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We’ve all received them. Many of us have sold them. Lots of us throw them away. A few of us keep them. Many of them get lost in your junk mail. Some of them are effective.
Postcards.
Utilizing direct mail postcards is not necessarily a bad thing. If done correctly, designed well and has a worthwhile message, postcards can be an effective and affordable marketing tool. However, there are many alternatives to a postcard that will help you stand out amongst the rest of the direct mail pieces while still remaining affordable AND with the added bonus of being memorable!
Does your business specialize in technology? Do you drool over new technology? Do you share that love with customers and prospects? If so, think about printing your message on a screen cleaner. Not only do you infuse just a bit of your personality or business into it, but it also becomes a gift to your customers or prospects. Screen cleaners have staying power and a much longer shelf life than your typical direct mail piece.
If technology isn’t your thing, consider something that EVERYBODY NEEDS. Yes, you guessed right- water. Print your message on labels of water bottles and hand out or give away in-store, at races or donate to local sports teams. While the shelf life typically only lasts for as long as the water lasts, you have a much more captive audience and the delivery method is more unique than a mailman.
Before you start thinking “What else could you possibly put my message on and actually MAIL?”, consider drink coasters. From foam to cork to stone and every material in between, coasters come in all shapes, sizes and price points. Light in weight and very useful, these are a perfect tool for sending out your message.
Similar to a postcard but more memorable AND earth-friendly, seeded cards are a great means to distributing your message. Not only will these make a huge impact on the recipient, but they make a huge impact on the environment as well. Today, more than ever, individuals and business are going green. Small efforts speak millions of your business, your values and who you are as a person.
Perhaps you didn’t win the latest Jackpot. Nor did your customers. Give them the chance to interact with your business by utilizing automatic winning scratch-off cards. Recipients will get a kick out of the instant win and will have a reason to follow up with you! The message may be short and sweet but the pay-off will be huge.
If these ideas just aren’t cutting it for you, try making your mark with an old classic- a bookmark. Whether the recipient likes to read, knows someone who does or needs to mark recipes in their cookbooks, this can be used by all. Affordable, useful and simple: the perfect gift to deliver your message!
These are just a few of the many ideas to deliver your marketing message aside from direct mail postcards. There are magnets and post-it notes, calendars and dry-erase boards, luggage tags and mouse pads. With just a little imagination and creativity, your message will POP!