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Does Post Card Advertising Really Work?
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By Woody Quinones
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You've decided to try advertising your business with post cards.The idea came to you from the post cards you receive from otherbusinesses. You like the idea because it seems easy to do andeconomical. However, you've never tried this before so youquestion whether this method will bring you customers.
Let me say this first, "All Forms of Advertising Work!" However,you have to clearly understand how the advertising medium worksand realize that each form has it's limitations along with costsassociated with it.
At this time, I also I need to dispel a myth that has beenaround for as long as there has been printed advertising. Many,many business people believe that if they do a 1 time massmailing it should be a slam dunk in sales.
Let me be the first to say. "With over 36 years of selling tothe public, it simply doesn't work that way!" If you plan onbeing in business longer than 1 day, then you must continuallyadvertise to keep the clientele coming to you.
Advertising in any medium has always been about repetition andgetting your name remembered. It's called "Branding". Studybusinesses that use television commercials. They are constantlyrepeating their business message 1000's of times a day. They arethe best free examples to watch and learn from.
So for your business, you can conclude that the more yourprospects see your name or message repeated, the easier it isfor them to get to know you and what you offer. Then it becomesan easier task to get them to buy from you.
So How Does Post Card Advertising Work?
You create an ad on a Post card. This can be done in yourfavorite graphics or word program. Then use the mail mergefeature in the program to insert mailing addressesautomatically. In case you haven't setup your address book youwould need to do this before you do a mail merge.
Print out the cards, stamp them and then mail them out. If donecorrectly and repeated over and over again your customer basewill grow. This is the simple mechanics of post card advertising.
So Where Do I Get Good Addresses From?
Before you can get good addresses, you must first know who it isyou are wanting to target before you do your mail out. Youwouldn't offer gun sales to anti-gun activists or religiousmaterial to a group of Atheists, now would you?
First, go to the large search engines and do some research tofind out who uses your type of product and/or services. Once youuncover who they are, you then know who your target market willbe.
As a side note, there are companies that do sell mailing liststhat contain groups of people, organizations and businesses. Itis all gathered and cataloged and based on personal interestsand/or work related. You can buy these mailing lists or startyour own.
Secondly you have to determine how often you will be sendingyour post cards out. The amount of times you repeat yourmessage, to those you target, will determine how well theyremember you. Let me show you how I am targeted by companiesthat I do business with and that get my attention as well as myorder.
Example:
ImpactYourArea.com is targeted by companies that makepromotional products. Everyday I receive something in the mailfrom some company. It could be product announcements, newproduct samples, promotions and/or valuable insight togenerating more sales.
Some companies send me information at least once a month. Others4 times a year. Then there are those companies that send mesomething only once a year.
Of those three company types which do you think I remember more?It would be those that send me something once a month.
>From this example it should be clear that getting your messageout repeatedly and often is how your prospects are going toremember you, your product and/or services.
So What Are The Limitations With Post Card Advertising?
Let's say you plan to send out 5000 post cards in a one timemailing. If you are targeting prospects that use your type ofservice or product, then statistically you should draw 1-2% inresponses. Meaning that roughly 50 people may show some interest.
That doesn't necessarily mean you have converted the prospectinto a buyer. It only means they have shown an interest in youroffer and are willing to take it to the next step.
The next step, for them, is to find out a little bit more aboutyour offer. These are your "Tire Kickers". Of those thatresponded your chance of converting them is also 1-2%.
So your chances of converting prospect to buyer, from your 1time mail out could be 4-6 buyers from your original 5000 postcard mail out.
Now most would say that the campaign was a failure. However, bythe way this medium works it was right on target.
So How Do You Increase Response Rate?
Instead of sending out a 1 time mass mailing of 5000 post cards,consider sending out a smaller amount and do it in monthlyincrements. Repeat the mail out process once a month for 12-24months.
So How Much Should You Send Out?
I would start small and build from that. This gives you theability to spend a little at a time while measuring how eachmail out converted. This keeps your advertising costs down andmanageable.
Start with 500 post cards a month. Only target prospects youknow that would use your product and/or services. Then I wouldrepeat the mail out to the same group over the next 1-2 years.
Even if they do not buy the first or second time after they'vereceived your card, they are beginning to get to know you andyour product and/or services. As time goes by your chances ofconverting them to a buyer increases. There is also a goodchance that those you target may pass your offer onto someoneelse.
In conclusion, never allow the idea that advertising once willbe the solution to gaining repeat business. Don't forget thatpost card advertising does work if you learn how to do it rightand you repeat the process over and over.
Copyright 2005 ? Woody Qui?ones & www.Impactyourarea.com
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