Postcard Marketing: An Inexpensive Communication Tool
Continuous communication is an important part of keeping your
small business at the top of your customer's minds. Your
marketing plan should contain various types of customer
communication--one inexpensive type is postcard marketing.
Postcards are excellent communication tools for many reasons:
they're always opened; they visually reinforce your brand even
if they're not 'read'; and they're inexpensive.
Postcards can be used to announce specials or events. They can
also contain coupons or announce new services. Whatever their
message, it should be focused, to the point and benefit
heavy--don't just send a postcard, or any communication for that
matter, for the sake of sending something. ALL communication
should share a benefit to the customer.
On the 'cover' of the postcard, I recommend incorporating your
logo and other images that reinforce your brand, as well as a
strong headline. Make sure it's something that will catch so
your customers look at it more carefully. Remember, even if they
don't read it, they are still getting a visual message from you
and you want it to be instantly recognizable.
On the message side of the postcard, be brief and to the point,
and again, make sure there IS a point. Sending communication to
clients without a clear purpose is essentially worse then junk
mail. It sends a message that your small business is unfocused
and irresponsible with it' use of customer personal information.
That being said, you could probably get a way with it a couple
of times and be forgiven, but keep it up and customers will
association your small business with pointless junk mail. So,
make sure that all your communication, including your postcard,
has a purpose that benefits the customer and that it tells the
customer exactly what that benefit is.
Putting together a postcard is a fairly simple process. Graphic
Designers are very reasonable and there are online printing
services or local printers who can help your small business out
as well. If your looking for an inexpensive and effective way to
market your products and/or services, make sure that when you
sit down to put together your marketing plan for the year, you
incorporate postcard marketing.
About the author:
Kelly Biedny is the owner of Kleobell Creative Business
(www.kleobell.com). Her areas of expertise include
branding/image development, marketing communication, web
development and project management.
For more valuable information on helping your small business
become THE source of products or services for your customers,
check out Kleobell's Resource
Library.
Written By: Kelly Biedny