solutions For Your Business

25 Tips for Postcard Mailing Programs

WHY SHOULD I SEND POSTCARD MAILINGS?

1. Direct mail is the best-read advertising medium, and postcards are the best-read direct mail pieces.

2. People will read your postcards even though they may throw away bulk rate letters unopened.

3. Think of your postcard as a billboard sent through the mail. One big idea. Limited copy.

4. Send postcards to welcome new move-ins to the neighborhood.

5. Send postcards to offer a birthday greeting to loyal customers.

6. Send postcards to announce a special event or grand opening to every household in your market area.

7. Send postcards to remind clients/patients to call for an annual appointment.

8. Use postcards for a two-step marketing program. The postcard generates the lead and then you can follow-up with a more extensive letter mailing, package, or phone call to offer more detail.

9. Postcards are an inexpensive way to correct your mailing list. If the address on a postcard is wrong, the postcard will be sent back with an address correction if it is sent first class.

WHAT SHOULD I PRINT ON MY POSTCARDS?

10. Customers buy confidence: Include a big (BIG!) easy-to-read guarantee and testimonials from other customers.

11. Always include a special offer for the customer when you send a postcard. You want to encourage the customer to shop with you, and

12. The most powerful word in the English language is “FREE!” Find a way to give something “free” in your offer.

13. The second most powerful word in the English language is “YOU.” The more you use the word “you,” the greater the response.

14. Colorful artwork on the card will catch the reader's attention and imagination.

15. The more response mechanisms you offer (toll-free phone number, website, e-mail, fax), the higher your rate of response.

HOW DO I USE POSTCARD MAILINGS?

16. Oversized postcards (5-1/2 X 8-1/2”) can contain more information and make a greater visual impact than regular-sized postcards (4 X 6”).

17. Test your offer. Send postcards with different offers to several samples of your mailing list. Compare the responses. Send the offer with the best response to the whole list.

18.  Sending the same offer to the same list the second time returns 50% of the first time response.

19. Postcards can be sent for inexpensive customer surveys.

20. Send postcards to your customer list on a regular basis. Loyal customers enjoy receiving special offers with value.

21. Postcard mailings allow you to track the response to your offer. Just save the cards when customers bring them in to redeem the offer, then count how many cards you received.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT POSTCARD MAILINGS?

22. Be sure your postcard design complies with postal regulations. Use an experienced company to design and mail your postcards to ensure the mailing process goes smoothly.

23. Oversized postcards can be sent bulk rate if there are at least 200 pieces in your mailing.

24. Allow at least 5 weeks to create, print and mail a custom postcard mailing. A letter mailing campaign will take you at least twice as long to prepare and mail.

25. Half your customers' names and addresses are inaccurate within three years unless updated.

Raphel Marketing postcard mailing programs offer:

• Over 20 years experience in postcard marketing with thousands of retailers.

• High-quality printing.

• No start-up costs or hidden fees. Our low per-card price includes postage, creative work, printing…everything!

• No contracts. Stay with the program as long as it works for you.

• Exclusivity of zip codes in your industry for as long as you are in our programs.

• Turn-key programs.

• Customized cards.

• Personal customer service.