Ten Ways to Use Postcards to Build Your Network Marketing Business

[Rudi Vanhaecke]

Postcard idea #1. Prospecting.

 

The postcard is the cheapest mailing forum you can use, but it's also the smallest. You'll be limiting yourself to a great headline and a bit of text. So, what's your headline?

 

Over the past few years, I've spent a lot of time on headlines and first sentence technology with Fortune Now readers. You should have a library of great headlines by now. All you have to do is choose the type of headline for your recruiting campaign.

 

For instance, if you're sending post cards to experienced network marketers from a mailing list, your headline will be completely different than a headline used to attract new residents in your community. Don't assume one headline works for everyone. Look at the difference below.

 

==> Some headlines used when mailing to experienced networkers:

 

* If you tried network marketing and didn't earn the money you expected, maybe you would like to know the secret.

 

* Hot co-op opportunity for experienced networkers only.

 

* I've sponsored one person a month for the last 10 months. Each person has achieved manager status in less than 15 days. Do you want to be next?

 

* Free Report! 13 reasons to use our system to build a full-time network marketing career in just 90 days.

 

==> Some headlines used when mailing to new residents of your community.

 

* Meet positive new friends while networking with fellow part-time business entrepreneurs.

 

* Start a part-time business that will pay off your new home mortgage.

 

* Trade two hours of television time to learn how your neighbors are collecting an extra check every month.

 

* Free book to new residents (How To Get Rich Without Winning The Lottery.)

 

 

See the difference? Pick your headlines to attract a certain prospect. Not everyone is the same.

 

Some time ago, I received an e-mail from a lady who had the following great sign-off phrase. It said:

 

 

 

 

"If we are what we eat . . . I'm either Fast, Cheap or Easy!!"

 

I always thought that this would be a great headline for a postcard promoting healthy food supplements. I haven't tested it yet, but it always brings a smile to my face when I think about it.

 

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Postcard idea #2. Retailing.

 

One networker sold water filters. He offered a free water filter for a month to allow new residents a chance to try his product.

 

The postcard received a 4% response. That means four people responded out of 100 postcards mailed. So, what was his cost?

 

Well, 100 printed postcards, postage, and rental of a new resident mailing list cost about $36. That means each response cost the networker $9.

 

Out of the four responses, only three people would allow the counter top water filter to be installed in their homes. (The other response felt that it was sales trickery, changed his mind, or some other objection.)

 

==> Here is the bottom line.

 

The networker spent $36 and a little effort to get three people to try his water filter. For every three prospects who tried the water filter for 30 days, at least one would buy a water filter.

 

The retail profit from each water filter sold was $50, plus the networker earned additional money in bonuses from the compensation plan.

 

 

Okay. So this isn't big money, is it? We've spent $36 and a lot of effort to earn $50. We only have $14 net profit after the 100 postcards campaign.

 

 

==> But aren't we missing something here?

Imagine that you used this strategy to eventually sell 100 customers. What kind of distributor prospect list would these 100 customers make?

 

Wow! You'd have 100 customers who tried your product, liked your product, ordered your product at full retail and believed in the value of your product.

 

 

 

How hard would it be to convince them to take the next step and become a distributor? Not too hard. This is one great qualified list of prospects.

 

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Postcard idea #3. Turn your postcards into a coupon or free gift certificate.

 

One networker mailed a $10 gift certificate (postcard) to every old customer and product party attendee. She was flooded with phone calls asking for the current product catalog.

 

This was an excellent promotion to reactivate old customers and prospects, and the cost is minimal. Sure, you have to give away $10 in product value, but most customers redeeming the certificate will order more than enough product to make this a profitable promotion.

 

And even if the promotion showed no profit, wouldn't this be a great way to get in front of more prospects?

 

Again, we are building a better relationship through frequent contacts, and that means more distributors.

 

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Postcard idea #4. Make your postcard a dinner invitation.

 

Why rent an expensive hotel meeting room when you can take your prospects to dinner? Here is what I mean.

 

Let's say that you can rent a local hotel meeting room for $100.

 

You normally average about 10 guests at the meeting, so you're really spending about $10 per prospect to have that meeting room.

 

For that same $10, you could buy dinner for your prospect and meet at a local restaurant (assuming you don't live in New York City or San Francisco . . . but then again, those meeting rooms would be more expensive too!)

 

What's more friendly?

 

An opportunity meeting at a generic hotel, or a personal business dinner with future business associates?

 

Your prospect will feel more at ease at a dinner presentation, plus it's easier to get prospects to attend when the food is free.

 

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Postcard idea #5. Tell your prospects and customers about the new stuff posted on your web site.

 

Yes, a lowly postcard is a great way to push targeted prospects to your web site where you can educate and sell them on your opportunity and prospects.

 

 

 

Use your imagination to motivate your prospects with your postcard. Maybe you can announce a contest, free drawing, free gift for visiting or to . . .

 

 

 

==> Tell distant, cold prospects that you've just posted your secret family photo including Spot, your wonder-dog.

 

If one of your cold prospects visits your site, he'll now see that you are a real person, not just some salesman hiding behind a post office box. Seeing your family picture will help a cold prospect warm up and open up to your business opportunity.

 

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Postcard idea #6: Find the secret hot buttons and desires of your prospects.

