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In this issue:
• Marketing Article: Planning Your Postcard Campaign
• Marketing Article: When to Use a Press Release

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Planning is the key to a successful postcard campaign.  There are a number of questions you need to ask yourself beforehand.  Your answers will help drive your campaign to success.

What do you hope to achieve from your postcard campaign?  Do you want more sales, brand awareness or do you want to announce a new product or service to both potential and current clients?  Who is your target audience?  The more specific you can make your target audience the more successful your campaign will be.  How often do you want to mail these postcards? Keep in mind that repetition is helps with name recognition and what you have to offer.

Once you have answered these important questions, it is time to establish your goals.  Establishing your postcard campaign goals is essential to evaluating the success or failure of your campaign.  If one of your goals is to reach every resident and business within specific zip codes you need to make sure your mailing list contains those specific zip codes.  If you are offering a buy one, get one free that is only available for a specific time period, you must allow enough lead time for printing and mailing the postcards.  This time sensitive message also determines whether or not you use Standard Class (bulk mail) postal rates or First Class mailing rates.

Create a sense of urgency to respond such as an expiration date on the offer.  You can also instill a call to action with offers such as “Only while supplies last” or “Present this coupon during checkout before December 15, 2006 to receive a 15% discount.”  Timely responses help to determine the effectiveness of the campaign.

Also, it is important to outline the advantages you offer in comparison to your competition.  Your audience wants to know how your services and products benefit them.  Outlining these considerations during the planning helps to frame the content and message contained on the postcards. This process also serves as a guide for your selection of an attention grabbing headline, graphic or photograph.  Remember, you only have a few seconds to get the attention of the reader.

Don’t forget the quality of the postcard is a reflection of your business.  Plan the size and type of postcard to be used and make sure it reflects well on you.  Remember, first impressions are lasting impressions.

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Concept Marketing Group, Inc. is a full-service marketing consulting firm with over 29 years of experience in traditional marketing - including 13 years on the Internet. Concept Marketing Group Inc. assists in developing and implementing effective sales and marketing strategies for businesses through targeted, managed, strategic marketing campaigns. Visit our site, www.marketingsource.com, email us at concept@marketingsource.com or call 800-575-5369, for more information.

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When to Use a Press Release
by Concept Marketing Group Inc © 2006

After two grueling years, you finally finished and self published your book.  How will anyone find out about it? 

Your volunteer organization needs more volunteers to attend the annual beach clean-up Saturday.  How to do you get the word out to everyone in the community when you don’t have any budget for advertising?

You are opening a brand new office in a different part of the City.  You would like to invite the community for a grand opening celebration, but you don’t have the lead time to prepare proper advertising.   How do you invite the community to your grand opening?

The most cost effective and efficient ways to communicate with the general public is through newspapers, magazines, radio and television. How will the media receive the information so it can be published?  They receive Press Releases from individuals, companies, non-profits and government agencies.

The Press Release is not a communication piece that is reserved only for elite, rich or prominent individuals and companies.  It is available to everyone and anyone who wants the media to receive newsworthy information.

Press releases written about a person, new product announcements, personnel changes or new services can put your name in front of vast audiences. It is the perfect marketing tool for receiving FREE publicity.

It is very effective when you want to announce:

• New product or service (like your new book)
• An important date for the community calendar (like your Saturday clean-up)
• The opening of a new physical building location or a new branch office (like the opening of your new office)
• Launching the design of a new web site
• Dates for workshops or seminars
• Running for office for a civic or business organization
• New business partnerships or strategic business alliances

Here’s an example where TWO Press Releases are effective.  First, you send out the Press Release regarding your new book.  The press release is picked up by the New York Times. Diane Sawyer sees the article, reads your book and invites you to be interviewed on Good Morning America on November 30th at 8:00 AM EST.  Now, you want to make sure that your local paper knows that you are going to be interviewed as well as other magazines, etc. You would use a second Press Release to announce you are going to appear on Good Morning America and interviewed by Diane Sawyer on November 30th at 8:00 AM EST.

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Concept Marketing Group, Inc. is a full-service marketing consulting firm with over 29 years of experience in traditional marketing - including 13 years on the Internet. Concept Marketing Group Inc. assists in developing and implementing effective sales and marketing strategies for businesses through targeted, managed, strategic marketing campaigns. Visit our site, www.marketingsource.com, email us at concept@marketingsource.com or call 800-575-5369, for more information.