How to Become a Postcard Marketing Ninja

If you are reading this introduction, it's probably because the article's headline did its job. That's what you must do in your postcard marketing campaigns, and you must do it in five seconds or less. This is where postcard headlines come into play.

What's a Postcard Marketing Ninja?
Postcard marketing ninjas are rare. At last count, there were only about a dozen of them worldwide. So while you may never actually join the ranks of the postcard marketing ninjas, you can certainly adopt some of their practices -- and by doing so, you will elevate your postcard marketing program to new levels of success.

Postcard marketing ninjas have truly mastered the art of direct mail marketing with postcards. As a result, they can achieve response rates that "mortals" like you and I can only dream about. But we can certainly emulate them to improve our own success.

Postcard Headlines - A Tool of the Ninja
Your postcard headlines are a great place to employ ninja wisdom. Direct mail postcards must grab the reader's attention with the promise of something gained. With only a glance, the reader must understand what he or she has to gain by reading the rest of the postcard. Otherwise, the postcard will be tossed aside. Postcard marketing ninjas never have their postcards tossed aside, so we must strive to be like them.

Here are some ways to sharpen your headline to a fine point, thus transforming it into a highly effective tool for postcard marketing success.

Make Your Headlines Simple and Clear
Complexity is the enemy of direct mail headlines, so keep your headline simple and straightforward. Your recipients should get your point and understand the benefit right away. They should not have to read the headline twice or scratch their heads over it. Rewrite your headline until it's as clear as possible at first glance.

Follow the Rule of Ten
The Rule of Ten suggests you should write your headline ten different ways, and then systematically eliminate the weaker ones. You can eliminate them in a number of ways. Try reading them out loud to see if any sound awkward. If so, remove them from the list. Then try showing the other to friends or colleagues (or to test subjects, if you really want to get fancy). Ask which one motivates or interests them the most, and why.

Repeat this until you narrow your list down to the top three headlines. Then put the list aside for at least a day. When you return to it, ask yourself the questions below:

• Does my headline offer a benefit?


• Is that benefit crystal-clear?


• Does the headline identify my primary audience in some way?


• Will it entice them into the postcard message?


• Does it suggest something of value to my reader?


• Does this headline identify my primary audience in some way?


• Is it honest and relevant to my product or service?

Conclusion
Headlines have the power to make or break a postcard marketing campaign. Postcard marketing ninjas know this and treat their headlines accordingly, honing them until they are razor-sharp and on-target. Write them. Revise them. Hone them. Track and test them. And then start the process over again. You can't afford to do anything less.

Good luck and good marketing!

-Brandon

Direct Mail Fulfillment - A Breakdown

What is direct mail fulfillment, where can I get it, and how much does it cost? These are common questions among those who are entering the world of direct mail marketing.

But "fulfillment" is a broad word with many different applications. So in order to choose a direct mail fulfillment providers, you must first understand the many different elements of direct mail fulfillment. Then you can make a list of those elements you need (such as online postcard printing or variable data printing) and proceed to research companies who offer those things.

To make that research and screening process easier for you, we have assembled a list (and explanation) of the common services offered by direct mail fulfillment companies. Using this list, you can go on to create your own checklist to use when selecting a direct mail provider.

Here's the article:
Direct Mail Fulfillment Guide

On this same subject, you might also want to review our Direct Mail Resource Center.

Good luck and good marketing!

-Brandon

Direct Mail Services - A Buyer's Guide

Anyone considering direct mail as an addition to their overall marketing program should also consider using professional direct mail services. And if you already use direct mail but handle most of it yourself, you should consider a direct mail service for the convenience factor alone!

Why Use a Direct Mail Service?
Because they can save you time and hassle. In many cases, they can save you money as well. This latter point is often overlooked by do-it-yourself marketers. Many people wrongfully assume that a direct mail service will cost them more than if they continued doing it themselves. But when you add up the time spent on a do-it-yourself direct mail program, the savings become clear.

Want to learn more about direct mail services? If so, you'll want to check out the latest article published on the main website: Direct Mail Services - What Do They Do?

Good luck and good marketing!

-Brandon

Postcard Marketing Tips - The Headline

Few elements of the direct mail postcard carry as much weight as the postcard's headline. Sure, all elements of postcard marketing are important in their own right -- the list, the design, the offer.

But the direct mail postcard's headline plays a special role. It must capture the reader's attention, connect with the reader on some emotional level, and promise something of such value that the reader cannot resist reading on. And the postcard headline must do all of this in just a few words.

That's a lot to ask of a sentence, and that's why you must perfect the art of direct mail headlines if you hope to succeed with postcard marketing. When your recipient pulls that postcard out of the mailbox, he or she will give it only a glance. Within that glance, they will decide whether to toss the postcard aside or save it for further consideration. And the postcard's headline carries most of the responsibility for this quick decision.

When creating your postcard marketing message, always give extra effort to the headline. After all, a direct mail postcard with a weak headline is a failure from the start ... even if the rest of the copy is well-crafted.

On this website we have a wealth of advice on direct mail copywriting in general, and direct mail headlines in particular. Take some time to read through the articles we have provided. They will put you on solid footing with regard to direct mail headlines. After that, it will be up to you to perfect the art and science of postcard headlines. Your postcard marketing success depends upon it!

Good luck and good marketing.

~Brandon