Postcard Direct Mail Marketing: 15 Ways To Grab Attention
If you use direct mail postcards to generate leads or sell a product or service, you need to create postcards that grab your prospect's attention. The place to do that is Side A, the side that doesn't have the stamp and address on it. Here are some creative ways to get the attention of your potential buyers, some of which have worked extremely for well for my clients.
feature a wacky photograph
use a photo of your product in an unusual setting
make an outrageous (but true) claim
state your unique selling promise in an intriguing way
present your prospect's problem (the one that your product or service solves) in a compelling wayask a provocative question, and put the answer on Side B
feature a short quiz that stimulates interest in what you are selling
just be blunt and put your offer in big letters ("SAVE 20% ON YOUR ORDER!")
quote someone famous saying something profound about your product or service
quote someone famous saying something profound about your prospect's greatest problem (the one your product or service solves). Example: "I've been on a diet for 14 days and so far all that I've lost is 14 days."show a before and after photograph
show a photo of your product in action
feature a series of photos that demonstrate your product in action
ask a question that includes a blank, like this ___________, which the reader fills in
borrow credibility with a photo of a famous person using your productshow a customer using your product in an unusual setting (a man sitting on a camel and talking on a cell phone, for example)
show a photograph of the postcard sender, and include a personal message from that person, in quotes
create a sense of immediacy by circling the date of your deadline for ordering on a calendar, and using that as your visual
present your offer visually (if it's a discount, show the amount of money saved as a pile of dollar bills; if it is a cruise for two, show two people dining onboard)
demonstrate that you understand your prospect's challenge by showing a photo of a prospect facing that challengedramatize your product with a close up photo of an unusual part
design your postcard to look like a high-end invitation
ask a "true or false" question that is answered on the other side (eventually)
make the postcard interactive by inviting the reader to fold it, hold it up to the light, bend it, or do something else with it that communicates your selling proposition in a compelling (and perhaps funny) way
whatever you do, remember that the goal of Side A of your postcard is to grab attention long enough that you arouse curiosity and motivate your prospect to turn the card over and continue reading--
Alan Sharpe is a business-to-business direct mail copywriter and lead generation specialist who helps business owners and marketing managers generate leads, close sales and retain customers using creative direct mail marketing. Sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.sharpecopy.com
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Marketing to a Critical Mass
In "Developing a Marketing Plan", we covered the first steps to developing a marketing plan and tracking where your customers are coming from.
Marketing Strategies: What Choices Do You Have?
Most business people want to see improvements in sales and profits. But how do you get there? What choices do you have?
The Benefits of a Marketing Plan
What is a Marketing Plan?
Marketing is to do with matching the features and benefits that your products and services are able to provide with specific customers and then telling those customers why they should buy them from you. Your marketing plan details how to do this. A Marketing Plan is a document that supplements your business plan and brings together all your market research so that you can work out exactly where your business is going and how it is going to get there.
Business to Business Direct Mail Offers that Say Free
In direct mail, the offer is the incentive or reward that you dangle in front of your prospects to motivate them to respond to your mailing, either with an order or with a request for more information.
11 Ways to Turnaround a Cash-Strapped Business or Practice
This past weekend I received a disturbing message from a dear friend. His business wasn't generating all the income he needed. He's exhausted all savings, started depleting credit card reserves and badly needed money to pay this month's mortgage... Ouch! I wish I knew sooner...
The 10 Cornerstone Principles of Marketing
There are four parts to a marketing system and they rest on ten cornerstones.
Pay for Performance Pricing Models for Search Engine Optimization
I do think that it is entirely possible for an SEO and client to work out a pay for performance pricing structure that is fair to both. Logistically, though the tracking involved to this would add additional layers to the total process of ranking and reporting. If both the SEO and the client are willing to take that on and set parameters that are agreeable between them then by all means a fair agreement can be reached.
Winning At Business With Your Marketing Game Plan
Stuart from Colorado had talked to a number of marketing firms and gotten estimates for designing and printing his marketing materials and building a web site for his business producing promotional cds. One firm quoted $100,000 to build his web site alone. He sensed something was missing or wrong, but couldn't put his finger on it, so he called me.
