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Need Postcard Tips For On-site Computer Support Co
Posted By: telemoxie on 12/7/2006 8:26 AM (CST) 2250 Points
I'm an outbound telemarketing guy, and I've made some calls for a computer support company. I've suggested to my client that they not only invest in building a list and making occasional calls (which I'm doing) but also in sending a stream of postcards to the growing mail list.

My client likes the idea, but does not want me to create the post cards for him. (Maybe he saw my web site). I have promised to provide him with some tips and wise words of wisdom, and I have some ideas, but would really like some help from my buddies at MarketingProfs.

Assuming for a moment that we have a good list (e.g. companies with 5-20 PCs) - would you agree that a sustained postcard campaign (with a few phone calls mixed in, with letters to follow up phone calls) makes sense for an onsite computer support company? If so, what tips would you give to the person creating the postcards?

Posted by: BARQ Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 8:58 AM (CST)
Telemoxie:

We have found that direct mail has become more effective as spam has increased over the years. Prople are now setting aside time to open their mail, and consider it more carefully than they do unsolicited email.

As for tips, the usual efforts to make the message congruent with your other media is important -- visually and verbally. Direct the recipient to landing pages. Test different offers / messages / etc. to determine the most effective.

Good luck!


BARQ
SELMARQ Brands' Best Friend
 
Posted by: darcy.moen Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 9:34 AM (CST)
Why just postcards? A letter can be just as effective (but more expensive). Test between letters and postcards to find which produces better.

Back to the Postcard. A postcard newsletter might work well for you. Every other month you could send a 'tip' or series of tips in the postcard newsletter. This could be a great way to educate customers, share best practices, and educate your customer to additional services.

I used to send out the 'world's smallest newsletter' to my best customers who opted in. I had a small list of 200 to 300 customers who craved fashion advice and informationfrom my drycleaning shop, so I began writing a small newsletter every other month. I wrote about fashons, fabrics, how to care for and how to remove spots at home. Today I still write for postcard newsletters, and email messages but sell them to others.

Good luck with the project. I hope it does well for you.

Darcy Moen
Customer Loyalty Network
 
Posted by: Eric Member Response
12/7/2006 9:37 AM (CST)
Telemoxie:

One of my PR LEADS Article Marketing ([URL deleted by staff]) clients Mac McIntosh is a sales lead expert. He has some great articles on direct mail and postcard mailings. You should check out: http://www.sales-lead-experts.com
And, if your computer support company mainly sells to other companies and businesses, then I suggest recommending Mac to your client. He is one of the top experts in the field.

Eric Gruber
Director of Operations for the PR LEADS Article Marketing Service
 
Posted by: KathySmithFilms* Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 10:05 AM (CST)
Hi Telemoxie,

I love postcards and have an file box for them. I use them to audition new talent and save the ones of those I met at various showcases & lectures.

E-mails and websites are the next way to keep in touch.

There's nothing like a personal letter (not form) but that's after the results of the postcard. This is the site I buy mine from (I have no connection of commissions) and they have some good ideas to toss around with your client. http://www.postcardmania.com/
thanks...
Kathy
 
Posted by: mop Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 12:23 PM (CST)
I think postcards are an amazingly powerful marketing tool. The key is strong creative.

When we do campaigns we send out a series of cards, spacing them about 3-4 weeks apart. Minimum of 3 mailings.

Keep the copy short and to the point.

We rarely do anything smaller than 5-1/2 x 8-1/2, but never the jumbos because they become crushed by handling.

Have fun with it!
Regards,
Mop
 
Posted by: ASVP/ChrisB Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 2:44 PM (CST)
Hi Dave

Good question.

A few ground rules:
  1. Make the postcards into a collectible series. As an example, clever optical illusions. Or those weird patterns that suddenly turn into 3D pictures when you relax your eyes properly.

  2. Make the images gender and geek-neutral. Your target may be either gender and any level of technical capability.

  3. Know the prospect. Find out what kind of pictures are going to be collectible by the majority of recipients.

  4. Brand both face and rear of card. So your branding gets exposed whether they are reading the message or enjoying the view.

  5. Make it obvious upfront there's a series. Number the face "Number 1 of a series of 6 limited-edition images" or something similar. Think how people collect baseball cards, cigarette cards, etc that were produced decades ago. There is some serious long-term branding potential here.

