Day 6 – Marketing Arsenal

Slipping Into Their Memory

One of the oldest tools available for your marketing arsenal is the postcard.  While it may not be the most exciting tool in your marketing arsenal, it is the most versatile, most cost-efficient and budget friendly and one of the most likely to be at least looked at by a potential client.

The fact that the postcard is easy to use, inexpensive and the fastest way to touch base with your clients or potential clients make it a top pick for marketing.   When you want to send out information to your prospect list or to notify your current clients and customers of an upcoming product or promotion it is essential that you use postcards.

While it may seem that postcard marketing is a no-brainer activity there really should be a lot of thought that goes into how you spend your advertising dollars on postcards.   One of the first things you need to consider is:

1.    When do I send my postcards?

It is important to send your postcards on days where mail is typically the lightest.   If you send your postcards out Monday morning, they will arrive in your local clients’ mailboxes on Tuesday or Wednesday, which are known in the industry as the lightest mail days.

Light mail days equal greater opportunity for your postcard to be seen and reviewed by a perspective client.

How to Use the Postcard

1.  Think Simple Message for the Biggest Impact.    Since postcards have limited space, you want to think of a simple and to the point message of what you want your clients to know.

For example, if you are offering free e-filing of their tax return that may be your focus on your postcard.

2.  Make it a point to give instructions.   In addition to your quick, simple message remember to give a potential client something to do such as:

-  Call the office
-  Stop by and see you
-  Respond by mail
-  Attend an event
-  Make a new appointment

A great example of postcards being used in this manner are the “Your Tax Appointment” postcards used by your competitors.

Are All Postcards the Same?

Actually postcards are varied and the opportunities to use them are immense.   The three main categories of postcards are:

1.  Picture Postcards
2.  Personal Message Postcards
3.  Classified Ad Postcards

Picture Postcards

“Wish you were here” – typically this is a statement found on the souvenir postcards that seem to arrive long after the person sending them are back at home, but this phrase is also catchy to you in promotion of your business.

Additionally, there are many other great phrases and picture postcards used for building a financial practice.

While you may not have the touristy or travel agent image of a cruise ship or exotic destination on your picture postcard (although you could!) you could easily incorporate your business logo, or any number of realistic or comical portrayals related to money and finances.

If you are an accountant perhaps a great picture postcard to send out before tax time would be of someone relaxing by ocean with the caption “Don’t you wish your accountant had saved you more money last year?”

On the reverse side you would then put your contact information for interested clients to call you and see how you can work with them to help save them money so that they too can spend some time relaxing on the beach.

With picture cards – think of great ways to draw in people based upon things they would like or appreciate.   If you are an investment manager – a postcard with a carefree couple driving down the road in a convertible sends a powerful message to potential clients who want to experience the kind of lifestyle that you can show them how to obtain.

While there is not much space on a picture postcard for a message it is important to realize that one of the biggest draws to a picture postcard is that a picture can say “a thousand words”.

Personal Message Postcards

While picture postcards are usually more stately and elegant with appealing pictures and images, the personal message postcard is anything but pictorial and designer but for all that it lacks in design it makes up for its simplicity by being a highly functional and versatile postcard.

Personal message postcards are often utilized in prospecting mail as well as response mail.  Instead of including an envelope and letter for a potential client to return, personal message postcards offer and easy and affordable way to get a return on your investment.

When used for prospective clients, the personal message postcard acts much like the picture post cards to draw the reader back to a number where they can reach you, a website where they can find or request more information or a time/location/place where they can connect with you one-on-one to discuss matters important to them.

The personal message postcard has a high rate of visibility.  Often mail will be passed through from one person to another and during that time unlike a sealed letter, a postcard is visible and accessible to others.

Since the personal message postcard provides targeted and relevant information to a particular person or groups of people, it is likely that these postcards will get passed on to others in and also outside of the company.

Just keep in mind that postcards do have limited space but if you plan appropriately you can make a small piece of marketing material make a big difference in your bottom line.

Classified Ad Postcards

Unlike the picture postcards which convey a lot in imagery, or the personal message postcard which is targeted to a specific client or prospective client, the classified ad postcard is more widely and randomly distributed.

When you utilize the classified ad postcard you will want to make sure that you get the right mailing list for your postcard campaign.   Our list brokerage service can help you select the particular market community that you need to promote your financial services effectively.

These postcards work in a method similar to your classified ad pages.  If you have had good return and response to your classified newspaper ad then chances are that publication is viewed by those most likely to be your clientele.

Consider approaching the advertising department for that periodical and see if they sale or rent their readership lists.   This is entirely ethical as long as the readers know that this practice is occurring and have not opted out for these additional services from supporting or sponsoring companies.

Remember, that you may reach new clients from this list who for whatever reason may not read the classifieds – so your information is new information to them!

