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LET'S TALK
BUSINESS
Postcard Marketing Your Small
Business
One of the best marketing
strategies a business or organization can use is postcards. Even
before the arrival of online postcard printing and mailing
services, postcards had a good reputation amongst guerilla
marketers because:
- They are fast, easy and relatively
cheap - making them a boon to small business owners who are short
on cash and time, yet need to build their brand and stay in front
of their customers.
- A beautiful, full color glossy
postcard is not going in the trash without first being read.
- You can add a personal note. Plus,
postcards create a pleasant emotional response because they are
usually received by friends and family.
- When you advertise your business
anywhere else, your competition knows it. But when you use
postcards to communicate with your customers, it is direct to them
and your competition will have no idea.
With the new web technologies for
postcards, it's super-convenient to just send one or as many as you
need without the effort of hand writing, addressing and mailing each
one.
What is particularly nice about
postcards is that nearly any business or organization can benefit
from a structured, targeted postcard marketing strategy. Take a look
at some of the ways postcards can be used.
Thank you notes. You can send
a quick thank you to anyone for any reason and they will be so
surprised and pleased that you took the time. If someone sends you a
referral or business lead, gives you some information you needed,
mentions you in an article - send them a note that shows you
appreciate it!
A follow-up offer or service.
Within 30 days after a purchase of a product or completion of a
service, send them a discounted offer for a related service or
product. Don't miss the opportunity for an after-sale contact.
Gift certificates or coupons.
Show your best customers that you appreciate them by sending a gift
certificate that they can use any time in the next year. Even
better, leave a space on it for them to fill out a friend or
colleagues name and give it to someone else to introduce them to
your business.
Announce a new project or
completed work. Postcards are perfect for photographers, web
designers, architects, graphic artists, or anyone else who wants to
keep their clients in the loop on what they are working on, with
something visual and tangible.
Secret sales and pre-sales for
preferred customers. Treat your existing and favorite clients to
a sale that no one else knows about - or give them an advanced peak
at your new product line.
Introduce products or services.
Postcards are an economical way to inform people about your product
or services, or announce new ones.
Announce a new web site.
Create an announcement of your new web presence and invite everyone
you know to come check it out.
Remember special days. Send
your contacts a holiday greeting or thank you note for Thanksgiving.
If you keep track of special dates in your customer's lives like
birthdays or anniversaries, you can send them a colorful postcard
letting them know you are thinking of them.
Reminders. Businesses that
rely on repeat business can take advantage of postcards to send
reminders and its not just for dentists any more! Why not remind
your past customers of upcoming birthdays or anniversaries, or
special holidays like secretaries' day or thanksgiving, at just the
right time? Or perhaps your database tells you when they have likely
run out of whatever they bought so you can send them a reminder that
its time to visit you again.
Just staying in touch. People
like to be remembered and postcards are an economical and easy way
to say "thinking of you."
Recognition. Send out a
postcard to let people know your good news about accomplishments and
awards or reviews you have received.
Invitations to an event.
Postcards can be used to announce seminars you are speaking at, open
houses, book signings, and any variety of special events.
Think about all the ways you can use
postcards, and then explore the many ways that you can automate the
process of sending them out quickly and cheaply. This is one of
those marketing strategies which looks much more costly than it
really is, and will return more than you put into it. The best part
is, practically any small business can benefit.
Eileen 'Turtle' Parzek is a veteran
marketing designer and online communications consultant who has been
working from home and virtually since 1995. Her business, SOHO It
Goes! (www.soho-it-goes.com)
specializes in providing technology driven design, marketing and
communication services to small businesses and organizations.
RECIPES
I had planned to start providing you with
Holiday recipes from now on, starting with Halloween. But this
simple and quick recipe posted by Cindy (username: Lynbro) was such
a winner this Saturday night, that I decided to publish this
instead.
Scalloped
Cauliflower
2 pkg frozen cauliflower (16 oz each)
1/2 sml white onion - finely chopped
1 pkg finely shredded cheddar cheese (12 oz)
1/2 pt sour cream
salt and white pepper
1/4 c butter (1/2 stick)
crumbled cooked bacon (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Open frozen cauliflower bags one at a
time into a collander and run cool water over each to separate the
pieces and slightly thaw, but don't use warm water. Spray large
casserole dish with Pam (or butter it well) and layer 1/2 (1 bag's
contents) of cauliflower across bottom of dish. Season with salt and
pepper; then layer with bits of onion, thinly sliced "pats" of
butter, and 1/2 of cheddar cheese. Repeat. Spread sour cream over
top and place dish in oven. If dish is very full, put a cookie sheet
under it to prevent bubble-over in oven. Bake 45 minutes. Ten
minutes before completion, add crumbled bacon if you opt to.
Makes 10 servings
Posted by Cindy at DCW Forums -
http://www.dotcomwomen.com/forums
CRAFTS
Poopy crafts
PUMPKIN POOP
In a bag or jar add Candy Corn and
attatch this note:
I started to carve a pumpkin with
my carving knife and scoop
But the pumpkin got so scared He took a little poop
It looked so cute and funny Just like a candy treat
So I'm sharing it with you now Because you are so sweet!
GHOST POOP
Put mini marshmallows in a jar or
bag with this note:
I hear that you've been playing
tricks So listen here's the scoop
I'm running out of candy treats So this year you get Ghost Poop
REINDEER POOP
Put some chocolate chips (or some
chocolate malted milk balls) in a jar or bag with this note:
I woke up with such a scare when I
heard Santa call...
"Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!
I ran to the lawn and in the snowy whit drifts, those nasty
reindeer had left "little gifts".
I got an old shovel and started to scoop Neat little piles of
"reindeer poop".
But to throw them away, seemed such a waste, So I saved them,
thinking ~ you might like a taste!
As I finished my task, which took quite awhile, Old Santa passed
by and he sheepishly smiled.
And I heard him exclaim as he rose in the sky ~ "Well, they're not
potty trained, but at least they can fly!"
Posted by Karen at DCW Forums -
http://www.dotcomwomen.com/forums
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