Anatomy of a Successful Postcard

Direct-mail postcard marketing is one of the most powerful ways to promote your business directly to your target audience. When you print postcards, cost efficiency coupled with excellent response rates equal a superb return on investment. The best postcards share five key traits, each an important step in the motivational process. Read on to learn the anatomy of a successful postcard.

Attention-getting headline

As marketing materials go, postcards are relatively small but make a big impression, especially when you lead off with an incredible headline. There are different techniques for piquing interest with a headline, but each has the same goal: To draw the reader in. A good headline can tell your customers how you can make their life easier or better; it can scare your readers into reading more; or it can reveal an amazing offer that simply can't be refused. In most cases, postcard headlines should be big so they're easy to read and noticed as soon as they're pulled from the mailbox. You should also consider printing a headline or headline/offer combination on the back of your postcard. Remember that most postal workers will deliver mail address side up, so starting your pitch here can increase your response rate.

Features and benefits

Great postcards detail the features and benefits of a product or service. Features are something a product has, such as a titanium bicycle frame; and benefits are how that feature helps your customers, such as a bike that won't break even in the toughest terrain. Since space is limited, you can list features and benefits as bullet points, or you can alternatively focus on one key feature and benefit combination relayed in a single sentence.

Amazing offer and call to action

No matter what your product or service is, if you can put an amazing offer in front of your target audience you'll make money. Your postcard design should put your offer front and center - it can even be part of your headline. Limited-time offers and a powerful call to action motivate instant response so your customers don't have time to forget about your postcard.

Well-defined mailing list

Your mailing list might not be a physical part of your postcard, but if you don't have one your postcard will go nowhere. Use the tools at PsPrint to develop a highly targeted mailing list so you're mailing only to your demographic audience. If you're not sure who this is, identify traits your top five customers share as a start.

Quality postcard stock

Postcards are picked up, bent, caressed ... they're fodder for the hands. Professionally printed postcards not only look great, they feel great, lending an impression of prestige, stability and credibility. Have your postcards printed on ultra-thick 16-point gloss cover stock or 13-point  recycled matte cover stock for best results. Postcards are quick, easy, affordable and, best of all, they work. Every postcard might be different, but all postcards make use of the techniques for postcard success listed here. Incorporate them in your direct-mail postcards and watch your profit margins soar.