5 Ways To Reinvent Postcard Usage

Many of your customers have probably not explored the Print Cafe's full lineup of wholesale postcards. People tend to think of postcards as a flat piece of cardstock with a few words and a singular image—often on display racks or in gift shops. They’re typically sent to keep in touch with friends and family—but when it comes to business, postcards are so much more! Postcards are a durable, versatile tool for attracting new business, promoting new deals, and keeping in touch with clients. 

5 Ways To Reinvent Postcard Usage

• Appointment reminders: Postcards are commonly used by businesses that require appointments. Medical/dental offices, hair salons, and spas will commonly mail postcards to their clients/patients to remind them that it’s time to make an appointment.
  
  
• Mini catalogs: Remember when businesses used to mail large, thick catalogs? Postcards offer a simpler, more cost-effective way to share the same information at a fraction of the cost while easily keeping the information up to date. Simply include a QR code for easy access to the broader online product selection. 
  
• Mini-Menus: Restaurants can easily promote their top specials, dessert menus, drink menus, or even add a QR code to access the larger menu. Restaurants with to-go ordering will love this postcard option! Their small size makes it easy to staple or slip them into takeout bags.
  
  
• Flyers: Whether your customers are promoting an event, a cause, or new products or services, handing out postcards is a great alternative to traditional flyers. With more options in paper stock, finishes, and print upgrades, postcards are more attractive, more durable, and make a lasting impression.
  
• Election Year Bonus: Postcards are the perfect running mate for politicians in every national, state, city, and local race! Whether you use them as part of a mailing campaign, door-to-door canvassing, or as handouts at a rally, they are the perfect way for candidates to stay top-of-mind.

Postcards aren’t just versatile when it comes to their uses. There is also an incredible range of options when it comes to paper stock, finishes, and mailing choices. The Print Cafe offers both standard and premium options on postcards—not to mention full-service mailing.

The Most Popular Postcard Format

Our most popular sizes, stocks, and coatings that really make a statement: 

• 14pt: common sizes and finishes with 14pt uncoated stock
• 100lb gloss cover: common sizes and finishes with 100LB gloss cover stock
• 18pt: common sizes and finishes with 18pt stock

Premium Postcards

Deliver extra impact and brand recognition with these upgraded options that allow your customers to attract new business and stand out from the competition.

• Magnetic: a perfect promotional reminder
• Plastic: strong, versatile, and durable
• Linen-coated: traditional, elegant, and affordable
• See even more at www.printcafeli.com!

Majestic Postcards, exclusively with Print Cafe

Our signature line of luxury premium stocks, finishes, and embellishments gives you affordable, unique upsells with astounding impact!

• Akuafoil: Metallic vibrance under 4-color process
• Foil Worx: Hot stamped foil accents
• Pearl: Subtle shimmer of pearl fibers
• See them all at www.printcafeli.com!

Mailing Options for Postcards

Help your customers get those great postcards into the hands of their prospects with easy, efficient mailing services from the Print Cafe. We offer mailing options to match every budget from direct mail to Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). You can get the full details about our mailing options for postcards at www.printcafeli.com, but here are the basics:

• EDDM —We offer a popular selection of sizes, stocks, and finishes that meet all requirements of USPS. With full-service EDDM from the Print Cafe, you select your product, choose the routes and upload your artwork. That’s it, we’ll take care of the printing, addressing, bundling, and delivery to the local USPS post office for distribution. It’s that easy!
  
• Direct Mail — Send direct mail postcards from the Print Cafe through the USPS to targeted geographic areas, with or without a mailing list, and saturate local markets with messages that people can feel, use, and remember. Sizes, stocks, and finishes are specially selected to meet USPS requirements for mailing.

Postcards have come a long way! Gone are the days when they simply served as quick greetings or small keepsake souvenirs from a fun vacation. These versatile marketing tools have proven themselves to be small but mighty with personalization, design, and mailing options to complement your customers’ overall marketing campaigns. 

Ready to get started? Head over to https://www.printcafeli.com/store/product-view.html/74-Postcards to place your order!

                   How to Inspire Action with Highly-Engaging Postcards

What do dentists and direct mail have in common?

New clients! Direct mail has proven to be a remarkable investment for small businesses of many kinds, especially for entrepreneurs looking to grow their client base.

Dr. Diep Truong (of Viva Dental) gave direct mail postcard marketing a try in 2011. After streamlining a process for mailer design, demographic targeting, and ROI reporting, this Indiana-based facilityconsistently experienced a 400% ROI on their postcard campaigns, with a 50% conversion rate of inbound calls for scheduling appointments.

As 2020 kept people closer to home, attentiveness to direct mail has grown. As a result, response rates are high, and now is the time to invest in sharp, unique direct mail campaigns! Postcards are a particularly good investment, with oversized postcards garnering one of the highest direct mail response rates.

According to recent statistics, 23.4% of consumers say they would respond to relevant postcards of interest to them (compared to 7.9% for letter-sized envelopes).

Ready to wade into the water of a new postcard campaign? Here are a few steps to success in 2021:

Take a Multi-Pronged Approach

One of the biggest trends direct mail is seeing is the consolidation of online and offline advertising.

Take a multi-pronged approach to generating leads, so your social media ads prompt curiosity, but your print ads pack some punch with greater neurological impact.  

Keep it Simple and Succinct

People are busy, and if they’re going to look at your mail, they’ll need a good reason.

Make sure your postcard leaps off the counter with unique imagery, splashy colors, a memorable catchphrase, or an unbeatable offer. And remember, when it comes to direct mail, less is more. Postcards that are sharp and straightforward will communicate much more than those packed with content.

Grab Emotions

According to one Harvard marketing study, 95% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously.

If people’s hearts are in the driver’s seat, then direct mail should aim straight at this target. Research shows that the primary emotional appeals that prompt action are:

• Fear
• Greed
• Anger
• Guilt
• Flattery
• Exclusivity
• Salvation

Experiment with Specialty Branding Features

Because postcards are so economical, there’s lots of room to add embellishments.

Try haptic coatings, embossed logos, foil-flecked accents, or even scents.  When Sunsilk co-creations wanted to snag more customers, they decided to add an experiential element to their designs. Its gorgeous lime and hot pink postcards came with a tiny shampoo sample attached and a scented trial as well: “scratch to smell the new fruity fresh fragrance of this apple-coconut shampoo!” Customers may not sniff shampoo in the store aisle, but a scented postcard is irresistible!

Specialty branding makes a stronger impression on readers as they physically interact with your marketing. So build curiosity and engagement with these fresh, creative designs.

Postcards Inspire Action

Postcards are distinct, direct, and easy to read.

50.9% of people say they find postcards useful, and direct mail as a whole is especially inspiring to young people. Because many people today are glued to their phones, millennials, in particular, say that postal mail inspires them to action much more often than email (in fact, 30% say direct mail is effective in getting them to visit a website, go to a store, or make a purchase).

When you are ready to take your postcard marketing efforts to the next level, sign up for a personal consultation with one of our mailing experts. Our work-in-progress partnership will simplify each step and position your business for maximum impact!

Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO:www.printcafeli.com