Postcards: Can They Be As Effective as Envelope Mail?

When people think of direct mail marketing, they often think of two things: letters and postcards. You can't use as many words with postcards as you can in a seven-page mailer, but there's still a whole lot you can do with these seemingly small yet powerful pieces of paper.

==> The Magic of Lower Costs

Mailing a postcard campaign can be as much as 40% cheaper than running a standard mail campaign.

That means that instead of paying $3 a person, you're paying only $1.80 a person. That's a huge difference that goes directly towards your bottom line.

With postcards, you can mail more people and still be profitable with a lower response rate.

==> What Are Postcards Best Used For?

You shouldn't try to use postcards to sell products. If you're selling a $69.99 supplement plus a monthly subscription, that should absolutely be sold via mailer or a multi-step mailer.

However, postcards can be a very cheap way to test a message or list. You can get a rough sense for whether or not you're looking at a live list at a much lower cost.

Postcards are also great for lead generation. Use postcards to drive people to an internet website or a call-in number. The cost per lead generated will be much lower than using standard mail.

==> What to Avoid with Postcards

The number one thing to avoid with postcards is appearing like a screaming salesman.

That means avoid big bold "40% OFF!" signs and giant red headlines.

First off, you risk getting your postcards tossed out by the post office if you're extremely salesy. Second, most people sort through their mail over the trash can, ready to toss out any mail that sounds like junk mail.

Instead, try to make your postcard appear as if it were coming from a friend. Use cursive writing printed. Do still use a headline, but don't make it look like a sales letter.

Use a first class stamp. Not a printed one, but a real physical stamp. That'll help get your postcards through the post office, as well as help you get your mail read by the receiver.

Try using different card sizes. Unusual sizes tend to get read. Extra sized postcards or even smaller than usual postcards can both catch attention.

Mailing postcards successfully requires a slightly different mindset than direct mail. With direct mail, your goal is to create a sales letter that hits as hard as possible.

With a postcard, your goal is to titillate and generate interest without giving too much away. Your goal should be to either get their address or their email so you can hit them with a stronger sales message through a different medium.