Postcard Marketing Wisdom - Build the Message Around the Objective

Everything I'm about to say assumes that you already have a product or service worth selling. If you feel that you do, and you're researching direct mail postcards as a promotional channel for that product or service, then read on!

Many first-time postcard marketers make the mistake of starting with the message before anything else. "What should I write on this postcard?" they will ask. "What should my headline say? What points do I need to make within the body?"

Here's a tip that will make the writing process easier for you, while also making the direct mail piece more effective in the end. Start with the response you are trying to evoke, and then work backward from there. Before you write a single word of your postcard message, you should clearly identify what it is you want people to do when they receive it.

Don't Overburden Your Postcards

Here's the key to this process. The desired response for your direct mail campaign must be something that a postcard is able to deliver. Think about the space and time constraints here. You don't have a lot of space for your marketing message, and you don't have a lot of time to convince the reader. They'll give you a quick glance at first, and if you don't grab them based on that glance you're done. So keep your response simple.

For example, let's say I am sending some postcards to business people in a certain industry to tell them about my new software program. My product is designed to make their life easier by streamlining some of the daily tasks they go through. But how much of this do I write into my direct mail message? Well, that depends on the desired response I am seeking from readers.

Working Backward from the Response

In this scenario, I need to start with the objective of my marketing campaign. There is not enough space on a postcard for me to explain all the details of my software program. Nor will most people give it that much time at first glance. So I come up with a simpler response -- all I want people to do is download a free-trial version of my product. Now that's something my direct mail piece can accomplish.

So from here, I work backward. I need a good landing page on my website that I can tie into the postcard campaign. I need to set up the free trial process and make sure everything is working. I need to ensure that names and email addresses are being captured for follow-up purposes.

The Message Writes Itself

Already, we can see how much easier the writing process is going to be. I have removed a big burden from my shoulders by determining a realistic response, something that is easy and risk-free for the respondents. I no longer have to tell them everything that makes my program great -- I only have to tell them enough to draw their initial interest, and to motivate them toward the free trial. At this point, the message practically writes itself. And it's all because I started with a realistic objective and worked backward from there.