People Arent Interested in You or Your Company
Does your Web site talk about your company? Yes, I know, it's your company Web site! But the last thing it should talk about is your company.
Viral Marketing
Viral marketing involves the use of surf-exchanges, and if you don't know what a surf-exchange is, its
a site that you can join, often for free, and exchange web page views with other members.
Creating a Marketing Timeline That Works: 17 Simple Ideas for Marketing Your Small Business
"Goals are dreams with deadlines."
-Diana Scharf Hunt
Nurture Sales Leads with Direct Mail Marketing
Direct mail is a cost-effective way to make sales and generate leads. But it's also an excellent way to keep your brand name in front of customers, and to nurture leads until they become customers.
Ten Tips for Creating a Winning Proposal ? Part 1
If you want your business to grow and attract new clients, you'll
have to start creating meaningful proposals. The goal of a
proposal is obviously to be awarded new work. It accomplishes
this goal by providing answers to the questions of who, what,
where, why, how and when.
Testimonials - FREE Quality Advertising FOR YOU!
Every business person who has any kind of product or service, and the merest
beginning of marketing sense, invites TESTIMONIALS.
These might be called "reviews" or "peer reviews" or "customer comments" but
they are all testimonials - a third party endorsement as to the merits of a
product which helps another potential customer decide whether they wish to
engage with this product or service.
Customer testimonials are a wonderful thing for the merchant/marketer, because
customers often pick up on benefits the marketer hadn't thought of, and their
use of personal words and phrasings can bring the product/service to life in a
whole new way.
Whenever I am asked by someone to submit a testimonial, I am always delighted.
If I like the product or the person involved, this is a wonderful opportunity
for me to pay back in kind whenever I can.
Because I always heed a call and have written many reviews and testimonials, I
learned that there are AMAZING BENEFITS in testimonials - you actually get much,
much more that you give on this occasion!
Here's what YOU get out of it:
Free or Not Free ? That is the Question
You may be in business for yourself or as a small company, but no matter what, especially if you just started this business, you need publicity! It's great that your spouse or best friend believes in you. You may even have total strangers tell you what a great idea you have. Some may tell you they wish they had thought of it themselves or had the guts to try it. You know you can do your job well, you know you could make money at this. But as hard as you work, you have little income to show for it. So how do you get the word out? And at what price?
Loyalty Cards ? Tips To Consider Before Committing To One
Loyalty marketing has been around for as long as retailing ? attractive stores, good service, and a quality product line all contribute to building up a loyal customer base.
Is Your 4X4 Trail Rated?
"Traction. Articulation. Ground Clearance. Maneuverability. Water Fording. We've put your new Jeep vehicle through extreme tests on the most extreme off-road terrain we could find. Trail Rated means your Jeep vehicle is designed to surmount any obstacle you're likely to encounter and some you may never see." ? Statement on Jeep Web site
The Importance of Business Marketing
Business marketing is one of the most important parts that your business needs to be addressed with careful attention and proactive thoughts. In last decade or so, the importance of business marketing has increased volcanically, as the advent of Internet and online business has ushered a whole new era in business. It should be noted that the competition and urgency among businessmen has increased due to the fact that Internet has rendered a whole world as a virtual world, and you never know when and from where a potential competitor has entered your territory unnoticed by you. And this is where proper business marketing strategies and sound business marketing plans play their part to make you the choicest businessman for your customers and dealers.
5 Steps for Developing a Marketing Tag Line for Your Product, Business, or Website
A marketing tag line is the one or two line descriptor that often comes after a product logo or company name. It is one of those things that looks simple but isn't. Large companies pay advertising agencies a lot of money to develop tag lines for their companies and brands.
Promotional Mugs: Become a Part of the Legendary Coffee Experience
When you want someone to like you, associate yourself with something that they love. Take coffee for instance. How much of America, or the world for that matter, would still be asleep if it weren't for this dark, smoky beverage?
|
