Postcard marketing ideas: 9 effective uses of postcards

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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.

Postcards are a great way to include information about your business, like your logo, hours of operation and contact details. But they’re also a great marketing tool – and if you’re open to being creative, the way you use branded postcards can really make a difference. Discover 9 uses for postcards here that can help drive business and awareness.

9 postcard marketing ideas:

1. Include a voucher or promotion.
2. Add a reminder.
3. Share some news.
4. Promote a product.
5. Introduce your employees.
6. Say ‘thanks.’
7. Turn it into a keepsake.
8. Tell your story.
9. Create a referral programme.

1. Include a voucher or promotion.

Whether it be a discount on their next purchase or a voucher for a freebie, including something promotional on your postcards is a great way to encourage people to return. And beyond standard discounts, get creative with timed promotional postcards that coincide with holidays and customer birthdays – a personalised card is a great way to foster customer loyalty.

2. Add a reminder.

Leave space on one side of your branded postcards to remind customers of their next appointment or recommended service date. Whether you’re a hairdresser, pet groomer or landscaper, a reminder postcard is a great way to keep your brand top-of-mind… and remind clients of their upcoming appointments in style.

3. Share some news.

Opening a new location? Switching up your opening hours? Offering a new product or service? If you have something new to share, do it with a postcard. Go with bold graphics and eye-catching text to attract maximum attention.

4. Promote a product.

Create a personal connection to the items you sell with an informational postcard. Tell shoppers what’s interesting or unique about a specific product or collection on one side of the postcard, and encourage them to take one with them on their way out – even if they don’t make a purchase. Packing an online order? Include one of these postcards in the package… customers will love receiving a little something extra with their purchase.

5. Introduce your employees.

If you have multiple employees at your small business, you can introduce them to your customers using postcards. Include their photo on one side and some fun personal info on the other. Whether you run a retail shop, restaurant or service-based business, customers will love walking in and seeing a familiar face – and learning more about the employees who regularly help them.

6. Say ‘thanks.’

It doesn’t get more personal than a handwritten note – so why not use one side of your branded postcards to say ‘thank you’ to customers for their business? Send one in the post after they’ve made a purchase or recently booked a service with you, or tuck one into their delivery order for a personal touch that customers are sure to appreciate.

7. Turn it into a keepsake.

Get creative and give your customers a reason to hang on to your postcard. Maybe you’re a restaurant sharing a cocktail recipe on the back of your card, or maybe you’re a clothing brand sharing some styling how-tos on one side of your postcard – you could even use this informational postcard as an oversized hangtag. Turning marketing materials into something useful is a great way to earn a spot for your postcard on their fridge. Need to include some practical information about your product? Include instructions on using or caring for the product on a postcard – customers will hang on to it as a reference point.

8. Tell your story.

Postcards are the perfect size for communicating key information about your business – like your small business story. Share your brand values, origin story or mission with customers to create a personal connection… and remind them there’s a person behind your brand.

9. Create a referral programme.

Referral programmes are a great way to drum up word-of-mouth marketing for your business. And one way to encourage customers to spread the word about your business is with a postcard referral programme. Consider something like this: When someone makes a purchase, hand them a promotional postcard to give to a friend. If that friend comes in and makes their own purchase, reward your original customer with a reward or special discount.