Design Tips & Ideas


Call to Action
Special Trial Offer
Discounts
A picture paints a thousand words
Design a corporate template
Contact Details
Sell the offer
Other Points to Consider

Call to Action

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Regardless of what you put on your postcard it should carry some form of "Call to Action". This asks the reader to do something - ideally to do something now! Be as specific as possible and think about what exactly you want readers to do and then ask them to do it in your creative.
  • "Call now for an obligation free quotation!"
  • "Visit www.yourcompany.com.au today to view our full range"
  • "Call today for your free copy of our comprehensive catalogue"
  • "Call today to discuss your specific requirements"
  • "Call today for our competitive price list"

Special Trial Offer

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A special trial offer is great way to get people to trial your product. While this is not relevant to all products and services, it can be an effective way to get people to contact you. This is best used with a call to action. "Call today for your free sample".
This can also be used in conjunction with a discount. "Trial B2B Postcards in October and receive 1000 extra copies of your postcard free of charge".

Discounts

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Discounts are often referred to as the 'laziest' form of marketing. However, if done strategically can be part of a very sound marketing strategy.
  • "$100 off for all orders received in October"
  • "Buy 2, get one free"
  • "All orders over $200 receive a free CD voucher"
  • "The first 50 registrations for our email newsletter will receive 10% off their first order"
Have a quick look at the Other Points to Consider which covers deadlines and conditions.

A picture paints a thousand words

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If a picture paints a thousand words - a picture of your product in application paints a million!

If you have quality pictures of your product being used in application, use them! Readers will look at the product and the application and see how the product could solve their specific problem.



Design a corporate template and rotate different products

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An effective way to promote your brand while generating "here and now" enquiries (and sales), is to design a corporate template and rotate different products and offers in each postcard.

These are some examples of postcards from Caterer's Warehouse. As you can see, each postcard has a similar look and feel with strong imagery promoting their corporate identity, while promoting "here and now" special offers designed to generate an immediate response and sales.





Contact Details

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It is often a conundrum which contacts to put on a postcard.

If you want to carefully monitor the response over the phone be careful putting too many contact phone numbers.

If for example, a company has an office in each state and receives 50 enquiries over a four week period evenly distributed across each phone number - it is unlikely any one office is going to notice one additional phone call every three or four days.

50 responses ÷ 7 offices ÷ 20 working days = 1 response per office every 3 days

This also assumes the person answering the phone is aware of the postcard and thinks to ask if the caller has seen the postcard.

Sell the offer - not the product

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Here are two great examples of selling the offer not the product in your marketing.


There are a variety of ways you can run a sales promotion that does not involve discounting and that will ideally increase (or bring forward) sales over a specified time frame.

Some examples include...
  • "All orders over $10,000 received before June 30 go into the draw for..."
  • "Order before June 30 and we'll double the warranty period"
These postcards illustrate this type of promotion. The products promoted are from opposite ends of the scale - Loctite are promoting a consumable while Tronics are promoting higher value capital equipment.


Other Points to Consider

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  • Put a time frame on your offer. (Check our release dates so you give buyers enough time to respond. We'd suggest a minimum of 6-8 weeks after the Postcard Pack is mailed.)
  • Include "Conditions Apply" so you can stipulate a minimum (or maximum) order value, or dictate favourable payment or delivery terms. This will give you a little more flexibility.
  • If you are giving away something with a purchase you need to consider if it will be something related to your product and of use to the business buying the product, or is it something personal the actual person purchasing will benefit from - some companies will not allow staff to receive personal gifts or incentives. This also applies to the nature of prizes in competitions
  • If you are using a 1800 number or a 1300, or even a 13 number, make sure the number can be called from a mobile phone. If these numbers divert to your local office in each state, also ensure each office (especially the receptionist) is aware of the postcard and when it is mailed if you are trying to monitor phone calls.