If you haven't yet read our article, Advertising Principals to Jump-start Your Business you might want to read it now. If you have read it, you'll understand why you need the flexibility and tractability that postcards provide at an incredibly low unit cost. Essentially, postcards give you:

1. The ability to target your most promising prospects. See principal #9 in Advertising Principals to Jump-start Your Business.

2. The ability to deliver a message in less time than it takes most people to open an envelope. We all sort our mail over the recycling bin and usually anything that looks like junk mail get dropped in unopened. This is why the old "direct-mail package" consisting of a sales letter, brochure and reply form just doesn't work anymore. But, with a dramatic headline and compelling graphic in full color, you can capture your prospect's attention in those five seconds before a postcard is dropped.

3. It's a vehicle more effective than print ads, e-mail, banners or broadcast. We've all learned to "tune-out" or filter the jumble of promotional chatter to which we are exposed daily. Only the physical act of sorting our mail gives advertisers a real opportunity to wedge their message into our hands. A postcard is a real thing that must be handled. Those five seconds it takes us to glance at it are golden to the advertiser. If they are successful at "grabbing us by the throat" - they'll have our attention. Did you ever wonder why so many magazines are full of loose coupons? They are called "blow-in" because of the way they are inserted (as opposed to stitch-in which are actually bound into the publication). Advertisers love blow-ins because they usually fall on the floor while you are reading the magazine. This means you are forced to deal with their coupon. It gives them precious seconds of your attention that they wouldn't get if their message remained neatly in the publication. Being forced to handle a postcard works the same way.

4. It's a perfect first step to drive traffic to your web site. Back in the old days (before the internet) direct marketing was divided into one step and two step campaigns. The classic one step campaign was the "direct-mail package" we spoke of earlier. It was thought that it provided enough space to do the complete selling job and ask for a response. Two step advertising consisted of classified or small space ads that enticed the prospect to write or call for more information. Today, most of your prospects are perfectly comfortable in asking for the second step on your web site, especially if you make a compelling offer on a first-step postcard. Think of the savings in dollars and trees!

5. It's a means to control your promotional activity. If you've ever advertised in print media you know that most publications impose a lead-time requirement. Magazines can have a one to two month lead. Even newspapers require several days to run your ad. By the time your ad runs, you might be swamped with work, or your merchandise might be out of stock. With postcards, you decide when and how many prospects you'll engage.

6. It's a means to track the success of your ad. Because every prospect receives a card with their name and address imprinted on it you have the perfect tracking devise. Simply offer a premium or prize for the return of the card and you'll know exactly who was interested enough to read your message. See principal # 7 in Advertising Principals to Jump-start Your Business.

There are literally hundreds of ways to stimulate your business with low-cost, full color postcards. Why not enlist the help of marketing a specialist with years of experience? Click the "call me" button below and leave me an e-mail. I'll be back to you in less than 24 hours with economical ways to expand your business volume.