Compare that with mass advertising channels like radio, TV and print. Those outlets, while effective for some marketing and branding strategies, simply do not get in front of your target audience as effectively. Direct mail postcards can be delivered to people who are most interested in your business and most likely to respond. For example: previous customers, those with specific shopping habits or purchasing history, people located near your business, etc. 

Through direct mail, your marketing not only reaches these people -- it ends up directly in their hands. This gives you a unique opportunity to grab their attention with powerful copy and design that resonates with the consumer.

Radio and TV advertising, on the other hand, reaches a much wider, less targeted audience. Sure, you can advertise during certain  shows, movies, or time slots. But it's much more difficult (and costly) to generate a substantial amount of targeted leads through those outlets.

The marketing channels you use to attract customers depends on the unique needs and goals of your business. But if you're looking for a highly targeted, cost-effective way to boost sales and engage your audience, direct mail postcards still deliver like no other.

Notice anything different around here?

We recently overhauled postcardpower.com. And along with it, we're launching a bunch of new services to help maximize results for businesses of all sizes. Hundreds of companies already trust PostcardPower for professional postcard marketing and promotional postcards. Now, we're offering the same great-quality creative work (and outstanding results) with other must-have marketing elements.

In addition to postcard marketing, PostcardPower now offers:

- Websites

- Brochures

- Social media marketing

- SEO (search engine optimization)

- The New PostcardPower All-in-One Card

Explore our new site to learn more about each of these services. If you're new to PostcardPower, give us a call to find out how we can help your business. Or, if we've already completed a postcard campaign for you, get in touch with us to see how we can integrate your direct mail efforts with online marketing too.

As Chris states in the article, "If you’re looking for the most affordable, impactful way to do direct mail, a postcard still is No. 1."

So, what are the five ways that postcards can help you capture new customers or retain existing ones? Here are some small snippets of the article:

1. They drive targets online. Your mailer can be the starting point for a longer conversation on your website or social media site.

2. They’re an integrated touchpoint. Postcards are flexible enough to work in any stage of a multitouch effort, like ahead of a dimensional mailer to pique interest, for instance, or after a sales letter to spur a response.

Check out the full article - it's worth a read!

Now that spring is here, and the temperatures are heating up, it's a great time to send out your spring & summer postcard marketing campaigns. This doesn't mean you need to run a pool cleaning business or a beach shop to capitalize on the spring rush. Any type of business can generate more sales during this time by creating special seasonal deals.

Here are some tips for your postcards:

Spring will be here (and gone) before you know it. So if you haven't planned your next batch of promotional postcards, now is the time. And if you already have spring campaigns running, then it's time to start planning your summer postcards to.

Happy spring!

Your postcard marketing should be no different.

For your next campaign, try limiting the front of your postcard to about 95 characters. One headline. Maybe a subhead or some bullets. Keep it succinct, powerful and specific.

Instead of writing "We are the best heart doctors in the area," try simply "Best heart doctors in Philadelphia." Even better, you can make your claim more credible by quantifying it. "Over 5,000 patients. 100% success rate." If you've won awards, you can slap on some small logos -- but don't write a paragraph about them. The award logos should speak for themselves.

You don't need to fill your postcard with dozens of reasons why your business is the best. The primary goal is to hook your customer and direct them to the next step: making a phone call, sending an email, visiting a website, etc.

Can't figure out what to include in your 95 characters? Ask yourself the following questions:

Write down your answers. Then, start deleting all the extraneous stuff. In the end, the only text that remains should be a message that your audience will not be able to ignore.

If you haven't already started planning your postcard marketing for the new year, now is the time. Before you do anything else today, here are 5 types of promotional postcards you should strongly consider working into your marketing budget for early 2011.

1) New Year's Promotion. The holidays may be over, but now is a great time to reach the millions of people who are making new year's resolutions and looking for a fresh start in 2011. Break out your best product/service benefits and mail them to your customers ... now.

2) President's Day Deals. If your business generates significant revenue during market share events/holidays, this is one promotion you need to plan quickly. This year, President's Day is Monday, Feb. 11 -- a day that many people have off and will be out shopping for products like yours.

3) Birthday Postcards. Have you noticed how many businesses now send promotional postcards to their customers on their birthdays? (Starbucks, Macy's, Pizza Hut ... just to name a few.) There's no reason why you can't do the same -- and this is a great time to get started.

4) Super Bowl Sunday. Your business doesn't have to be related to sports to capitalize on sales during the weeks leading up to the big game. (Feb. 6 this year.) If you have any kind of retail or restaurant business, this is a great opportunity to spin your promo around the things people need/want for their gameday parties.

5) Winter Clearance or Sales Events. Now that the holiday season is gone, it's a great time to promote product clearances and closeouts. Even if your business is service-based or B2B, there's no reason why you cant create a winter "tent event" with deep discounts on your most popular services.

However, if you're building your list from scratch, or your promotion doesn't apply to current customers, then you'll need to ask yourself some simple questions.

