How to Grow Your Customer Base With Postcards

"Consider the Midwest School of Music, in Indianapolis, IN. When the owner returned to teaching piano, she used a postcard campaign to get her business started. In a month she had 40 students and hired another teacher. Now a few years later she has 32 employees and has opened a Chicago branch. Aside from a Yellow Pages listing, postcards are her only means of marketing. She tried others, but stopped them all because postcards proved most effective." *

Postcards are effective because of these four reasons:

Builds Credibility - Your customer will begin to believe you exist when they see your postcard over and over in the mail. It communicates credibility and gives people the idea that you're established, a key player, and not going to go away. Some people may respond right away and many do not. This is why repetition is key to growing your customer base.

Visual Imagery - How you say it is just as important as what you say. The visual imagery you select, to carry your message to your target audience, will either get your mail piece noticed or tossed. The graphic, size, and finishing on the postcard all play a role in creating an effective message that is noticed and read.

Mini Billboard - Postcards are easy for your recipient to keep. If your message is important to them they will keep the postcard on their refrigerator or bulletin board, in their purse or planner, or anywhere that will remind them of the relevant message you sent them.

Multifaceted - Use your postcard as a coupon, gift certificate, or event ticket. Ask people to present the card to claim an offer. This will generate traffic to your office, web site, trade show booth, etc. It can also be sent to current customers to give to others. When that referred person becomes a new customer, they present the postcard to you and you send out your appreciation gift to your customer.