Digitalization saves time, especially in marketing. However, all efforts are in vain if the message is lost in the flood of advertising material, such as newsletters and emails. Suffering conversion rates is the result. Only about 25% of all advertising mails are opened at all. In comparison, the opening rate of a postcard is 100%. Furthermore, the postcard impresses with its positive image. It’s a surprise in the mailbox, stands out from the grey bills and is associated with emotions such as those of receiving a gift.
It is well known that the traditional postcard has extraordinary value for its recipient. That it has enormous potential as the ideal marketing medium, due to its rarity and the high level of attention it generates, probably less so.
Therefore, we present 4 application areas where postcard marketing is already profitably used, especially for the acquisition of new customers and the reactivation of existing customers.
Using special occasions and making customers happy
Companies can especially benefit from holidays and significant days in the daily lives of their customers. Cards sent on occasions such as for birthdays are often kept for a long time by the recipient and are, therefore, ideal for addressing existing customers. In addition, holidays such as Christmas, Easter or Mother’s Day can be used for a postcard campaign to acquire new customers. Thus, postcards can be used to positively influence and maintain relationships with customers and business partners.
Verify product quality
The evaluation of a product or service by the customer is crucial for the provider to make an authentic evaluation. In most cases, especially when buying online, the so-called follow-up is often carried out with the help of emails. Since emails often appear too promotional, they are often not noticed by the customer and get lost in their inbox. This is where companies from a wide range of industries can benefit from using postcards for their campaigns. In the travel industry, for example, travel agencies can send “welcome back” cards to returning holidaymakers to ensure that they are not forgotten and to inquire about customer satisfaction. This feedback can, in turn, be used for evaluation and, thus, for company development. Also, such a card strengthens customer loyalty, and thanks to the excellent service, the customer is inclined to book again with this travel agency next time.
Thanking for loyalty and reactivating existing customers
Existing customers are just as important for a company as regular customers in a bar, because they often secure the turnover in the annual financial statement. Therefore, customer relationship management measures are becoming more and more important in order to constantly win back and retain customers. In addition to loyalty programs, discounts through newsletter subscriptions or membership anniversaries, reactivating customers through incentives such as discounts or bonuses is a widespread and popular measure to encourage them to buy again. This has positive effects for both sides: The customer is happy about a discounted purchase and the company is happy about continued sales.
Such CRM activities can be implemented very well with the help of postcards because the individuality and appreciation conveyed by a postcard scores points with the customer. A thank you card is perceived by the customer as a kind of achievement – a bonus that rewards them for their constant loyalty, whether in B2C or B2B.
Event marketing by postcard
Especially companies that regularly organize events such as press conferences, year-end conferences, product shows or seasonal closings are dependent on functioning invitation management. Formal and content-related quality is particularly important when it comes to invitations, in order to increase the number of acceptances and to minimize cancellations and unanswered invitations. Emails often cannot guarantee that the invitation will actually find its way to the recipient. This is similar to the classic, advertising letter – here companies face the barrier of the 70 percent opening rate.
This is different from the traditional postcard – with a postcard as an invitation card, companies are on the safe side. The front side offers space for the first important information and will not escape the attention of the recipient due to the pictorial design. On the back, there is enough space for a formulation of the individual invitation as well as further key data. Digressive speeches and unnecessary information distract from the actual purpose of the event, so short indicators are the more appropriate way in event marketing – which is an additional advantage of the postcard compared to a letter or email.
Whether thank you cards, invitation cards or greeting cards – postcards can be ideally used as a medium in offline marketing for customer acquisition, reactivation, and CRM measures. With the Postando B2B portal, postcard marketing campaigns are handled quickly and efficiently. In this way, companies create creative, individual and high-quality cards to convey their advertising message personally to their target group.
