8 Reasons Why You Need Postcards for Your Business

Digital has taken over the marketing strategy for many organizations. Some marketers are convinced they don’t need anything more than some social media pages, online ads and a PPC campaign to reach their target audience.

But consider this. If everyone else is doing that, shouldn’t you do something the competition isn’t doing? Print is not dead. Introduce the postcard to your marketing strategy to see gains and outsmart your digital obsessed competition. Here are eight reasons you need direct mail postcards for your business.

1. They’re Affordable

Postcard printing is affordable. You can design, set up and mail a direct mail campaign quickly and at low cost while reaching a large audience. They are the ideal way to reach local targets whether you offer professional services, run a restaurant or have a local boutique. They can generate more traffic to your business with very little investment, much more affordably than say a local newspaper ad or billboard.

If you are worried about the cost, like other direct mail campaigns; postcard mailings save money as there aren’t any additional costs to fold and insert them into envelopes. You also get more bang for your buck as people are more likely to hold onto them for future reference.

Unlike PPC campaigns, you won’t run out of money before reaching a large enough group of people within your budget. You also don’t have to worry about running over budget. You simply let your printer and direct mailing company know your budget and they will tell you how many postcards you can afford to print and send.

2. Eye-Catching Design

Premium custom postcards can be designed and printed with a wide selection of options including:

• Matte finish
• Spot UV
• Glossy UV coating
• Different sizes
• Different papers
• Special details such as spot colours and finishes or die cuts

When you create an eye-catching postcard mailer, it has real power to generate leads. You don’t have to recreate the wheel. You can use landing pages and website design to inspire your postcards, saving time and money on design efforts.

3. Diverse Marketing Tool

Since many businesses are obsessed with digital marketing, postcard printing is a pleasant surprise for your target audience. They communicate your message precisely, reaching people directly in their homes. You can use them as a special offer that people can bring into your place of business, whether it is a discount, a coupon, or a complimentary gift with purchase.

These work much like a business card but with more space to include information that will draw people to your business. A discount offer can be printed on them, allowing the postcard mailer to be used as a coupon. They can be regarded as an oversized business card and are another way to help brand a business.

They are also regarded with less suspicion then email campaigns. People are worried that by clicking on email offers they might get a virus, or worse, expose their personal information to pirates and hackers. Direct mailers like flyers, letters, booklets and postcards are trustworthy, which will always work better for your brand.

4. Build Brand Awareness

Brand awareness does not just matter online. If you have a brick and mortar location, you will want to introduce yourself to locals in a more intimate way. Whether you are a new startup or have been in the area for years, you can attract new people to your business with offers and announcements, increasing interest in what you offer.

Interestingly, postcards also help you keep your strategies and promotions out of sight from the competition. Digital marketing is out there for all to see. It usually just takes a visit to your website or social media pages to find out what you’re up to. Direct marketing postcard campaigns arrive at the doors of the people you want to see your promotions and no one else.

5. More Engaging

Because people have a tactile, physical postcard in their hand, they at least have to glance at it when they get it in the mail. Statistics show only 20-30% of emails are opened while 80-90% of direct mail is opened. This means your headline and business will get noticed, unlike digital ads that are often blocked by users. Many marketing professionals acknowledge postcards are an effective marketing tool.

6. Affordable Testing

Digital A/B testing gets expensive. Postcards are a cost-effective way to test out your campaigns. It is also an affordable way to test response to a new product or offer you are considering. This can be based on price, but also how you present your offer. You can use tracking codes and have customers provide them when they claim their offers and then see where you get the most responses.

Postcards usually take about seven to 10 days to generate over 90% of their total response. You will have results quickly, unlike digital marketing, that has to be tracked for weeks or months.

You can also choose to manage sales activity by regulating the number of postcards and frequency of campaigns. This works well for seasonal businesses, for example.

7. Complement Digital Marketing

Many marketers overlook the opportunity to combine their print and digital efforts. Postcards can be used to drive traffic to your website, social media and landing pages for special offers. This allows you to track response while increasing your online presence easily. If digital marketing is a priority, this will drive traffic. You can assign specific URLs to each postcard via laser printing and inkjet addressing to track responses as well.

8. Precise Targeting

You can choose to save money with bulk mail distribution, which works well for restaurants, medical professionals, and household services such as laundry services. You can also choose an accurate target for more specific services. For example, a real estate agent can target people who have owned their home for a certain amount of time or on specific streets that are in high demand for buyers.

To learn more about postcards, direct mail printing and direct mail marketing, call Troi Mailing Services in Toronto at 1-866-486-9350 or contact us here.