Do it Right.
I receive postcards all the time. The other day I received a postcard trying to sell me a copy machine. It had tiny, tiny lettering slathered all over the front and a large portion of the back of the card.
It was extremely hard to read, so hard in fact that I threw it away.
Several days later I received a postcard with 32 words on it telling me that I could get complete information on unrestricted long distance telephone service for 5.5 cents a minute with no additional monthly fee by calling the 800 number on the card.
I did call. I got the information, had my questions answered and ordered my long distance service changed.
The company who offered me the long distance service was using a time tested 2 step selling process:
Step 1. Generate a lead - Get me to call their 800 number.
Step 2. Provide the requested information - Provided to me on the phone by one of their sales representatives, who was able to answer my questions and make me feel confident that I could save quite a bit of money on my long distance bill and that the service would be as good or better.
What's So Good About 2 Steps? It is much easier to create interest (a lead) than it is to get a person through an entire buying process (a sale).
You aren't getting the prospect or existing customer to part with any money just yet.
You can use postcards to inexpensively promote to your target prospects and customers and generate leads (inquiries about your products and services) to then be followed up on and converted to sales.
This 2 step process also helps you to create a list of people who were interested enough in what you offered to contact you.
You can then recontact the one's who you didn't complete a sale with when they first inquired, preferably until they do buy from you.
IMPORTANT: Be sure to get the information you will need to recontact the people who responded to your postcard offering.
Repetitive follow-ups with the people who contacted you will result in increased sales. Make it a company policy to follow up with those people who contacted you about your products and services.
The Most Effective Use of Postcards: The purpose of your postcard's message is to generate a sufficient level of interest in the mind of your prospect to get him/her to contact you to ask you about your offer.
You are generating interest, not collecting their money (not yet anyway). That is what the 2 step marketing process is about. Generating interested prospects and customers who contact you for more information.
Your message needs 3 parts to be most effective:
1. A clear statement of the biggest benefit of your product or service (in the long distance example, it was cost savings).
2. A good reason for them to contact you NOW.
3. A simple, easy way for them to respond (an 800 number for example).
Your message should be short and to the point. Short messages on postcards produce more leads than long ones.
For example:
Call 800-555-1212 for Your Copy of Our Free Report:
What 99% of Business Owners Don't Know and Will Never Find Out About Using Postcards to Explode Their Profits
Offer ends 5-5-01 (Print a date 3 weeks from your mailing date to create some urgency)
Lots of people will respond to find out what they might not know. Don't forget, they responded, which is proof they have at least some interest in the information you have created a curiosity about.
This method works and is sure to produce a large number of inquiries if sent to your proper market.
This 2 Step Marketing Process Works. Use the tips you have read here to create your next postcard's message and see what happens.
You will generate a bunch of leads from people who are truly interested in your products and services.
Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998; her only assets a computer and a phone. In 2004 the company did close to $9 million in sales and employs over 60 persons. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Now she's sharing her marketing secrets to others. For more free marketing advice, visit her website at http://www.postcardmania.com
Most of us are used to the concepts of risk... Read More
These steps are taken from the Referral Flood Marketing Program.... Read More
What is database marketing?Database Marketing is the gathering and storing... Read More
Peek a Boo - We See YouDoes your company have... Read More
If you want your business to grow and attract new... Read More
What's a small business owner to do if they have... Read More
I love my dentist! When is the last time you... Read More
Do you own a business and need ideas on how... Read More
Triple your response from expos by avoiding the top ten... Read More
Most marketers believe that anything is achievable if you are... Read More
Guerrilla Marketing is using time, energy and imagination to market... Read More
Who says scientists can't market? Here are 10 easy marketing... Read More
Whether you're a contractor a local merchant with 150 employees,... Read More
The right direct mailing list targets people who want your... Read More
Every professional or consultant knows that clients typically hire people... Read More
Do you have a list of marketing ideas that you'd... Read More
A church in my community provided me with one of... Read More
The Rib America Festival is a fun filled family event... Read More
Many people have asked me what was the secret to... Read More
It seems nowadays every marketing guru and their brother-in-law has... Read More
With promotional items there are standards: t-shirts, mugs, note cubes,... Read More
It is well known that Thomas Edison was an inventor,... Read More
"If he who has a thing to sell Goes and... Read More
Ten Breakthrough Marketing Ideas1. Create a directory of web sites... Read More
One of the most powerful, yet over looked weapons in... Read More
Hopefully we are all adults here, so let's talk about... Read More
"There are those who get things done and those who... Read More
There comes a time in every small businessperson's life when... Read More
My 6 year old daughter Emily knows exactly what she... Read More
Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a... Read More
As a life-long dancer, I know a bit about the... Read More
Thank-you letters are one of the most important letters that... Read More
Life provides your business with enough opportunities for failure. Don't... Read More
Have you ever noticed how many times it's the simplest... Read More
For years now, you have been waiting patiently for that... Read More
Coming up with an idea, seizing the opportunity, and setting... Read More
Yesterday I was sitting on a train going into London... Read More
Don't get me wrong. I certainly don't think the majority... Read More
Who says scientists can't market? Here are 10 easy marketing... Read More
So how do you do it?Direct mail marketing. When it... Read More
I knew this one would get your attention. How can... Read More
One key discipline of successful direct marketing has been to... Read More
Donors will stop responding to your fundraising letter appeals for... Read More
We all know the value of writing articles for promoting... Read More
TOP 10 TIPS TO GET YOU MARKETING TO SUCCESS ON... Read More
This is an excellent way to grow your business using... Read More
When it comes to your marketing message, the little things... Read More
As best you can, answer the following twenty-five questions. There's... Read More
What is Marketing? There are many text book answers to... Read More
With so much money invested on innefective advertising, it's time... Read More
Marketing Marketing |