The design printed on your postcard accounts for around 40% of the success of your campaign. So to get good ROI from your postcard mailing, pay close attention to the design. From an attractive and communicative headline and image on the front to compelling body copy and benefit-filled bullets, the design is responsible for catching attention and driving home your message. If you design it right, you can convert that first glance into so much more.
Here are ten important design elements to consider:
A defined public. That's right, you've
got to have someone to read your postcard. Go beyond "people
in your area" and really flesh out who's right for your
product or service. Are they married? Own their homes? Have
kids? Get inside their heads. What are their worries, dreams,
frustrations, hopes? This perspective will help all the
pieces of your postcard come together--from your picture to
your headline to your text.
A simple message. There's no reason to send a
direct mail postcard without something to say. Whether this is
a product or service, a giveaway, or something less tangible,
keep your message clear and simple. Also, make sure to
determine where your public and your message intersect--what
is it that makes these particular people want this particular
message?
A colorful, eye-catching picture. The very
first thing your prospect sees is that picture on the front of
your card. Go with something exciting, something that will
make the reader really take notice. Relate the picture to your
solution and your public.
A standout headline. Draw the reader in with
a large, clear, attention-grabbing headline. It should be
among the first things people see when they look at your card,
so make it stand out using size, font and color. Relate it to
the picture for more power.
Copy that compels. Once you've gotten their
attention with your image and headline, your copy must whip up
their interest and drive home your message. Focus on benefits,
be direct and remember that less is definitely more. To keep
your message simple and clear, consider using bullets for
added emphasis. Use subheadings that lead into text and short
sentences for easy skimming. Keep the tone excited and urgent.
Call to action. Never forget to
direct the readers to take the action you want! Whether they
should call or come in, make that step clear and strong. Don't
be wishy-washy. Your postcard has built their interest to this
point: now the call to action must specifically direct people
to ACT.
Offer or special. While not
necessary in every case, an offer, guarantee or special can
remove any risk customers may feel. It can remove a reason not
to take action and make it more compelling to take the action
you have directed them toward.
Complete contact information. You
might be surprised how often this is forgotten. A return
address means you'll get any address updates back from the
post office and gives people one more way to find you. Make
sure you don't neglect your phone number, store location or
web address, and make sure you double-check it before you
print your cards. Giving readers different options to contact
you will make them more likely to use the one easiest for
them. And make sure you have a good website or salesperson in
place to handle the responses when they come in.
Your company branding. It's not the
most important thing on your postcard, but don't forget to
include your company name and logo. Consistently using your
company colors or company fonts links the postcard visually
back to your company. If kept consistent in all your mailings,
this repetition will strengthen your brand and reinforce
awareness.
Bright colors. You don't always have
to use neon, but bright, eye-tempting colors certainly make
your card catch people's attention. Not only do bright colors
stand out, but they often put people in a better mood--which
helps them be even more receptive to your message. So use
color wherever possible, on the back as well as the front, in
images, headlines, backgrounds and more. Make sure the colors
work together to achieve a pleasing piece, and use them to
create a much more attractive and effective postcard.
Remember, you have mere seconds to catch your readers, get
them interested and urge their action. Make the most of that
time by using these points and creating the most compelling
design you can!
ARTICLES
A colorful, eye-catching picture. The very
first thing your prospect sees is that picture on the front of
your card. Go with something exciting, something that will
make the reader really take notice. Relate the picture to your
solution and your public.
