POSTCARDS – LOW COST, HIGH RETURN

Postcards are one of the most popular marketing tools because they’re cheap and create a very high return. It’s hard to find a better marketing investment than cheap wholesale postcards. Timed direct mail postcard promotions not only increase sales, but also increase brand awareness too.Wholesale postcards are a magnet that pulls in new business for just about any product or service. It’s easy to attract more new business using a direct mail postcard campaign. Few can resist a deep discount or 2 for one offers especially in this difficult economy. Postcard deals are very popular with past customers and will attract new ones who otherwise may not be interested. Savvy business owners know when times are hard and customers are spending less, postcard-marketing promotions are a very effective way to increase sales.

Consumers get so many spam emails, most are never opened. Postcards have less competition and a high read rate. They keep your business in front of customer’s eyes like a mini 2 sides billboard. Use one side as a poster and the other for details. They can be used for timely announcements to notify existing customers it’s time to renew their contract. Use them as gift certificates, coupons, invitations or tickets. Their uses are only limited by your imagination. Tear-off postcards are perforated so it’s easy to tear off a coupon for redemption.

postcardsHigh quality full color postcards are available in many sizes from small 4 X 6 to jumbo 6 X 9 or larger. Consider 4 X 6 or 4.25 X 6 cards for their cheaper postal rate. Larger cards require higher postal rates. The trade off is size.

The most effective postcards have an eye candy photo or image to attract attention and simple call to action copy. Keep it short with a sweet offer. Don’t go into detail; use bullet points to get your message out. Be sure to make your offer time sensitive and have an expiration date on your offer. Your post card should have a gloss UV coating on one side and no coating on the mailing side so they can be easily addressed.

Another way to stand out and get noticed is to use a WOW Factor printing effect such as spot UV coating which can be selectively applied to both side of the card and you will still be able to address it. A few online printers offer other WOW Factor options like extra heavy 16 Pt card stock, matte finish, metallic silver ink, colored metallic effects and even waterproof postcards for outdoor use or eco-friendly 30% recycled linen postcards.

If you’re new to using direct mail postcard campaigns to increase sales, you can start slow to test the waters and refine your message. Start with test mailing of 1,000, it doesn’t cost a lot and you will see for yourself how profitable they can be. One last though…if you think you can’t afford a test mailing, that’s the best reason to do it. Remember using cheap wholesale postcards are one of the cheapest ways to grow your business.

CHEAP FLYERS PRINTED GET HIGH RETURNS

Millions of businesses receive high ROI using cheap flyers. Why? Flyers attract attention. Some of the things businesses do with printed color flyers include advertise new promotions, introduce new products and services, offer specials and discounts, and make announcements.
Flyer printing has been used as a powerful marketing tool since the invention of the printing press. High quality low-tech flyers find and passively convert customers when they weren’t even thinking about your products and services. Flyers activate both tactile and visual senses. They can be held in your hands and be saved so buyers can learn the benefits of your products or services. Flyers explain how the lives of the reader will be better when they buy what your offering.  Online marketing can only be read on a computer.PR_SellSheet-01
The big difference between offline and online marketing is printing color flyers are passive so they can sell products and services the buyer didn’t know they needed. Customers can be motivated with the benefits of your offer and your promotion will be kept for future viewing. When you send out a flyer your customers will not see your competitors and comparison offers.
When buyers search online, unless you’re on the first page of your target market you probably won’t be found. One thing is for sure, your competitors will be found.  I’m not saying you don’t need a presence online. What I am saying is, that they both work in different ways and have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Savvy marketing strategists use both print and online services to maximize their customer base to find new business. Printed flyers are cheap, fast and easily targeted to the buys. Online marketing is expensive with slow results and it’s very difficult to get and stay on the first page in every competitive market sector.
Color Printing Pros flyer templates are free and available in many sizes, all the folds are indicated for easy and fast layouts and designs.

CHEAP BUSINESS CARDS THAT WOW

You can now print cheap business cards and add the Wow Factor to help brand yourself from your competition without breaking the bank. Everybody needs business cards. Full color business cards can be one of the most effective sales and marketing tool you have. They can be the wedge to separate you from your competitors. It is amazing how many entrepreneurs and small business people could benefit from a new, inexpensive business card but don’t. New business cards can revitalize you and give you reason to feel good about going after new business.
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You can go online and find full color business cards for as low as $9.95 for 100. They are generally printed on color copiers using thin 10 or 12 Pt card stock with no coating. Sure, they will get your name and company out there and you will be saving some money in the process. But what kind of first impression are they making about you and your company? You only get one opportunity to make a good first impression and that’s the one that sticks.Wouldn’t you be wiser to spend about $25 for 100 cards? I’m sure the extra cost will not break the bank. But what are you getting for this extra cost? You can get a card printed on heavier 14 point quality card stock that feels good to the touch and has a UV coated finish. These cards look and feel great and indicate to the receiver that you care about quality. Isn’t this what you want to represent you and your business? If you can use 1000 or more cards for under $100 dollars, you can even get them printed on heavy 16 point card stock at no additional cost and have UV or aqueous matte coating on them.When you use a high quality full color business card printed on quality card stock that’s finished with a UV or matte coating, you can look forward to the opportunity of handing out your card and impressing the receiver. Chances are you will get a positive reaction like “nice card”. How much is that worth? I’m sure, most of us agree that it’s just basic business common sense to show you understand quality.

