I Want to Send Marketing Postcards, but How Do I Start?

Written by Brent Doyle | @brentdoyle

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. If you want to send marketing postcards but don't know where to start, follow these steps for a successful mailing.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Prepare the postcard.

A good design and compelling messaging are important.

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."

Remember to 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.

4. 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.

5. Decide on Frequency.

Be committed to sending more than one time. On average it takes up to six times to get a prospective customers attention. Many small business owners give up after one mailing if the response is lower than expected.

6. 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.