7 Reasons The Message On Your Postcards Wasn't Effective
You went to all that work to create direct mail postcards, and people didn’t respond to your marketing message. How can that happen?
1. Your visual presentation sends the wrong message
It says your business is questionable. People have a choice where they shop, eat, work out and get their dental care. If your direct mail postcards don’t look absolutely professional in every way, that reflects negatively on you.
Maybe you used a template design that gives your direct mail postcards all the personalized charm of a form letter. That’s a sure way to wind up in the trash. Maybe you used a substandard quality commercial printer or resorted to in-office printing, with tacky results. Or your postcard contains typos or other mistakes that scream “sloppy.”
2. Your postcards are boring, or confusing
You have to be bold, with a can’t-miss headline and images that pop off the postcard, enticing people to look more closely. When they do, do they see cluttered, chaotic design that makes it tough to easily discern what the rest of your message is all about? If your postcard looks like work, people will toss it.
3. No competitive edge
What sets you apart? Effective postcards tell people why they should choose you, as opposed to another business. Spell it out, but keep it short with bullet points that explain what’s in it for them to follow up with you.
4. No credibility-builders
If your direct mail postcards are part of a campaign aimed at existing customers, your audience already knows and loves you. But if your goal is to attract new customers or clients or patients, you have to establish yourself as credible and trustworthy. Without that, even beautiful design and a big discount probably won’t be very effective. Many people are simply hesitant to choose an unknown, because nobody wants to be a guinea pig.
You can overcome that common hurdle by demonstrating you are legitimate, trustworthy and reliable – a stable local business they can count on. This is important for every type of business, but it’s critical if you’re a professional such as a dentist, attorney or tax consultant or work in some type of personal services, such as a personal trainer, hair stylist or massage therapist.
- Include a quote from a customer testimonial or online review.
- Include all your social media indicators – showing off your social presence builds credibility and also gives people additional ways to learn more about you and connect with you.
- Note special professional or industry accreditations, memberships and awards.
5. Your offer is off-target (or you forgot to include an offer)
Failing to include an incentive to respond – a special offer – will kill the deal for most people. But not every possible offer appeals to every part of your target audience. Your offer has to be relevant and valuable enough to tip the scales.
6. No sense of urgency
Even the most tempting offer can fall flat if your postcard recipients get the impression they can respond whenever they feel like it. The purpose of direct mail postcards is to spur action now.
You want people to “get ‘em while they’re hot,” so make that point using directive adverbs – not call, but call now (or today). Even better, make it clear your offer is available in limited quantities or for a limited time. A deadline or the fear of missing out are both highly compelling.
7. No call to action
Sure, you included your phone number, but your recipients didn’t get the hint to call and make an appointment. You can’t be coy about this. Tell people what to do next – call, go online, come on in. An explicit call to action clearly instructs recipients to respond when and how you want them to.
Now you know how to the kind of message that will make your direct mail postcards far more effective. If your postcards still seem ineffective it may be because you should be sending brochures instead. Learn what’s right for your business- Direct Mail Postcards or Brochures?