  6. Make the message very clear and relevant, and link it to a web page. Show all the images on the web page so prospects look forward to the other cards in the series.

  7. Make the landing page message specific, so you can work out which cards work best, or whether there is a key message or number of impressions that gets the traffic flowing.

    Hope these help. Let us know what transpires!

    Cheers

    ChrisB
 
Posted by: Stephen Denny Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 2:53 PM (CST)
If your client sells computer support, then deliver something visible to everyone having computer trouble:
. mouse pads with your logo, name, contact info, 800#.
. a monitor note pad
. a keyboard template

I would also suggest any kind of face to face door opener to get in front of key customers -- these are very small companies your client is targeting, so a free security audit or spy/mal ware check up that allows them to do the 'assumptive sale' and become the de facto supplier (and leave behind the mouse pads, etc.) might make sense.

Postcards are not the kind of thing that make it past the receptionist. Narrow your focus, test, and scale what works.

Good luck!
 
Posted by: telemoxie Author Response
12/7/2006 3:15 PM (CST)
Great comments and observations so far, please keep them coming. Please feel free to suggest any and all ideas to help my client promote their company.

By the way, I've emailed a link to this question to my client, and invited him to join the discussion and ask questions if he likes.
 
Posted by: telemoxie Author Response
12/7/2006 3:25 PM (CST)
By the way, here's a link to "an oldie but a goodie..." - quite a discussion from years ago, on the topic: Best Ways To Generate Leads For On-site Computer Service Companies

http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstid=2122
 
Posted by: Jo Masterson Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 5:10 PM (CST)
I love using postcards and have used both of these companies. They will do the design at no extra charge and will allso do short runs great for testing.

www.vistaprints.com
www.adgprinting.com

Good Luck,
Jo
 
Posted by: mgoodman Accepted Answer
12/7/2006 7:11 PM (CST)
There's a rule of thumb for outdoor advertising that probably applies to postcards too:

No more than three words.

This forces you to be singleminded and focused -- good practice in any kind of advertising -- and to make sure you take maximum advantage of the highly visual medium.

Good advertising on postcards depends on the graphic as much as (or more than) the text. Make sure you have a great art director on the case.

(If you absolutely need a sentence with more than 3 words, use the back. Nobody will get to it if the front doesn't grab their attention.)

Hope this helps, my friend, even if you decide to bend the rules and use 5 words.
 
Posted by: JudyJudyJudy Accepted Answer
12/8/2006 9:35 AM (CST)
I did a self-mailer postcard with a sample IC inside and had an 8% response rate. People love getting free things. You could include a magnet, post-it notes or pencil.
If you're looking to do a simple postcard, I find photographs speak a thousand words. People will be curious enough to turn it over to read the ad.

Good luck whatever you choose to do.
Judy
 
Posted by: Marketing-Riot Accepted Answer
12/8/2006 7:45 PM (CST)
Everyone seemed to handle the postcard design itself well. Eye-catching graphic, meaningful title.

How about a series of cards similar to A/C and Heating companies with seasonal services, for example, month one: time to archive old files; month two: time to update spyware/virus software; month three: time to renew software licenses, etc.

I'm not a PC/Systems expert so excuse if I miss the mark on the exact message, but I'm sure you get the main idea of what I am suggesting.

Have Fun!
 
Posted by: Mushfique Manzoor Accepted Answer
12/10/2006 7:06 AM (CST)
hi telemoxie

great ideas!!! i like the idea of having a newsletter in a postcard.

i would also suggest a newsletter, it can be in shape of a postcard or a 3 fold paper. you can include the following in the newsletter

1. have a small brief of what has transpired since the last postcard/newsletter
2. new products/service/new packages
3. hot tips / advance tips
4. horoscpoe for the month (depending on interval)
5. jokes, Brain Teasers
6. Discount Coupon: make some portion of the newsletter/postcard perforated and allow some discounts once that is shown to your client for availing service.

if you go for a postcard shape, then do ensure that the visual is not so-tech, rather a general soothing one. as suggested by ChrisB, you can also make your postcards collectible items

hope this helps.

cheers!!
 
Posted by: Frank Hurtte Accepted Answer
12/10/2006 5:48 PM (CST)
I like postcards.. but with a twist...

I believe post cards need to come out about once every six weeks for at least a year to be effective.
 


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