Are they local or all over the nation? Homeowners or renters? Metropolitan areas or rural? Does their location have any affect on their potential interest in your business?

Are they in a certain income bracket, or does it not matter? Do they spend a significant portion of their income on certain good & services?

Do your prospects generally make purchases similar to what you're already offering? Do they subscribe to certain magazines? Are they iPhone users or Android fans, or neither?

Do they have toddlers or teens? Are their kids living at home, in college, or off on their own? Or, are your customers the kids themselves?

Are your customers' professions related to their purchasing decisions? Blue collar or white collar? Self-employed or executive?

You get the idea. There is almost no limit to how targeted your mailing list can be. All you have to do is know your customer. And even if you're not sure, your postcard marketing company can help you determine these demographics and create a list for the highest potential response rates.

The number of questions you can ask yourself is virtually endless. Start with the basics and go from there. Just don't resort to guessing. Mailing your promotional postcards to the wrong list can kill your campaign. Before your postcards go out, make sure they'll get in the hands of the right people.

For example, you can thank your clients for making a purchase or simply for being a customer. You can wish them "Happy Holidays." If you know specific birthdays, you can have warm wishes sent right to their mailbox on the big day. These are all examples of postcards that won't necessarily bring in money directly, but they'll help building lasting relationships with your customers, which could greatly benefit your business in the long run.

For larger organizations with hundreds or thousands of employees, postcards can also be used send similar messages to your staff. "Thank you for a job well done." "Congratulations for another successful year." "Merry Christmas!"

The inexpensive rates for bulk postcards make it a great way to send these kind gestures all year long, without having to spend a ton of money.

If you're mailing to customer, and you absolutely must include a promotion, just be sure to make it secondary to the primary message. For example, if you're thanking customers, you can say something like, "Thank you for being a valuable customer. To show our appreciation, we'd like to offer you 50% off your next purchase ..."

If you start mixing messages like "You're great" with "Big sale this weekend" -- then the originally intention behind your postcard will be lost (unless your intention was to create a disconnect with your client base.)

When in doubt, just keep your message short and straight to the point. A simple "Thank You" goes a long way.

Use this as a checklist to make sure you have everything ready beforehand.

This may seem obvious, but far too often, businesses send out postcards with no other purpose than to announce their existence to the general public. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you're a small business that's new in town. But by adding a simple offer to your promotional postcards, such as "25% off" your products or services, you can almost guarantee a higher response. Nearly every postcard marketing campaign should include some type of offer to make a bigger impact.

Let your direct mail company know exactly when you hope to have your postcards in the mail. This will set a deadline for the entire project and will ensure that your campaign goes out on time.

If you're including an offer on your postcards, be sure to include a deadline for people to respond. This will create a sense of urgency and compel your prospects to respond "before it's too late." Having a deadline is another near-guarantee that you'll get higher response rate.

Make sure people know exactly how to respond. This can be as simple as "Call 1-800..." or "visit www.yourwebsite.com." If your call to action is hidden (or non-existent), your postcards will likely end up in the trash. The call to action should always be very clear and prominently placed.

If you want your logo to be on your postcards, be sure to have those images ready. Ideally, you should be able to email your logo to you direct mail company immediately after you speak with them on the phone.

If you already have professional graphics and images you want to use, that's great. You can send these along with your logo to your account manager. If you don't have any idea what your cards should look like, don't worry. Professional designers will find the best images for your campaign.

Just like images, it's great if you already have copy. But if not, no problem. Professional postcard-marketing copywriters will craft the exact message you're looking for.

It's important to know who you want to mail to. If you don't have your own list already, that's okay; your postcard marketing company will compile one for you. Just be sure to know who you're targeting (demographics, geographic location, etc.), so that the marketing team can develop a solid list with the biggest potential for response.

If you've never used postcard marketing before, you probably have a lot of questions. Many businesses, small and large, never consider promotional postcards when planning their marketing campaigns for the year -- often simply because they don't realize it's an option. When launching your first campaign, if you're confused or curious about any aspect, it's important to get answers right away to ensure the campaign's success from start to finish.

Here are some common questions, along with some answers to help you get started.

Postcard marketing is a very cost-effective form of marketing because it's targeted and, generally, you'll be ordering your promotional postcards in bulk, which results in very inexpensive costs for the postcards themselves. The exact cost of your postcard marketing will be based primarily on these factors: how many postcards you need, printing and mailing costs, the size and quality of the postcards, and the creative work that goes into the cards, such as writing and design.

Absolutely. Most postcard marketing companies will let you submit your own artwork or copy. But if you're not experienced in these areas, it's best to leave it to the professionals. Direct-mail postcard agencies have tons of experience executing these campaigns, so they know what works and what doesn't.

Your postcard marketing company should be able to help you obtain targeted lists of potential customers, local to your business or anywhere in the world. Your lists can be compiled based on a number of criteria, such as location, buying patterns, and many other demographics.

In general, you should allow 2-4 weeks for the design and printing of your cards. But this timeline can fluctuate, depending on if you're submitting your own creative work, lists, and so on.

