Direct Mail Postcards by Brandon Cornett 1-5

Direct Mail Postcards - Top 10 Ways to Increase Response
By Brandon Cornett

Direct mail postcards are the workhorse of direct marketing. Direct marketers have used postcards for decades, for the simple reason that they work. Why else would they still be around after all these years?
But as with any form of marketing, Direct mail postcards need to be optimized in every possible way. In order to get the best return on your investment, you must seek constant improvement in every aspect of your postcard marketing campaigns.
After working in the direct mail postcard industry for a while, I've noticed some trends. I've seen which postcard strategies work the best, and which ones should be avoided. And I'd like to share a little of that with you right now.
Keep in mind, however, that the only way to truly validate a direct mail strategy is by trying it for yourself. While the following strategies have worked well for other postcard marketers, that doesn't mean they'll be equally successful for you. But there's not harm in testing them for yourself!
So here are 10 of the best ways to improve your direct mail postcard response rates:
1. Start with the big idea.
A good offer will motivate people to respond. A solid promise of value will motivate people to respond. But a pretty postcard alone will not. So before you worry about the wording or the design of your direct mail postcard, focus on the big idea. What's the whole point behind your direct mail postcards? What's the offer, incentive or idea that's going to make people say, "Wow, I definitely want to learn more about that!"
2. Invest in your mailing list.
Now that you have a big idea for your direct mail postcards, you'll need to match it to the right group of people. In reality, you should already have a profile in mind of your ideal customers -- that's Good Business 101. But you'll need a direct mail list that matches your ideal audience profile as closely as possible.
Don't skimp on this step. An in-house list of qualified prospects is usually the best way to go. If you don't have one, call in the experts. Use a professional data company like InfoUSA, or a highly regarded list broker to assist you.
3. Polish that postcard headline.
Direct mail postcards have only a brief moment to capture the reader's attention. I refer to this as the "golden glimpse" -- that moment when your postcard comes out of the mailbox and either engages them or loses them. A strong direct mail headline goes along way in helping you survive the golden glimpse. So rewrite your headline as many times as needed until it is (A) easy to read at first glance, (B) interesting in some way, and (C) suggestive of the value to come.
4. Choose the right postcard image.
Obviously, direct mail postcards have limited space. So in most cases, you should only have one dominant image on the non-address side of the postcard. Don't choose an image just because you think it's neat or pretty. Your postcard's image will support the headline mentioned above, and vice verse. Together, they must identify and engage the audience. So choose an image for your Direct mail postcards that is (A) eye-catching, (B) relevant to your headline and message, and (C) relevant to the reader in some way.
5. Limit the postcard's scope.
We've already mentioned the limited space of a direct mail postcard. Because of this, it's wise to limit the scope of your message to one major product or idea. Make it your direct mail copywriting mantra: "One idea per postcard!"
By limiting each direct mail postcard to one product (or service, or idea, or topic), you can develop it in a way that is more likely to generate a response. You could explain the primary benefits, offer a testimonial or two, include some product photos, and make a strong offer. But you can't do all that while covering several topics, not on a direct mail postcard anyway. Save the multi-topic sales pitch for your brochures and website.