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. 

Even With Economic Slump Direct Mail Marketing Is Steady

Our current economic conditions are problematic, there’s no doubt about that.  With these issues, more and more business are working doubly hard to insure that they are marketing effectively.  One method that pops up in discussion often is direct mailing programs and what they have to offer.  If you’re looking to promote your business then direct, postcard marketing should be one of the first methods you consider.

Advantages Of Direct Mail Marketing

When you use directly marketing to your clients you are choosing a method that some people feel is outdated.  This couldn’t be further from the truth and that is because of the distinct advantages to direct marketing.  With this mail, a person has to physically touch what you’ve sent.  This means they will look at it without fear of a computer virus.  It is still considered a marketing workhorse for the simple fact it is physical and a person will look at it even just to toss it.  When designed effectively, they will look at it and keep reading it. 

Still The Consumer’s Preference

With studies being done in 2008, 2010 and 2011 consumers have consistently reported they prefer to have a marketing message received in traditional mailing format.  This means they will already be more open-minded to any marketing message that comes to them by way of direct mail versus email. 

One Mail Box

A key advantage of direct mail marketing is that there is generally one mailbox per home.  When it comes to email, an individual can have multiple address and a home will have multiple individuals.  This may mean to market to four people living in a house you would have to send an email to four email addresses and even more when some don’t get checked.  Why go through this extra work when one postcard can be delivered to a mailbox that services multiple people?

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.

Email Marketing Is Immediate Marketing

 Image courtesy by mediawhiz.com

If you want to get the word out quickly, about anything, email is the way to do it.  If there are seasonal foods, like perhaps venison, that are hard to come by during the rest of the year, you may want to get the word out to let people know.  This will bring the connoisseurs of wildlife to your restaurant.  The announcement has to be fairly fast in order to get the freshest meat to your dinner guests as quickly as possible.  Email marketing is a big help in that respect.  In fact, you can show your entire menu, including these seasonal items, in your email.

Share Any News

Direct Mail Marketing or Postcard Marketing are great vehicles for information distribution.  Any news you want to share with your guests, like perhaps the addition of a new pastry chef to your restaurant, can be done quickly and efficiently by sending out letters and announcements.  Email Marketing is, of course, the fastest of any mail marketing process.  It is a good idea not to forget to update new addresses, change of names and new family members to your list.  

Keep Sensitive Information Safe

Since you are in possession of some semi-personal information when you have an email list, you must protect this information.  No one else should be able to access the names on your list and certainly no one else should know the birthdays, the names, and the addresses of any of your clients.  It is a trust you must hold sacred if you want your customers to trust you and keep a good relationship with you and your business.  When email is impossible, make sure you don’t overlook your guests that do not use a computer.  Postcard Marketing is a great idea in such instances because it still gets your news to your customer and they can enjoy the same knowledge and benefits as email recipients.

If you are not quite sure which type of marketing is best suited for what you want to do, why not visit http://guestcontact.com.  You will get new ideas and more inspiration on how to move forward with your restaurant.