11 Reasons To Send Your Clients Postcards

When it comes to making and staying in contact with your customer base there isn’t much that can be substituted for a postcard.  These reasonable, easy to print-off cards are an essential part of any marketing plan for a successful business.  

       1. Value: Sending a postcard is less expensive than other traditional mailing options. 

       2. Quick Read: A postcard only takes a second to read which means people usually do.

       3. First Class Mail: Post cards that are sent first class only cost 20 cents.

             4. Privacy: A post card is one of the ways you can notify clients of a private sale just for your best customers. 

      5. Reminders: Getting a notice out to your clients that an item is past due or that you’re having a sale has never been easier than using a postcard.  They are great ways to let people know about new items or to simply get them to RSVP for an event. 

      6. Gain Referrals: A postcard that is double sided is a great way to generate client referrals. 

      7. As Gratitude: A postcard is an excellent way to tell a client thank you for stopping by, signing up or making that purchase- and it keeps them thinking about your company. 

            8. Invitations:  Sending postcard invites are fantastic ways of letting people know you have something going on. 

      

      9. Preview A Sale: Giving your customers a chance to take a peek at sales you are having is an excellent way to get them to stop back in.  Giving them the first shot at what you’re putting on sale is another key way of keeping them excited about your business. 

      

      10. Apologizing For A Mistake: Sending a postcard to your client to let them know what is going on is the perfect way to apologize.  They will appreciate finding out about the mistake from you.  Mistake happen to the best of us and making sure we do what we can to let our clients know a.s.a.p. is the right course of action. 

Postcard Marketing Is Still Profitable To Any Business

Once, postcards were used as a cost-effective business promotion, with a little personal touch to reach the heart of customers.  Internet marketers have so many venues in the modern age, but this can be a difficult thing to manage.  The internet provides a quick statistic tracking method.  However, with so many methods of marketing, your advertising may become diluted or lost.  The important thing here is to pinpoint your market.  With digital marketing methods, are postcards effective?

The initial investment can be off putting, as postage prices have increased to thirty-three cents in 2013.  Despite that there are plenty of statistics pointing to the effectiveness of a well-crafted postcard campaign. 

• Despite what you think a postcard campaign is still relevant.
• Studies show new customer support is as much as 34 percent more with direct mail.
• 54 percent of postcards are read when received.
• Response can be up to 39 percent. 

There are large amounts of recorded evidence that direct mail is the most successful, in fact.  How can you translate this to your business?

For example you have a web-based market service that costs $240 per year, and 70 percent of recent members stay with you for 12 months.  Your single sale profit is $180 dollars.  Printing 10,000 postcards, receiving 39 percent return yields 399 new customers.  Your gross profit for the campaign is $71,821.

Now remove the costs of postage and printing, approximated at $4,000, your total net profit is a little over $67,000.  Any added fees for rentals must also be calculated.  Delivered directly to your market and customers must having to at least glance at your advertisement, are fantastic examples that postcard marketing is still relevant and effective, even in our digital age.

If you’re looking for fantastic information on postcard marketing, call Guest Contact today for guidance.

Four Strategic Places Where You Can Build Your Email Marketing List

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You can learn all you want to about writing great emails but if you don’t develop a fantastic list of addresses to send these emails to you won’t have much success.  You need to develop a good following of people who want your messages.  Here are some ways to spread the word:

Build Opt-ins

 

Get them on your home page as well as in your emails to make it easier for people to sign-up.  Make sure to have links for your clients to easily share with their friends and people they think will like your page.  You can even offer coupons and discounts when they share your newsletter with a friend or more. 

Don’t Forget The Opt-In For Your Check-Out

You’ll have to make sure that your clients have a chance to opt-in for your email at their check out.  Then make sure your website has several places that will direct your traffic flow to check out and the pages in between should also have places to opt-in.  The best way to make sure you are able to get all the opt-ins possible is to make access to the page very easy to find. 

Place Opt-ins At The Comments Section

Another perfect spot for your opt-ins is near the comment section of your blog.  You’ll likely build a good following here with plenty of posts and people starting to follow.  Soon there’ll be comments and a thriving community.

If You Use Social Media

If you have Twitter or Facebook make sure to share the link to your email Opt-in.  It’s good to offer something by way of interesting fact or joke to lead them to your opt-in.  By making sure to offer plenty of chances for your readers to find your newsletter and spots where they can sign-up you’ll increase the amount of people your newsletter is exposed to. 

Four Ways To Improve Your Restaurant Marketing For 2013

 Are you in charge of marketing your restaurant?  If so there’s a good chance you’re looking for the best ways to ensure your town knows about what you have to offer and what your business is doing.  They aren’t going to be kept atop of all the happenings of your establishment unless you work hard to spread the word.  Here are a few ways to help your diner.  

Think Local For Better Business

It’s a known fact that a large number of people frequenting restaurants tend to live within a five mile radius.  It’s been known for years and hasn’t changed.  Invite groups that are local to meet at your establishment.  Get involved with catering to good causes and consider making contact with local sports teams.  

Create Relationships

Past marketing techniques didn’t offer the luxuries today’s methods do.  Now you can reach your entire client list with a simple email.  In addition to this you can collect data about your clients and study the results so your marketing is tailored to them.  

Study The Food Trends

If you’ve been paying attention to current events, the news or just about any part of media you’ve realized the world of food has trends like no other going through it right now.  Eat Organic, locally grown, gluten-free, cage-free or dairy-free; surely someone you know is following one of these ways of eating.  Support an area and talk about it on your menu, perhaps all dinner salads are from locally grown, organic produce? All your eggs are from cage-free chickens?

Make Donations

If you want to gain community support then you should pick a community cause and donate to it.  This will get you notice without having to ‘pay’ for it.  It’s the best way to get your area to know you’re serious about taking care of the locals and about being involved.