After working with many clients using direct mail postcard marketing, a few things really stood out. I've seen which postcard strategies work the best, and which ones should be avoided. And I'd like to share a little of that with you right now.
Keep in mind, however, that the only way to truly validate a direct mail strategy is by trying it for yourself. While the following strategies have worked well for other postcard marketers, that doesn't mean they'll be equally successful for you. But there's not harm in testing them for yourself!
Start with the OFFER
A pretty postcard will not motivate anyone to contact you. A good offer will motivate people to respond. A solid promise of value will motivate people to respond. So before you worry about the wording or the design of your direct mail postcard, focus on the OFFER. What's the whole point behind your direct mail postcards? What's the offer, incentive or idea that's going to make people say, "Wow, I definitely want to learn more about that!"
Invest in your mailing list
Now that you have the OFFER for your direct mail postcards, you'll need to match it to the right group of people. In reality, you should already have a profile in mind of your ideal customers. But you'll need a direct mail list that matches your ideal audience profile as closely as possible.
Don't skimp on this step. An in-house list of qualified prospects is usually the best way to go. If you have been diligent in your past marketing efforts, you should have yourself a nice list. If you don't have one, call in the experts. Use a professional data company or a highly regarded list broker to assist you.
Killer Headline
Direct mail postcards have only a brief moment to capture the reader's attention - the moment when your postcard comes out of the mailbox. You either get their attention - or you don't. A KILLER HEADLINE goes a long way in helping you make the most of that brief moment. So rewrite your headline as many times as needed until it is easy to read at first glance, interesting, and suggests value.
Images Talk
Direct mail postcards have limited space, so in most cases, you should only have one dominant image on the non-address side of the postcard. The image needs to TALK. Don't choose an image just because you think it's cool or pretty. The image needs to be eye-catching, but it also needs to support the headline and vice verse. Together, they must attract the reader.
One Idea per Postcard
Again, due to limited space on a postcard, your message should be limited to ONE topic (product, idea, service).
By limiting each direct mail postcard to one product, service, idea or topic, you can clearly define your offer which in turn will increase your response. You could itemise the primary benefits, provide testimonial, make a strong offer. Save the multi-topic sales pitch for your brochures and website.
Keep it Clear and Easy
I've been in design and marketing for years and I've read a lot of marketing pitches that I simply did not understand. This is usually because the writer assumes you know what he/she is talking about. Don't ever assume that people will understand your product or service as well as you, because they won't. For this reason, your message has to be crystal clear and easy to understand THE FIRST TIME. If people don't get it the first time around, they won't give you another chance.
Tell the Reader what to do
This is the culmination of the direct mail postcard's message. It's what the entire postcard leads up to. It tells the reader what he or she should do next in order to learn more or take action.
It's critical that the call to action is clear, simple and realistic. Give them toll-free number to call, or a simple web address to type. Be realistic - people will not jump through hoops for you.
Balancing Act
The more you ask of people, the more you must be willing to give them in return, eg. if you're asking people to go online and fill out a lengthy form, you'll need to offer a strong incentive. You have to be realistic to strike a balance.
Track and measure your postcard success ... constantly
Eugene Schwartz, the author of Breakthrough Advertising, stated that "there are no answers in direct mail except test answers." What he means is ..... You can use a direct mail postcard strategy that works well for someone else, but it doesn't work for you. On the other hand, it could be a huge success. You won't know until you try it and measure the results.
Think of it this way. Using the best practices of direct mail postcard marketing will put you ahead of 75% of your competition. Testing can help you surpass the other 25%.
Here's the good news. Testing direct mail postcards is relatively easy. If you send 5,000 direct mail postcards out and get 250 phone calls about that postcard, you've just measured a 5% return on your investment.
Conclusion
Direct mail postcards have proven successful for a wide variety of company's selling an even wider range of products and services. The versatility of postcards allows them to be adjusted for almost any marketing purpose. But as with any other form of marketing, direct mail postcards have their own set of best practices. We hope this article has opened your eyes to some of those practices and wish you the best in your direct mail marketing.
Want more info ..... 7 ways to create killer headlines |
