Postal mailing cards may be used in two ways—either as a campaign in themselves or as steps in a follow-up series. They are especially good when your selling plan permits of goods being sent on approval or a free trial basis. Then you can say, "Simply drop the attached order card in the mail box and the goods will come to you by first express."
A publishing house has sold thousands of low priced books on this basis, using merely a double post card. One section carries to the prospect an appealing description of the book and emphasizes the liberality of the offer. The return card bears a picture of the book itself and a clearly worded order, running something like this, "I will look at this book if you will send it charges prepaid. If I like it, I am to remit $1.00 within five days. If not, I am to return it at your expense." There can be no misunderstanding here. The simplicity of the card scheme itself appeals to prospects and brings back a big percentage of orders.
A variation of the use of the postal as a direct sales medium is the employment of it to secure bank savings accounts.
A banking house in Chicago sent out folders to a large mailing list of property holders and renters in all parts of the city. As a special inducement to establishing savings accounts, this house offered each person, who returned an attached card, a small metal savings bank free, which could be kept in the home for the reception of dimes and nickels until filled—this small bank to be returned at intervals to the bank for the establishment of a permanent savings account. On the return card enclosed was a promise to send to the inquirer's home one of those small banks absolutely without cost to the receiver. Here the simplicity of the scheme and method of proposing it again brought large returns.
One manufacturer of dental cream sends out free samples upon request. The tube is wrapped in pasteboard, which proves to be a post card ready for signature and stamp—inviting the recipient to suggest the names of friends to whom samples can be sent. Some concerns offer to send a free sample if names are sent in but this firm has achieved better results by sending the sample to all who ask and then diplomatically inviting them to reciprocate by furnishing the names of their friends.
Several large hotels have found valuable advertising in post cards that are distributed by their guests. These cards are left on the writing tables with an invitation to "mail one to some friend."
A St. Louis restaurant keeps a stack of post cards on the cashier's desk. They are printed in three colors and give views of the restaurant, emphasizing its cleanliness and excellent service. Every month hundreds of these are mailed out by pleased customers and as a result the restaurant has built up a very large patronage of visitors—people from out of the city who are only too glad to go to some place that has been recommended to them.
A most unusual use of post cards appeared in a St. Louis street car. A prominent bondseller had arranged an attractive street car placard, discussing briefly the subject of bonds for investment purposes. In one corner of this placard was a wire-stitched pad of post cards, one of which passengers were invited to pull off. The card was mailable to the bondseller, and requested a copy of his textbook for investors. The prospect who sent the card was of course put upon the follow-up list and solicited for business. Here, again, the uniqueness appeals to the public.
As a cooperator with a letter follow-up, the card or folder is effective, because it introduces variety into the series, sometimes furnishing just the touch or twist that wins the order.
In the follow-up series the double folder becomes especially adaptable, because of its simplicity. It usually refers to previous correspondence. For example, one suggests: "You evidently mislaid our recent letter. Since its message is of such vital interest to your business—" The remainder of the message is given up to driving home a few of the fundamental points brought out in the previous letters. Simple directions for filling out an attached return card are added.