Your Guide to Postcard Copywriting

Postcards are one of the most popular and most effective pieces of direct mail you can use in your advertising campaign. They are also one of the most cost-effective pieces of direct mail since sending a postcard can often be much cheaper than sending a letter in an envelope.

Postcards are especially affordable for small businesses and it’s easy to measure their results since they are always viewed by their recipients, meaning you won’t need to worry about the open rate. Postcards make the best use of you and your prospects’ time, whether that’s the time the recipient takes to read your mailer or the time it takes for you to produce them.

Postcards are easy to print in high volumes, and simple to schedule in batches of mail outs. You can also get quick test results using postcards with an offer code in a new market. With that being said, you can reap the most benefits of postcard marketing by ensuring that the copy on your postcard is up to par. The copy you put on your postcard will have a great effect on your response rate and bottom line. Great copy results in a highly successful ad campaign, but poor copy can make a good offer easy to pass up.

If you’re just starting out with direct mail marketing it can be difficult to tell between good or bad copy, especially if you’re writing your own postcard. If you find that you are struggling, please keep reading our guide for valuable postcard copy.

Figure Out Your Objectives

The first step to writing compelling postcard copy is to figure out what response you want your audience to make when they read it. You should take a down-top approach that starts with your general objective rather than your headline. This objective forms the backbone of your marketing campaign and the foundation of what you will write.

For example, promoting a specific product, using a discount code or visiting your online store. These might be a few responses you can pick as your objective for your postcard.

Make the Benefits Centre Stage

One of the most common mistakes when writing copy is to make the focus all about your offer’s features rather than its benefits for the reader. It’s fine to briefly touch upon the features but they should never take the stage over your offer’s benefits. Focus on writing the benefits first and the features after that. This will make the reader more intrigued to keep reading your copy and take steps to respond.

Write a Clear Headline

A clear headline is a strong headline. While 100 percent of your recipients might view the image on your postcard, about 80% will read your headline and then only a small percentage will continue to read your copy, depending on whether or not they perceived value from your headline.

Your title needs to set clear expectations for what else is on the postcard for the receiver. Or in other words, what they will get out of reading it. For postcard headlines, simple is best. Some examples of what you can include are numbers, questions or urgency like “last chance”.

Include a Special Offer

Your special offer is the incentive your recipients need to take the actions that you desire. This can be anything from a discount to a freebie or something else of high value. Make sure you come up with something that is considered high value in your industry or niche. Don’t be scared to think outside the box or offer a free product. The loyalty you gain from lifelong customers will definitely cover the cost.

In addition to a special offer, you also need to make sure that it is time-sensitive so you can create a sense of urgency in your potential customers that will spur them to action. Set a reasonable deadline for your audience to process the information and do something about it.

Keep the Space in Mind

You can only write so much on a postcard and you can’t expect it to both explain your product and close a sale. There are time and space constraints when working with something the size of a postcard. No one wants to sit down and read a wall of text on a postcard, front to back. You need to keep things concise and keep your message short, otherwise it’ll head straight to the bin.

Conclude With a Powerful CTA

Once your audience knows what your special offer is about, you need to let them know what their next steps should be in order to take advantage of it. This is where a powerful call-to-action plays an important role. If you want them to visit your store or your online website include the address on your postcard. Your CTA is also another opportunity for you to reiterate your product benefits or special offer.

In conclusion, your main goal is to capture attention, spur action and get the response you desire for your business. Remember, take the time to carefully plan out your ad campaign and write your copy focusing on your goal. Aim your offer on your ideal audience and then test your mailing list in small chunks.

Once you are happy with your results, take things to the next level and schedule a direct mail sequence. You can build a successful business using the power and reach of the small but mighty postcard.

For more information about direct mail advertising in the GTA, call Troi Mailing Services at 1-866-486-9350 or contact us here.