The latest Anthrax scare might have you thinking twice
about using postal mail to promote your business.
A Washington Post-ABC News survey showed that "65% of the
American public was at least 'concerned' that letters
containing anthrax bacteria had been sent through the mail."
That's bad news if you just mailed a promotion.
All of these circumstances might make you want to consider
one of my favorite advertising strategies... the simple
and cheap direct mail postcard.
You can use postcards to generate leads, close sales,
convince customers to buy more and encourage prospects to
give you a try.
I asked my friend and client, Markus Allen
for his top 20 postcard promotional ideas. He has
an online, step-by-step program to help you launch a monthly,
multiple-exposure postcard marketing campaign with very little
expense, and that's always a plus.
Check out his free information at:
http://www.markusallen.org/ezpostcards
Here's his list of postcard marketing ideas that almost
any business can put into immediate action:
Copy and paste a picture of your Web site on a postcard.
The mere mention can bring a rush of visitors to your site.
Mail to a list of people who've recently moved into your
community. Offer a great deal to get them to try your
product or service.
If your average customer usually spends $1,000 with you,
offer a discount for purchases over $1,500.
Remind customers it's time to come and see you. Dentists
often mail "It's time for your next cleaning" postcards,
while auto shops remind you, "It's been 6 months since
your last oil change."
Tell customers about new products and services. For
example, many software firms mail postcards to promote
program upgrades.
Announce a price increase. Let customers buy as much as
they want, at the current prices.
Hold holiday promotions. For example: "Bring Mom to
lunch for Mother's Day, for only $14.95."
Offer a lifetime membership program to generate quick
cash flow.
Announce a private sale. One retailer, with a 21-cent
postcard, invited her 12 best clients to a one-day sale.
She generated over $20,000 in new business.
Collect customer info - name, address, and birthday. A
few weeks before each person's birthday, send a postcard
offering a free birthday dinner. Most customers who come
for the free dinner will bring friends or relatives (who
will pay full price for their own meals).
Promote clearance or used-equipment sales.
Invite prospects to order your product by faxing back
the postcard.
Mail postcards to announce a contest.
Send The World's Smallest Newsletter on a postcard. (A
great example of this postcard is in Allen's Instant
Postcard Marketing ToolBox.)
Give customers your new address when you move.
Promote your Web site or fax-on-demand system.
Announce new staff. Example: "George Model has joined
The Clip Joint. Call him today to make your appointment."
Mail help-wanted postcards to local residents when you
need to increase your staff... everyone likes to work
close to home.
Send a postcard about an upcoming trade show... one
lucky winner receives a valuable prize.
Once you're ready to send a direct mail postcard, here's
some great news. Professionally created postcards are now
easier than ever to create on the Internet.
AmazingMail makes it super easy to send direct mail
postcards. Just visit their Web site, pick a template (or
submit your own design), and your custom-printed, full-
color postcard is in the mail (First Class) in just a few
days. And the best part is, there's no minimum. Send just
one postcard or 500,000 postcards, for less than doing all
the work yourself.
Visit this Web page and try it out. at no charge:
http://www.amazingmail.com rial.html
If you're looking to grow your business fast at a low
cost, now's the time to use the post office's best-
kept secret. Postcards will relieve any anxiety about
opening a strange envelope and can be read quickly by
today's busy consumer.
About the Author
Anne Marie Baugh is a noted online publicist. She owns and operates Write-Promotion which provides hands-on
promotional services to online business owners.
Visit today at www.write-promotion.com.