What is Postcard Marketing?

By: Andrew Glover
January 9, 2020

Postcard marketing is a form of direct mail you can use to reach a targeted audience. It is a simple, inexpensive, and flexible direct mail tool.  Organizations use postcards to generate leads, cultivate return interactions, and introduce new services. Using postcard marketing is a fun and fast way to get your message out to prospects and members without needing to compile many marketing items to fill an envelope or package.

Postcard Goals

You can achieve many different goals with postcard marketing. For example, postcards are an excellent tool to use when you want to contact non-responders to your previous mailings. Postcards are also a good, low-cost option to help urge current members to act.

With postcard marketing, you can drive prospects to your website using targeted special offers. You can tease prospects by letting them know that they should be on the lookout for something valuable coming in the mail. Your organization can also thank members for their commitment or remind them to do something. The options are endless, with postcard marketing through direct mail.

How Postcard Marketing Differs

The idiom “good things come in small packages” applies directly to postcard marketing. As they are small and inexpensive to produce, Postcards are great for organizations on a tight budget. You can send members postcards with promotional price pieces like coupons, announcements, and other offers. They are also great for non-profits who need to communicate multiple times a year with a select target audience. Postcards are a flexible marketing tool compared to other options. They offer your organization low cost, flexibility of use, fast turnaround, and highly specific geo-targeting.

Higher Read Rate

The essential ingredient in running a successful postcard marketing campaign is readable content. People often pay more attention to postcards and compared to digital forms of advertising. Postcards are tangible and more pleasant than an unwelcome email blast. Since there’s no envelope, people see your message instantly.

A Casual Glance

The open form factor enables your communication to be read by anyone who happens to glance at the card as it moves through the postal system. People also see the postcard when it’s left on the receiver’s desk or counter. The power of the accidental glance presents a significant role in branding. Someone may remember your organization’s name while having no idea where they acquired the information.

Visual Versus Text Approach

Postcard marketing focuses more on visual appearance compared to other marketing techniques that emphasize the text. They are eye-catching when you use high-quality photos, images, or graphics on oversized cards. The cards are less offensive in your members’ mailboxes. Many people throw out mass mail offerings with only a passing glance, but postcards generally get more attention because of their size and ease of access.

Limited Space

The limited space on a postcard provides emphasis on bite-sized, convincing, and snappy text. Your card needs to be easy to read and easy on the eyes. A well-balanced and attractive appearance provides you with more prospect and member interaction than most forms of digital advertising.

Postcard headlines are incredibly important. They should immediately catch the eye of the reader, which leads to them examining the card further. Use images only if they have a purpose and contribute to your message. Otherwise, the image is wasting space that could go towards your message. Make sure to use both sides of the card too. Space may be limited, but you have two sides to show your offer, contact information, or other details.

Postcard Marketing with Valtim

Your organization will benefit significantly by adding postcards to your direct mail marketing strategy. Postcards are a very efficient and versatile marketing tool for direct mail. You can achieve a broad reach and focus on a targeted approach. Valtim can equip you with the tools required to build a personalized postcard to support your offer and mission. Our postcard choices are cost-effective, and you can mail them to your intended audience without breaking the bank.

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