Postcard Creative

Ideas to Improve Your Postcards

• Clear, understandable, to-the-point headlines work better than jokes that may not be understood.
• Make an offer. Entice buyers with a specific offer. Always spell out prices that expire by a certain date. Toss in a bonus. These encourage action more than a postcard that says the equivalent of “Hi! We're here!”
• Don’t forget instructions. Remember to end with a ‘call to action’ that tells the reader exactly what to do.

Postcard Content Ideas

1. Go for a larger size. Once you exceed the 4 1/4 by 6 inch maximum for a standard-sized card, you may as well take advantage of the 6 1/8 by 11 1/2 inch maximum. You pay extra to mail it, but a large format allows for more compelling graphics and message details. We at Dean's Mailing suggest printing color on both sides and design the card with a difference that improves response, please call us at 602-272-2100 for details. Many also use cards that are printed on stock that is coated on one side—printing color on the coated side and black and white on the uncoated side.
2. Request a response. Every good marketing piece has a specific call to action. Why not ask your prospect to respond right away?
3. Consider taking advantage of the postcard cliche. Make your graphics a work of art that the recipient will want to keep. The traditional picture post card is a theme you can use to your advantage.
4. Stay in touch. There are two ways to do this. 1) Print a larger quantity of "shells", cards printed in color that leave enough room to add a customized message that can be printed when the cards are addressed by your mailer. 2) Print cards that allow you to write a personal message or "thank you" and mail the cards with a first class stamp. The idea is to print a larger supply to take advantage of quanity discounts.
5. Create value. When you use a post card as a discount coupon or a ticket to an event, you increase the possibility of a response. The message is obvious—bring the card in and get a discount.
6. Publish a series or a puzzle. This technique has been used on roadsigns and billboards—pieces are added one at a time until you discover the total message. The same type of serial messages can be written and solved in a series of post cards. You simply divide the finished message into pieces and send them in sequence. The cost of printing cards drops substantially when you print everything at the same time.
7. Make announcements. Post cards are great for spreading the news. Share happy news of new employees or promotions, move to a new location, launch a new product, or add a new service—publish the news by post card.
8. Newsletter on a postcard. A newsletter is a good way to stay in touch with prospects and customers. Email newsletters are very common, now could be a great time to stand out and do something different. Even in this economy, reinvent big business ideas in small business terms by thinking smart, practical, and cost-conscious. Distill a conventional newsletter to the best and most valuable information with a postcard newsletter.