There is no shortage of reasons to use postcard marketing campaigns. They are an economical way to reach current and prospective customers directly, they can help to generate leads and entice past customers to return, and they allow you the opportunity to get a message to local residents without necessarily lobbing a sales pitch.
That said, there are definitely mistakes you can make that damage your ability to launch an effective postcard marketing campaign. Here are a few snafus you’ll want to avoid.
Generic messaging
You are unique and so are your customers. It’s important to pay attention to both of these points when crafting the messaging for your postcard marketing campaigns.
What problem can you solve for your customers and how can you differentiate yourself from competitors? Make sure to highlight this key point in your campaign. In addition, make sure to focus on a target audience and personalize your mailers.
Marketing to baby boomers is a lot different than marketing to millennials, for example, and nobody is impressed by the impersonal, “dear loyal customer” approach.
Lack of contact information
Postcard marketing is a great way to build brand recognition among local consumers. However, a name is not enough. If people don’t yet know your business exists, there’s a good chance they don’t know where you are, either.It’s imperative that you include contact information on your postcard mailers every time you send them to inform new customers of your location and remind past customers how to find you.
Failure to test and track
You may not have a ton of money to spend on marketing your business, and you want to make the most of your limited budget. Before you mail out postcards, run tests to see which options generate the best response so you can ensure the greatest return on investment.Your job isn’t done, though. You also need track response rates after you send out mailers. By adding QR codes or personalized URLs to postcards you can track digital response, or you can go the old-fashioned route and simply ask new customers how they heard about you, or compare sales before and after postcards are sent out.
One and done
Repetition is an important aspect of marketing, especially when it comes to mailers. You can reasonably expect to see increased response rates after sending 2, 3, or more mailers, as recipients come to recognize your name and your brand and consider making purchases.If you fail to see an immediate response after you send out your first round of postcards, don’t give up. Testing should tell you which options are likely to prompt the best response, but building brand recognition takes time.