Postcard Marketing Is Inexpensive And Effective

By Deborah Sullivan


It is not unusual for people starting businesses to worry about money and count every penny. They sometimes try to cut costs on advertising expenses, but this is always a mistake. A professional website is essential, and if your market is local, you will also need a way to contact potential customers on a personal level. Postcard marketing is relatively cheap and extremely effective, if done correctly.

For one thing, postcards are inexpensive to print and mail. Even over sized cards are still economical tools that can be extremely effective, if you have a good mailing list. You may not be able to afford a multiple page glossy brochure advertising your business, but you could interest your clientele with eye-catching postcards and bullet points describing your product or service.

When your budget is tight, you have to get creative. If you use your imagination, you can put that box of extra cards to work for you. They make good business cards left at cash registers in local stores. Punching a hole in one corner will create a hang tag. If your cards are advertising special discounts, handing them out at community events is even cheaper than mailing them.

Since they are so cheap to print and mail, they are great for test marketing. You can start out targeting a small audience to see how they respond. If the response is positive, you can expand your target area to get more customers into your shop or calling you with questions. Not every marketing campaign will be a success. When you do something that doesn't turn out the way you hoped, at least you won't have spent a fortune on the marketing materials.

When you have a great advertising idea, you want to keep the particulars out of the hands of your competition for as long as possible. If you do an initial mailing before putting your promotion online or in the newspapers, you will get ahead of your competitors. You can learn a lot from what they are doing. They will certainly keep tabs on your success.

Advertising is a long term investment. You can't expect to send out something one time and sit back and rest. Keeping your name and information in the public eye demands consistent and determined effort. It will take time before you begin to develop an effective brand.

Since postcards don't take up much room, potential customers are more likely to keep them, especially if you are offering a discount when they present them at the time of a purchase. They will also keep them if you have a code to enter on your website for a drawing or special limited time offer. Everybody loves a deal, and the cards are a great way to present yours to the general public.

Even businesses based on great ideas fail. This can happen for a lot reasons, but a main one is lack of marketing expertise. In order to succeed, the buying public has to know what you have to offer. Sometimes the simplest mailers make the most impact with target audiences.




About the Author: