It goes without saying that for a business to thrive they must have reliable customers that continue to use them on a regular basis. The most savvy business minds will want to generate more business through their already established customer base by delivering an outstanding service that their consumers will want to rave to their friends about. A clever marketer will look to use what information they have gained from their loyal consumers and apply it so that they can expand their market and generate more business. To tailor a service or a product to a particular segment of the market it is important to know as much as you can about the people that make up that segment and try to meet their needs as fully as possible.

A great option for smaller businesses

One hurdle that a marketer in a smaller business must overcome is restricted finances. In smaller companies the marketing budget is likely to be much tighter than in larger firms and so it is important to be creative with the marketing campaign. Far too many marketing departments feel that they must have grand TV advertising campaigns or radio ads when this is not necessarily the case. It is easy to generate interest and increase business in other, less expensive ways.

One idea that has shown excellent results in the past has been to use postcards to draw attention. If they are created well with the customer in mind, pitching the product, service, or brand correctly, then a postcard can make the world of difference. If you are aiming for a specific demographic then find out what you can about your target audience. Where are they financially and what can they spend? What are their interests and activities? Find out what their average earnings are too. If you can identify what they are likely to think they need then you can position your product or service as a possible solution.

When to send out your cards

Once you have created your postcard you can then think about how often or when you are intending on sending it. You will want to mail enough so that your postcard is seen on a regular basis and strikes a chord with the customer but not so much that you have overwhelmed and bombarded your customers. Striking a balance is ideal. Your target audience need to recognise your brand without feeling pestered or frustrated with junk mailing.

One option is to send out your postcards and then make a follow-up call to see how they were received and introduce yourself properly. You could also provide your customers with the opportunity to direct their enquiries toward you and answer any questions they may have had about your service or product.

Building great relationships for the future

If you create a purpose for your postcards, so as to add value to them, then why not add in a discount or incentive or advertise a sale you have on. You could even enclose a coupon that your customers can use with that postcard, for instance. If you can effectively market yourself with postcards, incentives and follow up calls then you are likely to build up a strong relationship with your targeted audience and increase your customer base over time.