Three New Direct-Mail Postcard Tricks

Direct-mail postcards are perhaps the most effective marketing devices you can deploy, not only because they are so affordable but because they have proven time and again to be so effective at generating response. Run a quick search online and you'll find tons of direct-mail postcard tips, mostly focusing on getting the right mailing list, introducing an incredible offer and wrapping it all in a compelling creative design. This is all excellent advice, and necessary to achieve direct-mail postcard success. For more ideas on how you can boost your return on investment and pump up your profits, read on to learn three new direct-mail postcard tricks.

1. Keep it simple

Postcards are relatively small by nature, so it is a good idea to keep your direct-mail postcard copy short, sweet and to the point – and compelling. Use action words to guide your customers through your postcard copy, which would rarely have reason to be longer than 100 words. In fact, many of the most successful direct-mail postcards ever mailed have contained fewer than 20 words. Thus, never say in 10 words what you can say in one. Remember that many customers are visually motivated, and that your offer will stand for itself – thus, your design and copy should be easy to read quickly, simple so as not to confuse, friendly, and poignant for your target customer base. Get too wordy, and you'll lose them, so only say what needs to be said to motivate response. 2. Sell a benefit, not a product

One mistake many marketers make is that they expend all of their creative energy trying to sell a product, when in fact nobody wants to buy a product – your customers want to purchase a benefit. Know what that benefit is (yes, stick to one for each postcard mailing), and coordinate your postcard offer and design, and demonstrate why you can provide said benefit and how your customers can get it. Typically, a discount is not considered a benefit – it is an incentive to buy within a limited time, sure, but it only works when your customer wants to make purchase already anyway. Your benefit should focus on meeting a need or fulfilling a desire that your customers share. Thus, your postcard should sell that benefit, and not the product itself.

3. Print green postcards

Today's customers are well-informed regarding environmental issues and often make purchases based on a company's perceived eco-friendliness. To comply with customer demand (and go green yourself), you should print green postcards. A 13-point matte  recycled postcard is the perfect choice as it cuts down on new tree use and allows you to proudly place a logo or emblem on your postcard that notes your commitment to green business. This, in turn, can lead to dedicated business from customers who share your passion for saving the planet. Going green with direct-mail postcards takes minimal investment and can yield a huge return, especially if you service an industry or geographic area where an eco-friendly lifestyle is not only embraced, it is expected.