Creating a Better Postcard

Like inventors searching for a better mousetrap, designers and marketers have employed various strategies to create a better postcard for years. The following four postcard principles will have you creating a better postcard in no time:

Better printing materials

In order for your postcard to get attention, you need to use better printing materials than the next guy. Choose a thick, 16-point gloss cover stock or a recycled 13-point cover stock for a hearty postcard that speaks volumes about your firm. You can go green and impress your clients at the same time with the fact that you've sent a superior postcard. Sales decisions are emotional and logical. The overall feeling of your postcard does as much for the final sale as your design.

Use appropriate fonts

A professional copywriter can fine-tune your message and prime your text to sell. A designer can enhance that message through graphic elements that funnel readers' eyes to your most important benefits, offer and call to action. Unless you're already a very good copywriter or designer, it pays to invest in these services because you'll ultimately realize a much higher return rate from your postcard direct-mail campaigns.

Highlight benefits and call to action

Beyond conveying your offer clearly, you will need to highlight the benefits of your product or service. Use bullet points or a custom font to make all the benefits stand out from the rest of the print on the page. Something as simple as a double strike through the first letter of a sentence can help stress a point. Coupled with a great mailing list, nothing will do more for your campaign than to piggyback a great offer on your postcard. Your offer should be valuable to your customers - give something away for free, offer an extended service or warranty, or develop a discount program that will have your customers salivating like Pavlov's dogs. Follow up with a commanding call to action to motivate response.

Make it big

Oversized postcards such as the 6-inch by 9-inch or 6-inch by 11-inch postcards available at PsPrint have a huge impact in the mailbox. In fact, oversized postcards will overshadow just about any other marketing material, so you're sure to get a look by printing large postcards. Now, drive the point home with other elements!

Use the back and add value

Most postal employees deliver postcards backside-up, because that's where the address label is. Since the first thing your customers see is the back of your postcard, why leave that valuable real estate barren and blank? You can use this area to introduce your offer, compel customers to turn your postcard over or add value through some other means. Creating a better postcard isn't difficult when you know what elements truly help a postcard stand out from the rest of the pack. Armed with this information, you'll be poised for profit from your next direct-mail postcard marketing campaign.