This is the first in a two-part series on using direct mail to target prospective clients for your safety consulting and training services in a specific geographic area.   The article below discusses Postcard Marketing, a form of direct mail.   The next article will address direct mail in general. 

Postcard Marketing

If you haven't considered postcard marketing to drive new clients to your safety consulting & training business, you're missing out on one of the best kept secrets of small business marketing.

Postcards are considerably less expensive than standard advertising flyers in envelopes.  Postcards are cheaper to print and cheaper to mail.

Postcards get read.  While many envelopes get thrown in the trash without ever being opened, people read postcards, especially if designed properly and with a compelling message

A postcard marketing campaign is incredibly easy to create.

When using postcards to promote your safety services, use a brief, high-impact headline.  You'll also want to use a good quality mailing list.

You can use a local printer but there are several online postcard marketing services that provide excellent services, printing and mailing.

There are three basic purposes for using postcard marketing.  

1. Generating new safety clients

2. Repeat business from existing safety clients

3. Keeping in touch with safety clients

Here are some ideas:

Send a postcard to local businesses and industry to announce your safety services.  Address the card to "Attn: Safety Manager"

Send a series of cards, each with a different message.   Research has shown that people sometimes need to read your messages several times before responding.

Send a card with a simple safety slogan or fact.  Repeat a few days later with a new slogan.  Continue the series over a period of time.

Send a card with information on a pricey OSHA violation suffered by a business.  Offer to help the recipient with their OSHA compliance efforts.

Include your local newspaper, Chamber of Commerce and others on your mailing list - anyone who might provide you with free word of mouth advertising.

Come up with some of your own creative ideas for using postcard marketing to promote your safety services.  Tomorrow's article will discuss some of the nuts and bolts of direct mail advertising.