If you agree that quality and value are more important than just the lowest price, then why not go to the next level…The WOW Factor!!. Stand out from the crowd. The Wow Factor is the tool that helps assure that you will get noticed. Using the new affordable printing technologies (offered by a very few online printers), you can create a very important first lasting impression- one that makes you remembered. It is now possible to add a spot UV coating to selected areas of your business card creating a combination glossy / matte look or high / low finish. Or you can print your full color card with a silver foil or gold foil. PR_FoilWorx_02Other ways to add that important WOW factor is to use colored foils or 3D/ 4D lenticular effects.  Just a short time ago these techniques were impossible or the cost was way over most budgets. It is now very affordable as new printing technologies become available.

As with many new technologies that produce successful results (and these do), it’s just a matter of time before they become routine. Now is the time to take advantage of these new and uncommon looks and add the Wow Factor appeal to your business cards. Using these new techniques can help separate you from your competition. Why not try them on your next printing job and see the results for yourself!

For free samples and more information about Wow Factor printing, go to Color Printing Pros.

POSTCARDS – A Cheap and Effective Marketing Tool

Postcards are one of the oldest direct marketing tools that are still effective today.In our high tech digital world low tech postcards are still the best, fastest working direct marketing tools ever. If you don’t believe me, check your mailbox. Don’t think the companies that stuff your mailbox are stupid. If they didn’t make big bucks, you wouldn’t get all that mail from the same companies over and over again.

Postcards Get Noticed

A well-designed inexpensive postcard campaign with strong call to action copy will keep your company at the top of the mind of customs.

Postcards Are Cheap

Postcards when compared to other marketing tools are the cheapest to print than they ever have been. Online printing companies make it easy to find the best value cheap postcards without spending a lot of research time. As a matter of fact, full color postcards are cheaper than two color cards were just a few years ago, so you get more bang for your buck. You can buy 5,000 4.25 X 6 high quality full color postcards for under $160

Postcards Are Read By Almost Everyone

It’s harder not to read an interesting postcard than to avoid reading it. An eye candy design and a compelling offer can catch your eye and it’s difficult not to read it. Nothing else in your mailbox can capture that much attention except a large check from the government. Most junk letters never get opened unless they looks official. People don’t have the time or care to read. Flyers can also have too much to read and they instantly get tossed. On the other hand, postcards are noticed and read because the message requires just a second to decide if you’re interested or not. They don’t have to be unfolded and they don’t waste time with a lot of words.

Postcard Campaigns Return a High ROI

If you plan on sending only one postcard, you may be wasting your money if you are trying to determine the results.You don’t have to have a huge mailing list to monitor your postcard stats. If you don’t have a lot of money to test the direct mail marketing waters- and what small business does-, you can print wholesale inexpensive postcards in short runs of 100, 250, 500 or 1,000. The trick is to send them every 4-6 weeks to the same list. Each time with a different offer. It’s not the quantity, but the frequency that keeps your brand in front of your customer.

Postcard Effectiveness Testing is Fast and Easy

Use short run postcards to try different ideas and see which ones have the best returns. Once you know what works slowly increase your mailings and keep on checking results. The best value for short run postcards is about $55 for 1,000. You can send as few as 100 cards at a time to spread your mailing cost. Just make sure you change lists.

Postcard Printing Tips:

1. When buying cheap postcards online, don’t buy the cheapest deal you can find. Cheap looks cheap, feels cheap and can represent your company as cheap. Considering the size of a postcards, the paper stock should be the issue unless you are printing hundreds of thousands. The minimal card stock weight should be a heavy 14 Pt or extra heavy 16 Pt.- either UV or matte coated card stock.

2. If you’re distributing the card through the mail, the address area should NOT be UV coated. UV coating is a liquid laminate that can’t be overprinted with a personalization or address for mailing. There are two solutions for this issue. Order your cards with UV coating one side matte coating one side or pay a little more have your cards printed with spot UV coating so you can decide what is to be glossy. Spot UV coating is an eye candy wow factor effect that will catch attention so your card has a better chance of standing out and getting noticed.

3. Bigger is better when it come to postcards and diamonds. Postcards are available in many sizes. Small 4 X 6 and 4.25 X 6 postcards can be sent at lower postcard postal rates. You’ll save money but lose impact. If you’re going to do it, do it right.

4. Print “SAVE THIS CARD,” you’ll be surprised at how many will then save it. If you say it, they will be it.

5. Be sure to put a time limit on your offer. Add a tracking code so you can identify the mailing you sent out. The offer should be redeemable only with that code. Customers like to receive codes because they are identified as being special.

It doesn’t matter if you have a small local pizza takeout or you’re selling tours to Europe nationally, the key is to make sure you have a “can’t refuse” offer and your card looks impressive. You don’t have to spend much money to get a postcard campaign going. Plan to send six different postcards in 6 months and you will make money fast and easy once you get your program started. Remember it takes money to make money and cheap but high quality postcard campaigns will make you money and a high return on what you have spent.