Be sure that the people you are targeting are specific enough to your product or service to actually have the potential to need the same.  While classified ad postcards are easy to use and inexpensive – you don’t want to waste these advertising dollars on a campaign that has little if any return for your investment.

That’s a lot of information to remember for a little simple postcard, isn’t it?   Well, there is more!  While it may seem that these details are not essential, they are.   You want to use methods that are proven as successful because every cent counts and you want your profits to be a profitable as possible.

Postcards are the minutest and focused marketing tool in your arsenal.   The area you have to work with is small!  The average-sized postcard message has to be contained in an area approximately 4 1/4 by 6 inches.    In this small space you have to:

1.  Make your Message Attract Attention
2.  Develop Interest in Your Message
3.  Create the Desire for the Benefit You Are Offering and
4.  Generate the Need to “Act Now!” in your prospect

Basically, that is the same system used in other marketing tools but the exception is that postcards offer much less space and room for error.  You need to be on target and reach your audience in a way that matters most to them quickly and effectively.

One way to do this is by the materials of the postcard.    The best and least costly cardstock to use is IVORY.   This is possibly the best color choice and offers more printing options.

While this is preferred, some people want to use a colored paper stock.  If you want to use a color other than ivory, stick with pastels such as pale yellow or blue or perhaps a light gray.

Labels vs. Handwriting

If you want your postcard to be more personalized – handwrite the address of the recipient on each card.   If you prefer a crisper, more professional look – use a label maker or your computer to create attractive labels for your postcards.   A great look if you can find someone with this talent is to hire a calligrapher to add a special touch to your postcards to give them an added elegance.

Building Your Postcard Arsenal without Breaking the Bank

Because postcards are simple to create, you can do most of the work yourself using a computer.  You really do not need special skills or equipment.   However, even though simple to create, it may be more cost-efficient and time-efficient for you to let a professional print shop service help you create your postcards as well as mail them to your database.

There are many affordable ways to get your message out there on a postcard at an economical rate per postcard.

1.  Print on plain (no printed lines) 4×6 index cards with a laser or inkjet printer.
2.  Print 4 postcards on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of card stock using a laser or inkjet printer.
3.  Print on a fan-fold 4×6 index cards using a dot matrix printer. (Office supply stores carry these fan-folded 4×6 cards in packs of 500).
4.  Print one 8 x 11 sheet of white paper with 4 postcards on it and take to a quick print shop. (You may want to burn the image file to CD and take with you for improved print time.)
5.  Type or handwrite the words you want for the printed message on your postcard.  Take this to a quick print shop and have them typeset the message and print the copies you need.  Be sure to get and keep the typeset, original copy from the print shop to save on secondary orders.

Make a Visual Statement with Your Postcard By

1.  Never using a print size smaller than 10 pt.  (12 characters per inch)
2.  Use a font that is easy to read such as Standard Courier, Times Roman, Verdana, or Helvetica.
3.  Don’t use borders with postcards.   This de-personalizes your message.   If you have a small classified section / ad you could put a border around that information.
4.  Don’t use labels – Hand write addresses or use a custom font made from your own handwriting.
5.  If you must use labels – use clear, opaque or translucent labels so that they are not as noticeable.   You could also use labels the same color as your card.
6.  Include a sender’s return address sans company name or your name unless it would be recognizable by the prospective client.
7.  Layout your return address as follows:

555  2nd Street #210
Anytown, TX  79123
(234) 555-1515

8.  Keep your message BRIEF.
9.  Personalize your message by including the person’s name or personal descriptions (i.e.  To: The New Business Owner).
10.  Use a real date on your postcards (month/day/year) or use an artificial date such as “Tuesday, 9:10 AM” – the recipient of this card can imagine that you wrote it last Tuesday at 9:10 in the morning.
11.  USE A STAMP.   People respond to a postcard with a stamp on it rather than a metered or special permit postcard.
12.  Include a toll-free number for reader to use for response and offer pre-recorded messages.
13.  Leave 3/4 Inch of Unprinted Space at the bottom to avoid having your information covered up by an automation barcode or white label utilized by the US Postal Service.

BLUEPRINT FOR BUILDING

These smallest tools in your marketing arsenal can double if not triple your practice size while not costing you a small fortune to utilize.

As you were reading the ideas on how to use postcards hopefully you were able to think of some of your products or key services that you could market using this mega, yet mini, marketing resource.

Think about your operation and what you do and work to incorporate some of these tips for using postcards into your practice.

Tomorroe – Using a Client Newsletter

You have a captive audience of clients and customers how do you use that to your advantage to create engaging and interactive marketing tools that create the success you desire?   tomorrow I’ll teach you the correct way to use your client newsletter to explode your practice.