When it comes to traditional marketing tactics and direct mail, postcards remain my favorite type of marketing collateral for a bunch of reasons. For starters, they are relatively inexpensive to print and mail. Also, since less than 5% of direct mail is actually opened by recipients, postcards greatly increase your chances of getting people to notice because they stand out in a sea of envelopes. I also favor over-sized postcards (8.5 x 5.5) because these really stand out.

Here are some of the ways I use postcards for marketing:

Individual Products and Services

When I launch a new product or service, I usually have a postcard designed. I either rent a mailing list (from a source like InfoUSA) or send out to my internal mailing list.

Package Inserts

Postcards make great inserts in packages that are mailed out. I like to write a personal note on the back of a postcard when sending something along to a client or a prospect.

Conferences and Events

Postcards also work well on display tables at conferences and events. They are more substantial than a flier and usually have more aesthetic appeal (especially the over-sized version).

Bag Stuffers

Recently I was invited to submit 500 fliers for stuffing in conference bags and instead I decided to use postcards. In lieu of a purely promotional postcard, I printed up a list of tips for the audience on the front of the card, and saved the promotional messaging for the back of the card. My goal was to provide something that attendees might keep or even post next to their desks.

Personal Stationary

There are plenty of places to buy standard business stationary, but for years I have used custom postcards instead of boring note cards. I purchase high-quality photo art from iStockphoto and place a favorite motivational quote across the image. On the back side, I simply include my contact information at the bottom and leave plenty of room for writing a note. Though I love technology and use it well every day, I still cherish a hand-written note and try to write them as often as possible.

Here are some samples of cards I have used: