If you are far from hi-tech, direct mail is still one of the most effective forms of advertising. It 'a cheap way to send a message to your audience. Cards, namely the ability to have guide to catch someone's attention, it is as a customer, or provide an inexpensive way to keep in touch with existing customers. Like any marketing campaign, you are several factors to consider before you.
Design
ThePost guidelines for the design and postcard delivery. If you use this material in-house products that meet the criteria will allow the use of less value expensive shipping. The following are the qualifications (as of this writing) by the U.S. Postal Service:
Rectangular and angle (90 degrees) angles
Least 3 inches high x 5 inches long x .007 inches thick
Not more than 4 cm x 6 cm long x .016 inches thick
A large folded or postcardAdvantages. For example, a property company might look good available or a car dealer could show, select a fleet of newer cars. One of the most popular Postcards measures 9-by-6-inches. It is certainly bigger than a # 10 envelope and more attention, when mixed in an e-mail stack Garner. Of course, shipping costs, with dimensions of size increase, and notecards are used as first-class mail. IfDo you have any doubt, your piece, the U. S. Postal Service a division to answer your questions. A commercial printer or other third parties create professional piece should be aware of the place rules.
Now, to answer the question burning in everyone's head: the horizontal or vertical positioning? Think you go over the years, when someone of his business card and was to be aligned vertically. Unless it is presented to you, the words might be able to read immediately,was to move the map to look at them. He did change a bit 'strange that direction? The habit is natural for a business card to be horizontal, the same goes for a postcard. There is nothing wrong with a dress vertical paper, but people can read horizontally. The paper is vertical for the implementation of the coupons at the bottom while allowing your message remains the same at the beginning of excellence, as a pizza delivery company.
Next you must determine the titleand the message. Actually you need two licenses: one at the address of another page and the message on this page. The title on the address must have some sort of reaction that an application for the card will be delivered to the message on this page. The title on the front page the address is on the left side of the postcard and will appear under your return address. In any case, have your return address on the postcard. This will help filter information contact Bad. The logo, the stylized characters, or anythingOtherwise, the trademark of your company can be used also be used. It is proposed to include your telephone number and website, too. There is a probability of 50% of first address when a pile of mail. May also use that to your advantage, and there are additional costs of printing. Pay attention to placement of any text and images so as not to interfere with the design requirements of posts.
On the news, the title will report the 90% of the message, as well asTabloid to your local supermarket. This "teaser" will continue to read the recipient a reason to win. The contents of the copy must be on point and a reason to take action or contact by phone, e-mail or viewing a particular Web site (more on that later). Strabismus is not a good thing to do. The postcard will be completed quickly in the garbage, if the font is too small to read. Graphics and images tend to have greater communication operation due to thelimited space for copy, photos of a car to car sales, real estate, big-tooth for a dentist … you get the idea. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand dollars (which is) a paraphrase.
Here is an important aspect of the process: TESTING TIMES YOUR MATERIAL! Did you know? There are many stories of someone finding grammatical errors, telephone number, missing or incorrect, wrong graphics or dot-net instead of dot-com after the material has been sent. Some errorscould cost more than others. What happens if you're advertising a "Buy One, Get One 50% Off" and no one noticed the "pay one, there was no" part? Okay, was that, for example, on the top, but you get the idea. Conditions, restrictions, copyright, trademark and other "read the small print" items should be checked for errors and to ensure that it is actually on the piece. Try some people have made about the accuracy, before being sent to the printer, and check again when thePrinter sends a test sample. You can find a faux pas or previously missed the colors are not the way they are intended.
There are probably printing services nearest to you. Take advantage of the Internet and print research in other areas as well as some of the printing companies online.
Contact Data
Let's say your database of contacts with customers used up to now and at regular intervals. Yay for you! If this is not the case, now is the time to make themorganized and remind your customers that are still important to you. Yes, it's true: your current customers feel offended when non-customers gain (Outlook), a promotional price for your products or services. If your company is not structured to think, then send a postcard to your customers as a good customer.
Website of your company, the next cost effective and simple method of collecting contact information. Enter the web visitor a reason to show theirall identities secret from something that has intrinsic value or real, is like a list for discounts, a free newsletter or access to an informative article. Just be pushy about it. Questions about too much personal information too soon is a turn-off units and potential customers. Using a "contact us" page with a form that is adequate for most business models.
Some lists are freely available. Record of government, new developments in the number of units, orTogether with another company in a joint expedition. Ask your current customers for names of people who know that they are interested in your products or services. By the way, the easier it is, a list of several other groups / companies that get it.
