Your direct mail campaign may have a perfectly optimized mailing list, and a graphically beautiful postcard, but if the quality of the copy is off, you likely won’t see the response you want. Writing great postcard copy means conveying your message to your audience in a way that they will understand easily. It also means persuading the readers to take actions related to your business goals.
There are many things to consider when writing a postcard ad. You should prioritize getting an understanding of your audience and what they respond to. The structure and purpose of the campaign should be taken into account as well. Here are five tips on how to utilize that knowledge to help you write effective copy for your direct mail postcard.
Write Headlines That Instantly Grab Attention
Few people neglect their mail, so by using the medium of the postcard to present your message, you’re already improving your chances of getting noticed. People don’t have endless attention spans though, and if they can’t find anything relevant to them on a mail piece right away, they’ll toss it without completely reading it. You’ll need big, bold headlines that instantly capture the audience’s attention and motivate them to read through the entire piece.
The best headline is one that relays the value of the mail piece by stating that the company has a solution to a problem experienced by the recipient. For example, a solar panel company had a postcard designed with a headline that reads; “Why Rent Your Electricity When You Can Own It?”. For this piece, the audience being targeted is homeowners, and the solution being offered in the headline is solar panels that will lower electric bills. Consider what you know about your audience and what problems they experience (if you don’t know then do some research) and create a headline that addresses those issues directly.
Make Every Word Count
Postcards have limited space and postcard readers have limited attention spans. If a direct mail piece is crammed full of words, people be less likely to read it. Too much text also detracts from the visuals, and will make the piece look worse as a whole. Best to get your point across with as few words as possible.
Start by organizing the main points you want to communicate to you audience. Put them together in order of importance. Shorten these points to one or two main statements to go on the front of the postcard. Elaborate these points further on the back of the postcard, and include a website where the reader can obtain even more information if possible. QR codes work well in this roll, because they make your website instantly accessible to the reader without any typing or searching involved.
Avoid Jargon
Most of your audience likely doesn’t work in your industry, hence they won’t understand industry terminology. For example, if you work in pool service, you audience may not know what alkali are and how they effect the acidity levels of a pool. You’ll need to explain the benefits of your services in words they will understand. If you are unsure of what jargon words and phrases need to be replaced, maybe try testing your draft copy on some people you know who aren’t as familiar with your industry.
Write Copy With An End Goal In Mind
Your entire direct mail campaign needs to be made with a specific goal in mind. This goal will take the form of something you want your audience to do, be it making a purchase, scheduling an appointment, etc. Ideally, the text on your postcard should outline a path toward this goal for the reader. The headline identifies a solution to their problem, the following text elaborates further and the call-to-action states the next step the reader should take to reach this solution.
After drafting your postcard’s copy, read it through to make sure it flows together, and that the points being made aren’t disjointed. Detailing multiple products and services is fine, but limit your call-to-action statement to one objective so as to not confuse your audience on what to do next.
Prompt The Readers to Take Action
As mentioned, the goal of a direct mail campaign should be to get your audience to take a specific action. There are different approaches you can take in persuading your audience. You can invoke a sense of urgency in the reader with limited-time offers and headlines like “Don’t Miss Out!”. Or, you can use coupons and special discount codes to incentivize a website or physical store visit. Whatever direction you choose to go with your postcard’s design and copy, be sure that it leads the reader toward taking the desired action.
Furthermore, if you are unsure of what direction to take in the writing of your mail piece, it may be best to consult an expert. Cactus Mailing, for example, has more than 20 years of direct mail experience, and can help guide you to success. They can help you build your campaign every step of the way, from finding a list, to making a design, to printing and mailing.
If you’re interested in writing your own direct mail piece, call us or fill out the form below and we’ll make sure it’s a postcard unlike any other!