 

Remember the September 18, 1995 issue of Fortune Now? If you don't, here is a quick overview. I talked about using a survey to find out which headline or first sentence was the most popular with your prospects. I explained how to put together a six-option survey that created new prospects and at the same time showed you exactly which headline or first sentence would get the best response.

 

Well, you can do the same market testing with postcards. Here is how.

 

Imagine that you're pondering:

 

"I wonder which would excite my customers more. Would a price discount be best? Or, should I offer a free premium or gift when they purchase my product at regular price?"

 

You don't know. You can only guess. And guessing is what makes gamblers poor and finances large hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

So you decide not to gamble. Instead, you cheat. You find out the correct answer by surveying your prospects. How? By using a postcard.

 

You design a postcard offer to 100 prospects that says:

 

Special sale! $10 off! Super Skin Cream for only $19.95!

 

You get 5 responses to your postcard.

 

You also design a postcard offer to 100 prospects that says:

 

Buy Super Skin Cream for only $29.95 and get a free dinner at Mario's Italian Restaurant FREE!

 

You get 19 responses to this postcard.

 

Well, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to see that your customers would rather get a free dinner than a discount. No more guessing. You know the answer. No risk on your part. You know exactly how to go forward with your marketing campaign.

 

 

==> Do you have to test product offers only?

 

What about different benefits to join your program?

 

Sure. It's easy.

 

Just put together two different postcards to see which benefits would really turn on your prospects. Remember, guessing is for broke gamblers. You don't want to guess, you want to know. You don't want to initiate an expensive marketing campaign, and you don't want to invest months of your time pushing a benefit that doesn't interest your prospects.

 

So we'll test.

 

Postcard #1 will say:

 

"How to get a new car every two years - and never make a single car payment again."

 

Postcard #2 will say:

 

"How to earn $531 extra every week - without leaving your home."

 

Send out the postcards and watch which postcard draws the most interest. Now you know which benefit will pull the best.

 

If you have more than two benefits in your program (and I hope you do), then test each benefit until you find the one or two benefits that consistently give you massive returns on your promotional dollar.

 

Finally, the good thing about this "real life" testing is that you'll get lots of prospects while you're testing.

 

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Postcard idea #7: Create goodwill and referrals as a thank-you note.

 

How many purchases did you make last year? And how many thank-you notes did you receive? Probably only two or three.

 

It's rare to show appreciation today. However, people crave appreciation and recognition. You can give your prospects this appreciation and recognition inexpensively with a simple postcard thank-you note that acknowledges their contribution to your success.

 

Customers and prospects will love you for this simple act of courtesy.

 

Customers and prospects?

 

Yes, prospects too! You can thank prospects for:

 

* Reviewing your video information pack.

 

* Coming to last night's opportunity meeting.

 

* Trying the samples you sent them.

 

* Answering your ad.

 

* Having the courtesy to tell you that your opportunity wasn't for them.

 

You get the idea. There are lots of reasons why you should thank your prospects. So, don't limit your thank you notes to just customers. Include your prospects. The goodwill you build can help get you qualified referrals, and your prospects and customers will always feel favorable to you when the time is right for them to buy or join your program.

 

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Postcard idea #8: Announcements.

 

This one is easy. If you've kept the addresses of your prospects, you can continuously remind them of important events with inexpensive postcards. What kind of announcements can you send? How about:

 

* Special guest speaker, John Doe, shares his secrets for becoming rich on Saturday from 7 - 9 p.m.

 

* Once-a-year diet program sale starts on December 31st.

 

* Free business start-up kit to the first 15 callers.

 

* Brand new product introduction.

 

* All the free food you can eat at Wednesday night's business briefing.

 

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Postcard idea #9: Why postcards are cheaper than e-mail!

 

 

 

This may surprise you, but follow the math.

 

 

 

#1. You purchase 100 hot e-mail leads for $1 each. Your total investment is $100. It doesn't cost anything to send them an e-mail or two about your business opportunity.

 

But how many of these leads will actually open and read your e-mail? Most people are pretty quick with that delete key. Let's say that five leads actually open and read your email.

 

 

 

If five leads read your email, and you spent $100 for the leads, then it cost you $20 for each reading of your message.

 

#2. You purchase 100 hot e-mail leads for $1 each. Your investment is $100. Next, you send each lead a postcard. Your cost for 100 postcards? About $30 for the printing and postage. Now your total investment is $130.

 

Most leads will read a short postcard before throwing it away.

 

Let's say that out of 100 leads, 65 of the leads read the postcard. Since your total investment was $130, then it cost you only $2 for each reading of your message.

 

Amazing, isn't it?

 

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Postcard idea #10: Use common sense.

 

 

Caution! Make sure you use common sense when applying any of these ideas. Here is an example of not using common sense when mailing to customers:

 

There is a story about an upscale jewelry store in New York City that wanted to build customer loyalty and appreciation. Here is what they did.

 

The jewelry store sent a nice note to the homes of their customers, thanking them for their last purchase.

 

Unfortunately, many of the wives read the thank-you note and asked their husbands, "Where is my necklace?"

 

Apparently, the last jewelry purchase by their husbands was not for their wives.

 

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There you have it. I'm sure you can find many more uses for postcards that will keep hot prospects coming to your door.