Could associations, social organizations and publications in which the company announced that it allow to use the list of members or participants. This will be a further filtering to obtain a targetedPublic. In several cases, the organization will ask you to provide the materials and will distribute a co-ordination in order to keep secret its list. Some associations will be a third party (meeting) house license, to your campaign will be under the agreement of the list of confidential jobs. If it is a charge for the acquisition of the list depends on the policy of the company or organization.
Data acquisition is a very effective means of acquiring quality leads.There are many companies that specialize in collecting and cleaning of contact information. This will save a few dollars for marketing, as you can target a specific audience. The list can be as simple as the name and address of the location or research filtered through a detailed demographic. The more detailed information, the higher the cost will be. References range in price from 15 – to 75 cents for each contact. When companies seek to interview the list of errors for their data. Finally, to check, 9% of poor datathe industry average.
Use the recipient's name, when you have it. Mail for detainees "or" residents "a signal to discard it immediately. Being a little 'creative, if the name is not available. Hungry BBQ Lover" is advertising a restaurant in a good way to attract attention.
Distribution
Get buy your postcards, stamps, address labels printing, both lay and set the mail. Done! That was the simple version. Some companieswhole family in this type of production. Many independent contractors are sitting at home watching TV and manage all their material. It works, and might work for you.
Suppose you plan to mail large quantities – more than 500 pieces – routine. Consider the man-hours (labor costs), the use of your employees and implement a campaign for early warning. Maybe you want to use as a license to think about saving the bulk mail postage. It is proposed thatone or two people, all mail in bulk to make sure it is sorted according to agreement with the U.S. Postal Service.
Fulfillment Services, you can process the material, bring them to the post, and most of them allow the use of their license to mass transit. Its representatives provide ideas and suggestions on how often you should e-mail to you the latest trends in direct mail strategies, and help coordinate your shipments with the rest of yourmarketing plan. Some printing companies also offer mailing service; a one-stop shop for all your distribution needs.
Follow-up
As with any mailing, the success rate of the campaign increases considerably when it’s followed up with a phone call. This “warm call” can be used to confirm the postcard was delivered to the intended recipient or find out if there are any questions about the postcard’s message. When dealing with a large number of contacts, it might be best to retain services telemarketing or Business Development Company. A personal visit (door knocking) can be equally effective.
Earlier in this article was proposed that one way for people to act on your message for them to visit a particular Web page. Specific because it is easier to understand why the web traffic has increased and those who participated. Make sure that the Web address (URL) simple and clear, for example, "YourWebsite.com / postcard. People are frustrated if they do not arrive, whereYou want to move quickly. It is not necessary to have a unique site for the campaign, but only relief to keep track of responses. Remember, the web address and check the site as part of the verification process of the test.
Their front-line staff should be ready to respond to calls and responses. Create a system and teach your employees the process. If your card includes a kind of good that has the computer or POS system has been programmed accordingly. For retailers,presented a particular product: Think of in-store presentation. They had the product is displayed prominently on the front of the store. Since the client already knows about the postcard, a proposed strategy would be to not pass through them to promote the ad in another area of memory as a buyer to see more of your offer. Locate a compliment to capture product near all purchases on impulse. For example, if the product out kitchen knifemoving a short distance of a selection of cutting boards, knife sharpeners and gloves. Grocers do this all the time. If you do not have to go and buy the ice very far to find chocolate and caramel sauce.
Track results
You want to have a system to keep track of every shipment. The message that no offers or discounts, which sent the card when it was sent, the expected delivery date and cost of the campaign. Apart from his duty of care, asprudent entrepreneur, you want to know the effectiveness of the promotion.
Monitoring the response rate is of paramount importance. Criteria such as the response (it could be someone who does not) in the list, the reaction time for the arrival of the offer, the offer to get their attention, and how they contacted (phone, email, web hits), and was the person who makes a request or a purchase and if they plan to buy. Record how many postcards wereto quantify the return on your database and update the mailing list for future use.
In comparison with data on the costs of materials and their distribution for the answers, you can calculate your figures. This information is for the design and content of future posts.
Key Numbers
Percentage of contacts = Bad
Total return ably
Response rate =
Number of responses divided by [Total units shippedless Returned]
Cost per response =
Total cost of the campaign divided by Total Responses
Cost per sale =
Campaign's total cost divided by the total responders who made a purchase
This example is a simple analysis. Depending on how many factors that have accompanied the original data can be included in the information (data mine) deep to find results more from a particular zip code, people of a certain age group divided by sex, or any other demographicLook. Whether simple or profound, you must know the efficiency, in order to plan the next campaign.
For some, postcards, as the best means of communication, and others do not fit their corporate structure. Without doubt, postcards an effective way to communicate with the public if they are integrated into an overall marketing strategy to stay in touch. It will help to keep your message fresh and your name from current and potential customers. Check to see if it worksfor you!
