3 Reasons Your Postcard Ends Up in the TRASH

It’s an image that can keep you awake at night: your perfect prospect getting your postcard in the mail and unceremoniously dropping it in the trash, without so much as a second glance.

WHY, PROSPECT? WHY???

For the sake of this newsletter, let’s assume this nightmare is reality, even if it really isn’t (unless you’re mailing to a horrible list or just have the wrong target market in mind). So how can we turn more trash-bound postcards into inbound leads or website visits?

It’s all about ATTENTION, and there are 3 elements that go into grabbing a prospect’s attention. Here’s where you can go wrong with each of them…

1. Wrong-Sized Postcard
The size of your postcard plays a more important role than you may realize, for a simple reason: bigger cards are easier to see! Obvious, I know. Yet this is an area where people try to pinch pennies by going with a smaller card than they really need – and it costs them in the long run. I’ve developed a quick quiz to help you figure out what size card is right for you (or you can call for a free brainstorming session)…

How much do other businesses in your service area market themselves?

• Not at all/I’m the only one (You can lean towards a smaller card)
• Light to Moderate Amount (Lean toward a larger card)
• Moderate to Heavy Amount (You need a large card – the biggest available)

Do your competitors also mail postcards, specifically?

• No (You can lean towards a smaller card)
• Yes (You need a large card)

How much explaining does your offer require?

• Not that much/Easy to grasp  (Smaller card is fine)
• A little background info (Medium should do the trick)
• A lot/Details are important (Go big or go home)

2. Unclear/Uninteresting Headline
Now, assuming you have a postcard that is the right size for your situation, the next attention-grabbing element is the headline – and this is a crucial one. You need a headline that concisely (no filler words) and clearly (easy to understand) explains what you have to offer so that the person receiving your message IMMEDIATELY understands how you can make their life better/easier/more productive, etc. If you have a unique selling proposition (and you should!), this can act as the headline in many cases. Let me be clear. Clarity is important. One needs to INSTANTLY understand what it is you are promoting when that headline is scanned. Never ever sacrifice clarity for cleverness. Never. Did I say never? I meant it!

Bad Headline: Don’t Pay a Stress Tax on Your Return
Good Headline: Get Your Best Possible Return for $100 – Guaranteed!

3. Aimless Images
Don’t just pick an image. Pick an image on purpose. Choose one that illustrates or reinforces your headline. This is key to multiplying the force of your headline, which manifests itself by – guess what – grabbing (and keeping) attention!

For example, if the headline for a dental postcard is, “This is the month you start to show off your SMILE!” you would want an image that emphasizes SMILES, not that it’s a special month out of the year. The second image would do nothing to convey what you have to offer prospects!

These subtle differences are small in terms of design, but HUGE in terms of connecting the meaning of the headline to the prospect. Here’s an illustration of what I’m talking about…

Above is the good example.

Aaannnd this is the not so good example.

See the difference? The first design conveys that it’s easy to look good and feel confident every day if you have a great smile. The second? I’m not totally sure, but something more along the lines of January 2015… See how it leaves me confused?? Don’t do that to your prospective clients!

Thanks for reading! As always, you can call my marketing consultants for a free consult anytime. And be sure to sound off in the comment section below!

Best,
Joy