Introduction to marketing and The versatility of postcards

According to Wikipedia, a postcard is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Those of us in the marketing business know that a postcard can be much, much more.

Before I get into the amazing postcard possibilities, let me clarify what I mean by “the marketing business.”

Your company is ABC Trinkets. You purchase the materials needed to create trinkets. You hire workers to assemble trinkets. You read magazines and go to trade shows featuring trinkets. You perform painstaking research to determine which are the best trinkets to focus on. Guess what? You’re in the trinket marketing business!

Small businesses are usually started by somebody who knows how to do something. Perhaps they know how to file taxes, how to fix air conditioners, how to network computers, or how to throw a party. Almost never does the person with this know-how possess all of the knowledge needed to market their business.

No matter what your business buys, sells, or creates, you are in the marketing business.

So, when I say “those of us in the marketing business” I mean you, me, him and her. I mean all of us entrepreneurs, managers, shareholders, consultants, lawyers, dentists, doctors and salespeople.

Now, back to the good ole fashioned postcard. As previously mentioned, a postcard is a neat way to mail a letter without an envelope. This is important because it can be difficult to get a person to open an envelope before ripping it in half and tossing it in the garbage without a second thought. Envelopes cost money. It costs money to design and print on envelopes. No envelope means that you’re starting to save money. Postcards are efficient like that!

Postcards remain a veritable trojan horse in today’s rough and tough marketing world. They don’t get caught in the spam folder and they can’t be hung up on. A well-designed postcard is able to make an instant impact with your potential customer!

Many postcards are designed to skip the postal service altogether. They are stacked on countertops, handed out at trade shows, or stuffed into shopping bags. Other postcards are creased and folded in half. Some postcards have holes punched in them and they are draped over doorknobs, wine bottles, or coat hooks. Postcards can be used as menus, comment cards, or price lists. They can be stuck to mirrors, doors, and windows.

It’s almost overwhelming how versatile these rectangle pieces of paper are.

Take a moment to think about your marketing business.

How can you creatively use postcards to make your life easier?