Postcard marketing ideas: 12 effective uses of postcards

For any small business owner, coming up with new, inventive ways to market your business can be challenging. One tried-and-tested tactic to raise awareness, drum up sales, or increase foot traffic to your business is with postcard marketing.

In this article, you’ll discover 12 distinct uses for postcards that you can test to see which one drives the most business to your door.

1. Voucher cards

Retail shops, restaurants and service businesses like hairdressing salons often use postcards to give people a reason to return.

2. Reminder cards

Postcards make the perfect reminder card and are easy to stick to the fridge with a magnet. If you own a medical practice, remind your patients of their upcoming appointments in style.

3. Grand opening announcement

Everybody loves to try something new, and if you're opening a new shop, you need to get the word out. Go with bold graphics and eye-catching text to attract maximum attention.

4. Clearance cards

Sales help you get more people into your shop and make room for new stock. Spread the word with a postcard, where you'll have enough room to print all the information your customers need.

5. New customer discount cards

Another way to combine vouchers and postcards is to create some cards to promote a discount for new customers. This is a great way to get people to your shop, and hopefully pick up some repeat business.

6. Soft selling

In today’s world, image is everything. If your product or service is thoughtfully designed, an illustrative image might be all you need to bring some customers in.

7. Freebies

There's no such thing as a free lunch. That's unless you create a free-lunch postcard! Prepare for a massive influx of consumers willing to try your business in return for a free product or service. Customers who have a good experience will almost certainly return.

8. General information

The perfect size for communicating all the key information about your business, postcards can easily be used as mini flyers. Satisfied customers can share info about your business by passing your postcard on to a friend or family member.

9. Birthday discounts

This is what separates your small business from the chain shops in shopping centres. A personalised birthday discount card will reinforce customer loyalty and set you apart from the crowd.

10. Referral programmes

Customer referral programmes are a shortcut to drumming up word of mouth for your company. With luck, you can increase your customer base substantially with very little effort.

11. First-time buyer discount

When opening a new shop, sometimes you need to incentivise a customer’s first visit. A new shop, coupled with a sweet discount, should do the trick.

12. BOGO (Buy One Get One Free)

This postcard has a modified two-for-one deal. Depending on your company and industry, work something out with this theme in mind, and your customers will flock in.