If you get away from hi-tech, direct mail is still one of the most effective forms of advertising. It 'a cheap way to send a message to your target. Postcards have, in particular the ability to quickly attracted the attention of someone who wants you as a customer, or offer an inexpensive way to keep in touch with existing customers. Like any marketing campaign, you must consider several factors before departure.
The project
The post isGuidelines for the design and delivery postcard. If you are producing this material in-house, meeting the criteria has allowed the use of less expensive shipping. Below are the qualifications (as of this writing) by the U.S. Postal Service:
Rectangular and angle (90 degrees) angles
At least 3 inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inch thick
No more than 4 inches high x 6 inches long x 0.016-inch thick
It is more a postcard, or have foldedBenefits. For example, a real estate company takes a panoramic view properties available or a car dealer could show a fleet of cars, the last light. One of the most popular postcards measures 9-by-6-inches. And 'certainly pick up more of a No. 10 envelope and more attention, when mixed into a stack of e-mail. Of course, shipping costs will increase with the increase in size, and folded cards are first class mail. If you have any doubtsYour piece on the U.S. Postal Service has a division, to answer your questions. A print service provider or other non-professional production of the game should know the postal regulations.
Now, the burning question in response to the head of all: the horizontal or vertical? Think about the years when someone handed her / his card and was oriented vertically. Unless it is presented to you, the words could be read immediately, it was necessary to move the mapof seeing things. He did change a bit 'strange that direction? The natural habit for a business card to horizontal, the same goes for a postcard. There is nothing wrong with a postcard portrait, but people are used to read horizontally. A postcard portrait is great for the implementation of the coupon below and leave your message to stay on top, like intact for a pizza delivery service.
Next you need to determine the direction and message. ActuallyNeed two titles: An address on the side and another on the news page. The headline on the page address should elicit some sort of response that will be an invitation to be part of the map turned over the message. The title page address appears on the left side of the postcard and under your return address. You definitely get your return address on the postcard. This will help filter out bad contact information. The company logo, a stylized font or something else used for your brandCompanies can be used, as well as his. It is proposed to include your telephone number and website as well. There is a probability of 50% of the side of address when a stack of mail. You could also use that to their advantage and there are no additional printing costs. Pay attention to the placement of copies or images, not to interfere with the post-design.
The news page, the title is to communicate your message to 90%, as the tabloids at your local grocery store.This engaging read is the recipient of a reason to continue. The content of the copy should be on point and a reason for action or contact by phone, e-mail or viewing a particular website (more on that later). Strabismus is not a comfortable thing to do. The postcard is easy to end up in the trash if the font is too small to read. Graphics and images generally have a communication function better because of the limited space for copying a photoAutomatic machine for sale, house property, the Giant's Tooth for a dentist … You get the idea. I remember a picture is worth a thousand dollars (which is a paraphrase).
Here is a critical aspect of the process: Make your material more times! Do you understand? There are many stories about someone, grammatical errors, missing or incorrect telephone number, the graphics are not correct or dot-net instead of dot-com after the material has been sent. Some mistakes can cost more than others. WhatWhat happens when you're advertising a "Buy One Get One 50% Off" and nobody noticed it was missing the "buy one"? Okay, that was the case over the top, but you get the idea. Conditions, restrictions, copyright notices, and other "read the small print" items must be checked for errors and to ensure that it is actually on the piece. Try to get more people to review the material for accuracy before sending to the printer, and check again when the printer sends a test sample. You couldYou will find a previously non-gaffe or not the colors again, as once thought.
There are probably several print services in your immediate environment. Take advantage of the Internet and print research in other areas as well as some of the printing companies online.
Contact Data
Let's say your customer contact database up to date and used on a regular basis. Yay for you! It's not that the situation is the time to organize and remind your customers thatare still important to you. Yes, that's right: Your current customers will feel offended when non-customers (potential) to get some promotional price of your goods or services. If your company is not structured, then mail a postcard to your customers to think like a good relationship with the customer.
Your business website is the next convenient and simple method for collecting contact information. Enter the web visitor a reason for them all the secrets of identity, as revealed by someYou have to have an intrinsic value or real, such as joining a list of discounts, a free newsletter or access to an informative article. Just be persistent about it. Asking too much personal information to a quick turn and drive potential customers away. A "Contact" page, with a standard form is sufficient for most business models.
Some lists are available free of charge. Public acts, apartment complexes built by the number of units, or collaborate with another company, a jointList. Ask your current clients for names of people who know who is interested in your product or service to be. Among other things, the easier it is to get a list of several other groups / companies will be too.
