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Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Joy Gendusa
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Article Title: Postcards Versus Catalogues
Author: Joy Gendusa
Word Count: 949
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=50385&ca=Marketing
Format: 64cpl
Author's Email Address: karla_jo[at]postcardmania.com (replace
[at] with @)
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=50385
================== ARTICLE START ==================
What do successful cataloguers do when they market?
There is a secret, or so it seems, in the catalogue industry
that has not gotten out of the bag yet. Why is it a secret? It
is probably not intended to be that way, but it just happens to
remain a �little-known datum�. So, what�s the secret, you
ask!?!?
Successful cataloguers use postcards to market.
You may wonder how they can possibly sell their wares with
something as miniscule as a postcard.
Simply and easily. Postcards work because they are inexpensive
and they get the attention of the prospective buyer who might
like to shop in their particular catalogue. Many big catalogue
companies do it � JC Penny, Spiegel, Brighton � they all use
postcards.
First off, why send out an expensive-to-produce-and-mail
catalogue before you KNOW FOR SURE that the recipient will even
open it - let alone order something?
Plus, postcards can lead your prospect to your website where
they may just place an order; - you may not even need to send
them an expensive catalogue at all to get that first order.
But even for the non-internet users, you will get their
attention and they'll call if they want your catalogue.
You may think that the recipients of postcards won�t order your
catalogue because they are not able to see all your merchandise
on the postcard. Well, there is a fantastic marketing datum
that I learned in the Hubbard Management System that I have
found to really work. It is called �Come-on Dissemination�.
Basically, if you satisfy your prospect with all the answers to
their questions, then you lose their interest (curiosity) and
then you lose the sale. If they find out everything they wanted
to know before they had to buy or order, their curiosity gets
satiated and they do not buy. Postcards handle that particular
aspect by giving them enough data to peak their interest. You
want them to be so interested that they order. If you satisfy
them before they buy you will inhibit their reach (reason to
order, call, buy, etc.).
And just in case you are also thinking that the bigger
catalogues are only successful at it because people are more
familiar with their products, reputation or branding � the
answer is�No, they just like to keep more of the money they are
making! They know that when their prospects get their catalogue
(that costs anywhere from $2 on up per piece to send out), they
may throw it away immediately � without even looking at it!
People do the same with a postcard, but:
a)The recipient will at least have to look at the message on
the postcard before they throw it away � so you have 2 seconds
to grab their attention
and
b)Postcards are cheap - .35 cents (that includes postage,
design, mailing list, etc.). These big cataloguers market smart
by continuing to send postcards out until their prospects
finally decide to order their catalogue. Catalogues are too
expensive to shell out like that! Postcards are more cost
effective.
The Best Way to Go About It...
The trick with postcards is to advertise on your postcard one
of your best selling items and mail it to your prospective
buyer list. Then design another postcard with another one of
your best selling items and mail it to the same list one to two
weeks later. Do the same again and again for about four to five
postcards. Make an offer on your postcard, like, you will send
them a catalogue for free and 10% off their first order if they
order within 30 days of ordering their catalogue.
Then, when you have exhausted those five postcards on that
prospect list, tally your results but definitely hit �em again.
Same rotation of postcards mailed out every one to two weeks.
And those recipients that didn�t order your catalogue the first
time they got the postcards might this time. Or they'll go to
your website.
And you do it again. And the ones that didn�t order the second
round, will this time. People are different and have different
response times. Some respond immediately and some require quite
a lot of communication.
And you do it again�.it�s a numbers game; it�s a communication
game. Sometimes you have to beat people over with head with an
idea before the light bulb goes off. Same with marketing.
Except you are gently nudging via their mail boxes.
You will get reaches. You will get orders. You will save money.
And you will be doing what successful retailers and cataloguers
have been doing for eons. How do I know? I service some really
successful cataloguers and I see what they do that is
successful.
So, although you may think that because you produced a
catalogue (which was no easy task) and you mailed it out that
you are marketing. Well, you are...to a degree but it is
foolish to be in business these days and not market in huge
quantity. You have to market aggressively. There is so much
mass communication out there today that you have to constantly
be in your target market�s face in order to make an impact.
Twenty years ago it was not that way. Forty years ago it really
was not that way. Come up to present time and market smart.
Postcards are one of the smartest ways to go. Brochures are the
next smartest. Postcards followed up with brochures are just
plain intelligent.
About The Author: Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998,
her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2005 the company did
over $12 million in sales, employed over 100 people and made
Inc. Magazine�s prestigious Inc 500 List as the one of the 500
fastest growing companies in the nation. She attributes her
explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and
her innate marketing savvy. As an Expert Author, she is always
willing to share her marketing advice through articles,
interviews and speaking engagements. Visit her web site at
http://www.postcardmania.com
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