in the TARGET.

I've had some pretty good success with postcards. Some have been regular white standard sized postcards with black ink printing (like the one I created for Paul Hartunian's Postcard Challenge a few years ago that pitted 8 PROFESSIONAL copywriters against each other...I WON by the way)...

and others have been full 4 color oversized with incredible photos, a very promotional look to it.

It all depends on WHO is going to receive it and WHEN. I'm working on a couple of CHRISTMAS post cards right now.

So Jim, who is inside the Pictogrigm? What is his/her title? What will they be doing when they receive your postcard? WHERE will they get it? Home or Office?

What TIME will they get it? Are you going to be mailing soon? (I hope so)

Is it going to a town officer?

I see two possiblities. One is a full color oversized PROMOTIONAL tool that shows various tourist attractions in your small town, along with message on the back of how they could PROFIT from their hidden/secret/unknown tourist destinations.

The other is a more FORMAL looking, with a nice Gov looking indicia...notice I said "looking"...
something that looks official. And it should be very formal and properly addressed.

You can test these.

NOW, one that I might try would be totally different. A WHITE oversized card with HANDDRAWN and HANDWRITTEN little notes all over the front. Something that looks like a 10 year old kid did it...but has a couple of nice EYE catching little sayings at the top corners...and draw the eye down the page to various circles and stuff in quotes...a real messy looking thing.

It WILL get read. IF you do it right. And on the addy side, I'd use copy too. One mistake I see many postcards make is they don't use all the space they can. The address doesn't need that much room, check with PO Master for rules and regs..but there is a lot of space on the address side to make your points too...use boxes or quotes or even a different color.

I don't know what others do about POSTCARDS, I have used them successfully for 25 years...and I've helpe design many for advertising agencies...my specialty is the self-mailer, I know many of you have seen the work I've done for the herbal supplement company that worked very well.

My "secret" is to make it EYE appealing, make it INTERESTING to read...not PROMOTIONAL...that is not a SALE...

BUT Jim, you can make yours a mini-newsletter for you. A while back I developed a postcard for a Resume Writing service that looked like a Resume...(a product my partner and I decided NOT to do, but the postcard was great {my opinion})

so you could actually make it LOOK like a mini-newsletter, with two columns...articles, quotes, what have you.

Jim, let me know if you want my help, I'd be glad to create a couple for you to look at, and if you like them, use them, if not, no big deal. I'll do this cause you are a REMOTE INFLUENCE student...and I love a challenge.

The SECRET to postcards is to be OUTRAGEOUS or PROFESSIONAL but don't be mundane or mediocre or it goes into the trash can.

The longer the recipient HOLDS it, the better chance you have of them taking ACTION...and make the action step easy.

Your toll free number does that, but I'd give them a TIME sensitive reason to respond Jim.

My RULE for Postcard Profits is this: no RULES--JUST RESULTS.

You know that by testing. Paul Hartunian tested 8 very different postcards...from 8 very different professional copywriters.

I'd TEST, but make sure you make it RANDOM...

Jim, send me an email if you want, and I'll talk some more with you about the postcard. It doesn't take long to get one together...

and it doesn't even have to have a HEADLINE, contrary to some opinions. It does however, have to capture ATTENTION and PROMOTE ACTION...the phone call is what you want...make the card have ONLY that purpose...make it do the ONE thing you need it to do.

And you do that by getting inside your TARGET'S Circle of Preoccupation. Use the RI formula and you'll be amazed at the results.

Gordon Alexander

> Can somebody critique my prospecting
> postcard, printed below?

> Its funny. I've got my sample issue of the
> newsletter all done, and the sales copy to
> go with it. The big stuff came easy.

> But this darn postcard... this simple little
> postcard...

> You know how EASY it is to recognize GOOD
> COPY from OTHERS -- but how HARD it is to
> tell if your own words are GEMS or DRIVEL?
> Well, that's where I am with this thing.
> Someone tell me what it needs, toss me a
> boffo line, or whatever... I'd hate to go
> prospecting with a stinker.

> Sure would appreciate any thoughts.

> Best Wishes,
> Jim Erskine
> Homeway Press

> POSTCARD TEXT FOLLOWS:
>
> ----------------------------------------------

> Date: 5/18/02

> re: Small Town Tourism Ideas!
>
> _____________________________________________

> I’d like to send you a free sample copy of
> SMALL TOWN TOURISM IDEAS! -- a new
> newsletter sharing the best tips, strategies
> & ideas of small town tourism pros from
> across the country. Our goal: To equip you
> to bring more tourism dollars into YOUR
> community.

> No obligations, no strings attached. To
> receive your free issue, simply email your
> request to: [email protected]
> ...or Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx & leave your
> request on my voice mail box.

> I'll personally see to it that your free
> issue is mailed to you the same day I
> receive your request.

> Sincerely,

> Jim Erskine, Publisher
> SMALL TOWN TOURISM IDEAS!