By
Sarah Harris
There are few things more exciting than a grand opening. Whether it’s for a second business location, a debut on a new sales platform or a brand-new company launching for the first time, grand openings are full of promise and anticipation.
If your company is planning a grand opening, it’s the perfect time to explore new and interesting marketing strategies. The goal of a grand opening is to create brand awareness and drive sales, and a grand opening postcard is the perfect way to do just that.
Postcards are among the most effective types of direct mail marketing. They have a personal feel and feature attractive images that entice potential customers. With Mail Genius from Print Bind Ship, all your direct mail marketing can be done in-house, including customized hand-written postcards, special offers, swag and much more.
12 Top Strategies for Grand Opening Postcards
To achieve the success you’re looking for, your grand opening needs to stand out. Here are 12 winning grand opening postcard ideas to help you leave a lasting impression.
1. Choose a Reliable Printing and Mailing Partner
Before you do anything else, you’ll want to partner with a knowledgeable and experienced printing and mailing company.
At Print Bind Ship, we pay close attention to what makes your brand unique and use those qualities to inform our direct mail strategies. Our omnichannel marketing platform Mail Genius also makes it easy to design and distribute all your direct marketing materials from one central location.
2. Eye-Catching Design
If you want to grab the attention of prospective customers, your postcard must be visually engaging. Make sure both the front and back of your grand opening postcard feature striking colors, easy-to-read text and engaging photos and other visuals.
3. Clear Messaging
The fewer words you can use to get your point across on your grand opening card, the better. Create concise copy that’s heavily brand-focused for the front of your card and include a short yet engaging message with a clear call to action on the back.
4. Targeted Distribution
Your grand opening postcard will be more successful if it ends up in the right hands. Determine where your target audience likely is and focus your distribution on those places. It could be residential neighborhoods, similar businesses, shopping areas or any combination of the above.
5. Personalized Touch
If you’ll be sending your postcards through the mail, make sure you include the recipient’s name in the message, not just on the address line. This touch will help your customer feel like a valued asset in your company’s eyes.
6. Limited-Time Offer
Many customers need to feel a sense of urgency to go from casually browsing to making a purchase. You can create this urgency by including a limited-time discount or special offer on your grand opening card.
7. QR Codes or URLs
Including scannable QR codes or website URLs on your grand opening postcard is a great way to make use of new technology while encouraging greater engagement on your customers’ part.
These features are an easy, optional way for people to learn more about your business, RSVP for special events, sign up for mailing lists or claim exclusive deals.
8. Dual-Purpose Coupons
Your grand opening postcard could be two direct marketing strategies for the price of one. When you make the postcard a coupon that your customers can bring in for special deals, you increase brand awareness while simultaneously providing purchase incentives and generating foot traffic for your business.
9. Strategic Timing
One of the best parts of a grand opening is the anticipation leading up to it. Take advantage of this excitement by strategically mailing your postcards several weeks before opening day. Once the event is only a few days away, hand some out in person to create even more enthusiasm around the opening.
10. Cross-Promotion
Is there another local business that could also benefit from the success of your brand? Reach out and plan a cross-promotion strategy that offers special deals for customers of both companies. Your marketing teams could collaborate on grand opening postcard ideas together.
11. Social Media Integration
Don’t forget to include all your brand’s social media handles on your grand opening postcard. Doing so will make it easy for your customers to stay engaged with you during the opening and beyond.
12. Track and Measure
Select a way for your marketing team to track the effectiveness of your postcard campaign. You can do this with special discount promo codes, a unique QR code or a designated URL.
Set a New Standard of Success with a Grand Opening Postcard
Grand opening postcards can be a highly effective way to inform and connect with your customers, but the right printing and mailing brand is crucial to your success. Contact Print Bind Ship today to learn more about our custom postcard printing services.
FAQ
Essentials for a grand opening postcard include:
Your brand name, logo and slogan
Clear, interesting imagery
Direct and easy-to-understand messaging
A call to action
To promote further engagement, we recommend including special offers on your products or services, a personalized message andor URLs and QR codes that link to additional information.
To build anticipation leading up to your grand opening, plan for your customers to receive their postcards one to two weeks before opening day. This will give them time to plan a visit to your brick-and-mortar location, especially if your postcard doubles as an in-store coupon.
A personal touch can make a huge difference when it comes to direct mail marketing.
With Mail Genius, we take it a step further than just addressing a postcard’s message to the recipient. Our specialized hand-written postcards make your customers feel valued and appreciated, which goes a long way toward encouraging further engagement and brand loyalty.