Direct mail postcards allow you to target market your product or promotion while giving you the chance to have a captive audience viewing your product. Postcard direct mail is one of the cheapest ways to send direct mail, and if you execute your message and design right you'll see positive results.
Size and Weight Matter
Everybody receives a handful of bulk mail nearly every day. How do you avoid having your postcard get lost in the bulk mail pile? One way is to send oversized or odd-sized pieces on heavy postcard paper.
Choose a size larger than the standard postcard and even one that is a different shape, such as a square or even a die-cut speciality shape. You will also want the paper weight to be heavier than what you would send for a standard postcard so that your piece doesn't get lumped in with other pieces. Consider heavy card stock with a laminate finish to really make the piece pop.
Odd-sized postcards and heavy stock will be costlier than sending a standard piece, but you need to take into consideration your audience and what they will respond to and evaluate the return you will receive on your investment.
Include a Response Mechanism
Give your target audience a reason to contact you by including a call to action in your message. Your office phone number and company website are always important to include, but you should also consider leaving your audience with questions so that they have to call you.
For example, if you are an auto repair shop and are promoting oil changes you could include, "Ask us how we can save you $10 on your next oil change!" directly next to the phone number.
Or you can make your call to action a game and arrange to give away small items. Your postcard could state, "Call us today to claim your prize!"
Turn the Postcard into a Coupon
Create a situation where the customer can't receive the discount without the postcard/coupon. Send the postcard to your mailing list or to targeted prospects.
For example, if you are a candle store, create a postcard that gives $5 off to the bearer on a certain brand of candle.
Be sure that your direct mail coupon postcard is exclusive to your mail list and don't include the coupon in any other advertising for tracking purposes and to control the number of discounts.
