Have you heard the phrase “print is a dying medium?” More and more, people have decided to forgo print and take everything digital. I’m here to tell you, print isn’t dying, it’s just evolving. Just like 5 years ago, one of the most powerful tools you can use to spread your message and connect with customers is the postcard.When done right, a postcard can help increase traffic to your store, hits on your website, and sales in your pocket.
I recommend creating an 8.5″ x 5.5″ postcard, or half page card. There are a couple of benefits to this size card. One, it’s larger than a traditional 4″ x 6″ so it’s going to stand out when it’s next to envelopes and other cards in the stack of mail. Another benefit comes in the target market. If the goal is to market to older clients, smaller text is going to be much harder to read. A larger postcard gives you plenty of space to increase font size and make sure your message is received. The final benefit comes in using your postcard for social media. We’ll discuss how you can repurpose your postcard to reach customers across the internet in part 2 of this article.
HERE’S HOW TO MAKE A POSTCARD.
Think About The Message.
The most important thing when creating any kind of marketing material is to figure out what message you are trying to convey. This will help you determine what list you want to send out to. Effective marketing stirs emotion in someone, whether that’s contentment from a product, or fear of not being part of something. So the first step is to decide what the postcard is intended to do. Is it going to sell a product or service? Raise awareness to a cause? What is it that the reader should do when they see it?
Determine Your List.
Now that you’ve decided what the message is, the next step is to determine what target market would benefit most from that message. Sites like infousa can help you create a targeted list of sorted and screened consumers that would benefit from receiving your postcard. If you live in the United States, you can use the USPS Every Door Service to canvass your chosen market without a list.
Write The Copy.
You know more about your market than anyone else, but perhaps you aren’t the best at expressing it through the written word? There are many services out there that offer copywriting at a low cost. The first step is to create an effective headline that will get people to stop what they are doing and look at the postcard in their hands. Asking questions in your headline is a great solution to get potential customers to stop and give you their attention. DIY Marketing has a great resource on writing effective headlines here. You can then use sites such as crowdsourced ande-copywriters to create quality content at a reduced cost. Some things to consider are; what are the benefits of this product or service? What differentiates this opportunity from a competing opportunity? What makes it special?
Get It Designed.
Now that you have the framework, it’s time to make your postcard shine with an attractive design that follows your branding. You can work directly with a digital freelancer from Upwork or let designers from across the world compete for your project on sites like 99designs or TailorBrands You can then use stock photography sites like Shutterstock.com to find just the right photo to create that emotional connection. Again think about who this postcard is going out to.
Get It Printed.
Once the final postcard is approved and looking all shiny and new, the next step is to print it. You can choose to do it either digitally or offset. If you’re doing more than 5,000 postcards, consider using an offset printer. For smaller runs, companies like PrintingForLess and VistaPrint will save you money and still produce a high enough quality print for your needs.
Get It Shipped.
Many printers will also ship your postcards for you, saving you money by bundling services. All you need to do is provide your list. Sites like Postcards.com specialize in it. If your postcard is a unique shape, Modern Postcard would also be a great choice. It’s a great way to keep everything in one place, and therefore much easier to manage.
In part two of this article, we’ll talk about reusing your printed materials online in just a couple of steps to reach a completely different customer base through social media.
