How Long Does a Marketing Campaign Postcard Remain Relevant?

There are numerous reasons marketers benefit from sending marketing campaign postcards. But what may not have dawned on you is the fact that a postcard may resonate with your audience for longer than you think. That’s especially the case when you include elements that are capable of keeping your postcard relevant well after it’s been sent. There are a variety of key variables that contribute to extending the lifespan of a marketing postcard. Let’s explore them, below! 

What is the Goal of Your Marketing Campaign Postcard?

Defining the desired outcome of your campaign is essential for getting your campaign started on the right foot. That allows you to cater your message around your specific goal. The goal of your marketing campaign postcard has an undeniable impact on its lifespan. Some common goals marketers aim to achieve with their campaigns include:

 

• Building Awareness

Let’s say for instance that you’ve just recently opened a new pizza parlor, and you’re aiming to inform your community about it before doors open. In this situation, you won’t have your community lining up waiting to be served fresh slices after just one mailer.

That’s because the lifespan of these sorts of mailers is relatively short. So if your goal is building awareness ahead of a big day, you’ll need to send at least a few postcards over the course of several weeks. This will allow you to build the anticipation and brand reinforcement necessary for having lots of customers on opening day.

 

• Driving More Sales

Pretend that you’re a dentist, and you’re hoping to close the year strong by earning more new clients. In this case, you’ll also benefit from sending your marketing campaign postcards at a high frequency. Suppose you only send one mailer, and a member of the household suddenly gets a toothache.  You don’t want them to google a dental provider and find a competitor because they lost the only postcard you sent. 

Sending multiple postcards allows you to rest assured that recipients have your contact information just in case a need arises when they least expect it. While the first postcard may not resonate right away, by the time they receive the fourth or fifth postcard they’ll potentially be ready to make an appointment. It’s important to keep in mind that the lifespan of the first postcard you send when attempting to drive sales likely won’t be as long as the ones that follow.

 

• Retaining Customers

Imagine that you’re a local landscaper and you have a segment of clients that you haven’t heard from in a while. The spring turns to late June, but there are still numerous big clients you haven’t heard from. So you decide to send out a marketing campaign postcard with verbiage along the lines of “don’t forget about us – your lawn did!” You don’t need to send these types of postcards as frequently. That’s because recipients are already familiar with the brand and services being advertised. Members of this audience may book an appointment just because they lost your contact info, and now they have it.

Or they might contact you in the weeks after receiving your postcard because they’re tired of doing yard work for themselves. With that in mind, customer retention postcards typically have a longer lifespan than other types of campaigns. A recipient could wind up booking an appointment based on a postcard you sent years ago!

 

Elements to Include in Your Marketing Campaign Postcard to Keep it Relevant

A well-defined goal, along with messaging that aligns with that goal is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the elements responsible for the lifespan of your marketing campaign postcard. The following variables can also play a role in extending the lifespan of your postcard:

 

• Compelling Call-to-Action

  
  
  Providing recipients with a call-to-action that inspires them to at least think about taking action can dramatically increase the lifespan of your postcard. Without a call-to-action that drives recipients to act, it’s more likely that recipients will forget they ever received your postcard.
  
  And when that happens, it drastically reduces the lifespan of your postcard. Including exciting, relevant verbiage is essential to maximizing the shelf-life of your postcard.

   

• Eye-Catching Design

  
  
  We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why you can’t waste the opportunity to “wow” your audience by including a lackluster design on your postcard.
  
  The right design, coupled with a message that resonates will land your postcard right on the refrigerators of some of your most coveted leads. If you need assistance with designing your postcard, don’t hesitate to reach out to the GrowMail creative team.

   

• Personalization

  
  
  Nowadays, standing out and watching the attention of your audience is more challenging than ever. That’s why personalizing your postcard is a must for marketers hoping to extend the lifespans of their postcards. Think about it this way, which is more likely to catch your attention?

  A postcard sent to your address that’s personally addressed to you, that mentions services you’ve used in the past – or a generic postcard bragging about everything they do for their customers? The choice is evident, for most people, that the second postcard is superior. And that’s the power of personalization in a nutshell.

 

• A Seamless Method for Recipients to Take Next Steps

  
  
  Simplifying the process of taking the next step is one of the best ways to increase the lifespan of your postcards. There are a number of ways to do so, too. You could use a QR code, for instance, to drive recipients towards making a purchase or booking a next appointment. And recipients would likely be more inclined to save a postcard that includes a QR code because they know they eventually will need to make that next purchase or book another appointment.

  Another option that allows you to make taking next steps easier is including a personalized url that takes recipients to a landing page dedicated to your campaign’s goal. The personalized URL will grab the attention of recipients in a manner similar to a QR Code. While extending the lifespan of your campaign, both of these methods also help you track the success of your campaign.

 

Let GrowMail Help You Create a Marketing Campaign Postcard With a Lasting Message

One of the keys to maximizing your marketing dollars is creating assets that remain relevant for the long haul. Find out why marketers across a variety of industries rely on GrowMail for assistance when it comes to executing marketing campaigns that exceed results by booking an appointment below. Our friendly, knowledgeable marketing experts are more than ready to answer any questions related to helping you send direct mail that resonates with your audience. Request a complimentary printing quote to get connected!