How to handle direct mail postcards
Direct mail is a competitive field, especially considering the popularity of digital marketing methods. Postcards, specialized mail pieces and letters are battling email and social media for visibility to the widest possible audience while still attempting to establish individualized messages. It's a tight field. This is why many companies are trying to reach customers through a number of channels, incorporating direct mail with digital marketing tactics. However, mailings that are sent via standard mail are fighting for exposure among the hundreds and even thousands of companies in a given location looking to draw in consumers.
Making certain a company's message is getting delivered requires marketers to rely on address verification in addition to creating media that is attractive for potential customers. Postcards are a staple of the marketing community because of their convenient size, cost-effectiveness and ability to deliver a punchy message in a limited space. That means creating a postcard for a marketing campaign necessitates maintaining a balance between using white space and overloading the medium, as well as integrating clever and concise content that highlights the offer.
Strike a balance
Because of the size restrictions for postcards, marketers have to make the most of the real estate they have while making sure not to complicate the mailer with irrelevant information. The Financial Brand indicated that using themes, such as a superhero motif, can be effective, but only if the material directly addresses a product or service. By relying on humor generated through a visual theme that perhaps downplays the company or item being advertised, a business is doing themselves a great disservice.
The use of space is important. Being sparse with text can be effective and the U.S. Postal Service requires a certain amount of white space, but a bare postcard can leave customers uninformed or confused about the purpose of the mailer. On the other hand, a card that has no focus and tries to advertise all of a company's services will have a hard time reaching its audience.
Concise, but clever
In the same vein, the content of the postcard must be direct. Resource Nation recommended being creative, but not muddying the message through esoteric humor or references. While businesses should market their products and services to a particular market, being too exclusive can limit the effectiveness of the mailer. The goal is to reach as wide of an audience as possible while not being too generic, requiring a lot of tact in crafting the copy.
Striking the perfect balance when creating an effective marketing postcard remains a challenge. Remembering to focus on a specific service or item is a strong place to begin. A call to action should also be part of any direct mail campaign, explaining to consumers what is expected of them in response to the mailer. Of course, address verification is a necessity to ensure the mailing is effectively delivered.