You may want to set up a specific sales person to handle calls related to your promotion. If you're directing people to your website, you can also create a landing page with its own address, such as "www.yourcompany.com/promo" -- Use this to capture leads by including a form that asks for name, phone, etc. Keep track of every person that responds to your postcards.

This is completely up to you, but keep in mind that the average response rates to direct mail are roughly 1-3%, according to a study by the Direct Marketing Association. So the more you mail, the better. You'll likely want to mail to at least 1,000 recipients to start, but you can easily increase this into the tens of thousands.

Springtime is no exception.

Come spring, every year, people are looking for a fresh start in their lives. The weather is nicer. The days are longer. Consumers and businesses alike increase their spending. If you're not getting your business in front of those people, you run the risk of losing them to competitors.

So, what's the best way to plan your spring postcard marketing? Here are some quick tips.

Start early. Way early. Like, last year early. If you haven't started yet for this year, start now. Plan a series of two or three different promotional postcards, get them designed and in the mail as soon as possible.

Factor in "spring." Use the season to your advantage. In your postcards, offer "fresh savings," "spring sales," "deals just in time for spring," and so on. It not only creates urgency, but helps reinforce the seasonal associations they're already having.

Don't forget a promotion. They don't call them "promotional postcards" for nothing. Offer a new seasonal deal that your customers have never seen before and can't resist.

Get creative. Think outside the box. Maybe your postcards can include scent! Maybe they can open up and have something pop out at your customers. Direct-mail postcards don't have to go overboard to get the response you need. But by doing something original, you're sure to grab attention and make your brand stand out.

Start planning for summer. If you're behind on your postcard marketing planning, might as well get to work on your summer campaign as well. Starting now will give you more time to perfect the campaign and make tweaks based on the results of your spring campaign. While you're at it, might as well start on your fall and winter postcard marketing as well. It's never too early.

Spring might be a few weeks away still (it's still snowing in many places), but don't let that hold you back. Now is the time get a fresh start on the new season!

But don't worry! Tracking the results of your postcard marketing is very simple, even for beginners. You don't need sophisticated marketing technology. All you need is a clear plan of action for how you (or your staff) will track response rates and present the results once the campaign is over.

Let's work on this strategy together.

1) Designate a point person to oversee the campaign. This will likely be a project manager or marketing specialist who be in charge of executing the campaign and compiling all information, including mailing list size, response rates and so on.

2) Put a special phone extension or web address on your direct-mail postcards (if possible). This will ensure that most people who respond to your postcard will be directed to a dedicated line, salesperson or landing page.

3) Notify all necessary sales reps. Anyone who answers the phone or deals directly with customers should know about the postcard marketing campaign. Instruct them to keep careful track of all customers who are responding to the promotion, which ones convert into sales, etc. Make sure they know to enter this information into the appropriate system, or to simply relay that information to the main point person.

4) Track everything. How many postcards? How many calls? Website visits? Sales? You'll need this information to figure out the final results of the campaign.

5) Calculate your most important response rate. Divide the number of people who responded to your campaign (or performed whichever action was desired. i.e. a sale) by the total number of promotional postcards your mailed. For example, if you mailed 10,000 postcards and 500 people responded, your response rate would be 5.00%. Not bad!

6) Create a report. Have your point person turn all the data into a clear, easy-to-understand report. The more information included, the better, especially if you're doing A-B split tests. Make sure everyone involved with the campaign, including your creative teams, get a copy of this report. Even better, go over it together and highlight the most important findings.

7) Use the data to make improvements on your next campaign. Don't worry if your first batch of promotional postcards bombed. Use what you learned to make it better and try again. This is important for all forms of marketing, and postcard marketing is no exception.

Promotional postcards are great for tradeshow booths. Almost like giant business cards, these postcards can give a quick overview of your business, products, services (or all of the above). Attendees can grab a postcard, stick it in their bag and take it with them. And, since they're inexpensive to make, you can stock up on as many as you need.

Many businesses create multiple postcards for each service or product they want to promote. You can literally cover your table with this "candy," allowing attendees to grab one of each, or pick and choose the products that apply to their needs.

Here are some more tips:

1. Make sure the postcards grab attention. Whether it's a unique headline or design, there has to be an element that catches people's eyes, pulls them to your booth, and makes them want to pick up your promotional postcards.

2. Match the design with your booth. It looks more professional if your marketing materials match the design or theme of your booth. Make sure your postcard marketing doesn't look like it's from last year's show.

3. Include your contact information on every postcard. Remember, your promotional postcards are like giant business cards. If you want people to respond, you must make sure your contact information is loud and clear.

4. Sweeten the candy with a special offer. Just like your regular postcard marketing, you can increase response by including a special offer. Take it up another notch by making the offer "exclusive to show attendees."

5. Don't let leftovers go to waste. If you think you'll have extra postcards by the end of the event, be sure to leave room on the cards for mailing labels. That way, you can always "recycle" the postcards by turning them into a traditional mailing after the show is over.