Postcards: Fun Designs from the Past

Personal Postcards

Postcards were a way for businesses to advertise their locations. The image provided a nice testimonial to get more people to visit in the future. They could be considered the Twitter of their time. They were an easy way to send a quick message to a relative or friend, and perhaps brag a bit about your cool vacation. All of this for the cost of a piece of paper and a stamp. Okay, that is way more expensive than Twitter! (It would be nice if some people would stick to sending postcards versus using Twitter but that’s a different topic.) I wanted to show off a few of the postcards I’ve collected in the past. Postcards are still a great way for people to keep in touch and practice their handwriting, so don’t forget to send a few from your next vacation or local tourist jaunt. Send them to me and I’d be pleased to add them to my collection! If you are interested in postcard collections, check out these websites to see more:

• http://www.postcardy.com/
• http://www.postcardvalues.com/
• https://www.collectorsweekly.com/postcards/overview

Business Marketing with Direct Mail Postcards

Marketing your business with direct mail postcards can be an effective way to get the word out about an event or target a geographic area. Although some people will immediately discard postal mail that is an advertisement, this method has proven to have an effective response rate. You can use different methods to track the effectiveness of your postcard campaigns such as tracking phone numbers and landing page websites or URLs. The three factors that contribute to the success of your direct mail are your format, your offer, and your list. The postcard format can be more effective than a letter or brochure. It’s quick and direct and doesn’t require opening. Make sure to send more than one postcard for the best response rate, most effective direct mail campaigns have three or more impressions. Just space them out over a set time period.