Over-Sized Post Cards
Post card marketing is hot! And why not? With the price of first
class postage going up, the cheaper price of postcards offers a real
bargain.
Plus, the prospect doesn't have to open an envelope. Your ad message
placed on a postcard is staring them in the face.
Markus Allen heads MailShop USA, a company that specializes in postcard
marketing (610-359-9870). He reminds us that postcards come in several
larger, attention-getting sizes.
The 51/2" by 81/2" size gives the most bang for the buck. It's cheap
to print and stands out in a stack of mail. This sized postcard travels
by Standard Mail (the new Third Class) which costs 32 cents.
A jumbo-sized postcard, up to 12" by 15", can be used to list multiple
messages.
Complaining Customers
You probably have noticed that many major department stores take
the attitude that "the customer is always right."
I often wondered where the wisdom was in this. More than once I've
witnessed a demanding customer dressing down a clerk who patiently
listened, even though the customer was clearly in the wrong.
Marketing research done by major companies tells us why "the customer
is always right." Much of it has to do with word-of-mouth.
A customer who has a bad experience generally tells 10 other people
about it. Others will tell more. The number of people who eventually
hear about the bad experience can reach upwards of 100.
Simply saying, "I'm sorry. What can we do to make you happy?"--can
stop the complainer in their tracks and reverse bad PR.
Sales Letter Ideas
Most businesses of any size use sales letters of one type or another.
Whether its a simple thank you note to a customer, info on your web
site, or a lengthy newspaper ad--smart sales letter formulas can improve
response.
Here are a few tried-and-true methods for writing your next sales
letter.
Flatter the reader. Let her know that she's part of a group you
consider important. This makes your sales letter more personal.
Write to the reader peer-to-peer. People are more likely to believe
a letter from someone who is similar to themselves. If you are selling
boats, let the reader know you are a boating enthusiast, too.
Ask a question. This works best to draw the reader in when the question
is one that the reader finds interesting or curious. Your prospect
will continue on to get the answer.
