![\"postcard](\"https:\/\/www.marketingforsuccess.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/postcard-marketing1.jpg\" "\\"postcard")
<\/a><\/p>\nIn this, the second of four articles in this series by Jeffrey Dobkin on creating highly responsive post cards, we discuss how to design and write postcards specifically to make your phone ring with maximum calls, maximum response.<\/p>\n
In the third article in this series on direct mail marketing with post cards, we examine the final seven ways to create maximum results with your post card marketing campaign.\u00a0 In the fourth and final article – which was written for the insurance industry, you’ll learn 15 specific offers to make the phone ring.<\/p>\n
If you sell insurance, you’re in luck – these offers were written specifically for you.\u00a0 If you don’t sell insurance, ummm… you’re probably better off, selling insurance is boring.\u00a0 And, most of these offers will work for you anyhow.\u00a0 Hey, don’t go into insurance on our account.<\/p>\n
Here are the first 5 ways to make your post card direct mail marketing campaign even more effective by increasing your response rate.<\/p>\n
1. Paint a picture with your postcards.<\/strong><\/p>\n Postcards show clients you are on your toes and just waiting by the phone to help them. Fast quotes, industry research, business help, referrals – whatever they need, direct mail campaigns using post cards should continually point clients to the phone: “Hey, just pick up the phone and call us right now.”<\/p>\n Even if you just offer free inside industry information, it’s empowering your clients to have all your information right there at their fingertips – if they just call right now and ask.<\/p>\n 2. FREE Quotes. <\/strong><\/p>\n One of the best offers to make on a postcard is to offer a FREE quote or a FREE estimate.\u00a0 Most business you receive starts out this way anyhow – someone calls for a quote, estimate, free booklet or for information.\u00a0 Offer this on your card for maximum response.<\/p>\n Since many service jobs start out with a phone call asking for a quote, why not center your postcard marketing campaign on asking for the opportunity to quote.\u00a0 This allows clients to tell you of their specific need while it generates a phone call for you.\u00a0 Isn’t that exactly what your postcard marketing campaign is all about – finding a need and offering to fulfill it; and generating a phone call to start the process?<\/p>\n Please note: when making an offer for a FREE quote on a post card the word free should be in all capital letters.\u00a0 Would you rather have a free quote or a FREE quote.<\/p>\n 3. Generate referrals.<\/strong><\/p>\n Postcards are GREAT for referrals.\u00a0 Include a line on the bottom of ALL your direct mail marketing postcards saying “Thanks so much for all the referrals – we appreciate them.\u00a0 Thank you!”\u00a0 This implies some people have been giving you referrals, and stimulates referrals from all other readers.<\/p>\n By the way, if you print “Save this card” in small letters on your postcard, people will – increasing the longevity of the card and assuring your phone number will be at their fingertips when they need it.<\/p>\n 4. Offer a FREE LUNCH.<\/strong><\/p>\n Or, offer a free breakfast on your postcard.\u00a0 Maybe dinner.\u00a0 Put a dashed border around the post card and make it a fun coupon.\u00a0 Hey, you need to meet with clients anyhow, to make sure they know who you are.<\/p>\n Lunches build loyalty and longevity into your business and face to face time creates and solidifies a real relationship.\u00a0 Let them call you and take you up on this FREE offer whenever they like.\u00a0 Remember, the bottom line of the post card campaign: once someone calls you, the post card worked.\u00a0 100% success.<\/p>\n Once the phone rings, it’s up to you to fulfill your objective whatever it is. Once the reader is on the phone with you you can build loyalty, build trust, introduce new products, ask for referrals, cross sell, upsell, or simply close the sale.<\/p>\n If you market insurance or financial services like many of my clients, the phone call is also a great chance to offer a review all their policies and their financial portfolio over a meal.\u00a0 Hey, I didn’t say it wouldn’t be a working lunch.<\/p>\n 5. Offer a FREE BOOKLET.<\/strong><\/p>\n The number ONE way to entice people to call in your post card direct mail marketing campaign (or any direct mail campaign, really) is to offer FREE information.\u00a0 Information, booklets and white papers, they’re cheap to print and the value of the information they contain can be tremendous, especially if you keep the level of relevance high.<\/p>\n Here’s the most important tip…<\/strong><\/p>\n To increase response of your direct mail marketing campaign: the title of the FREE booklet you offer on your postcard is entirely responsible for the quality and quantity of response.<\/strong> The title is a key element, and to a large part responsible for your post card success or failure.\u00a0 As in most direct mail offers, the better the booklet TITLE, the greater the response<\/em>.\u00a0 Simple as that.<\/p>\n – Jeffrey<\/em><\/p>\n