Associations, social organizations and publications that advertises your company may let you use their list of members or subscribers. Thus an additional level of filtering to a targeted audience. In many cases, the organizationYou will be asked to provide the materials, and coordinate the dispatch, in an attempt to list them private. Some organizations allow a third party (construction), to be his campaign as part of the contract, the process of confidential list. Whether it's a fee to get a list from the policy of the company or organization.
The purchase data is a very effective means of acquiring quality leads. There are many companies that specialize inCollection and treatment of contact. This saves a few dollars for marketing, as you can target a specific audience. The list can be as simple as the name and address of the location or filtered by a detailed demographic research. The more detailed the information the higher the cost will be. Lists of the price of 15 – to 75 cents per call. If you ask to interview list on the error rate for its data. Upon check last year, 9% of poor data to the industry average.
Use therecipient's name, if you have it. Mail to "occupant" or "Resident" is a signal to throw it away immediately. Being a little 'creative if the name is not available. "Lover BBQ Hungry" to advertise a restaurant is a good way to attract attention.
Distribution
Get buy postcards, stamps, address label printing measure is decreasing and e-mail. Done! This was the simplest version. Some companies will involve the whole family in this type of production. Manyindependent contractor will be sitting at home watching TV and manage all their material. It works and can work for you.
Suppose you are planning large quantities of mail – more than 500 pieces – during routine operations. Consider the man-hours (labor costs) for the use of your employees and conduct a campaign early. Maybe you want to know what to think of a bulk mail permit to save shipping costs. It is proposed to assign one or two people to ensure that all bulk mail is sortedafter the licensing agreement with the U.S. Postal Service.
Services construction, the materials to do it for, and most use the bulk mailing permit license. Their representatives, we can share ideas and suggestions as to how often you need to send e-mail, the latest trends in direct mail strategy and coordinate the mailing with the rest of your marketing plan. Some printing companies also offer mailing services, a one-stop shop for all yourDistribution needs.
Follow-up
As with any expedition, the success rate of the campaign increased significantly, once it is set with a call to. The "call on the spot" can be used to confirm the postcard sent to the recipient, or find out if there are any questions on the message card. When it comes to a series of contacts, it might be best to retain the services of a telemarketing company or business development. A personal visit (portPalpitations) is equally effective.
Earlier in this article was proposed that a way for people to act on your message so that a particular website to visit. Specifically, because it is easier to understand why web traffic has increased and you are visiting. Make sure that the Web address (URL) is simple and clear, for example, "YourWebsite.com / postcard." People are frustrated when they do not get where they want quickly. It is not necessary to have a unique page for the campaign,Only makes it easier to keep track of responses. Remember to check the Web address and check the site as part of the verification process.
Their customer-facing staff must be prepared to answer all calls and responses. Create a system and train staff in the process. If your postcard included some type of discount to make sure that your computer or POS system has been programmed. For retailers who are looking for a specific product: the in-store presentation Think. Their the product could be displayed prominently on the front of the store. Since the client already knows the element of the postcard, a proposed strategy would be to encourage the display in another section of the store buyer to walk through to see more of your offer. Situate in capturing a stylish close to impulse purchases. For example, if you have the kitchen knife of product, situated within reach of a selection of cutting boards, knives> Spitzer, and gloves. Grocers do it all the time. If you buy your ice cream does not have to go far to find the chocolate and caramel sauce.
Results
You want a system to track each shipment. The message that there are no offers or discounts that the card was sent, when it was sent, the expected delivery date and cost of the campaign. Apart from your duty of care responsibility as a contractor, you want to know,Promotion effectiveness.
Tracking the response rate is crucial. Criteria such as having responded (because there is someone who was not on the list might be), the arrival rate of response than the offer, the offer that got their attention, and how you will contact (phone, e- mail, web hit), was the person who makes a purchase or request, and if they plan to buy. Record the number of postcards were returned to quantify the database and update your mailingList for future use.
With the information about the cost of materials and distribution compared to the reactions, you can calculate your relationship. This information will help in the design and content of future mailings.
Key figures
Percentage of contacts = Bad
Divided by the total number of returning Mailed
Response rate =
Number of responses by [Total Pieces Mailed Pieces returned less] divided
Cost per response =
Total costThe campaign and the total posts
Cost per sale =
Total cost of the campaign of the total force, they have in common a purchase
This example is a simple analysis. Depending on how many were the factors with the original data, you can immerse yourself in the information (data mining) to find other answers by a certain zip code, people in a particular age group, sex, or any other aspect of the demographic . Simple or profound, you need to knowEffectiveness, to plan the next campaign.
Postcards will be for some the best communication tool, and others do not fit their corporate structure. Without doubt, the postcards are an effective way to keep in touch with your target group, if integrated into an overall marketing strategy. Help your message fresh and your name in front of potential customers and to maintain. See if it works for you!
