The ‘Fundamentals’ are Elemental to Success

I’m expanding this list today as a result of watching several people on YouTube. They seemed normal enough, but their messages were all centered around a ‘get rich quick’ scenario. The videos were ignoring the fundamentals of what it takes to become successful. Instead, they were shining an unrealistic light on how you can buy your rental property with no money down, or put $100 down on the lease of a Ferrari, or get into the drop shipping business without using a dime of your own money.

Shortcutting doesn’t work in the Direct Mail postcard business – and you shouldn’t put any stock in anyone who says otherwise.

We want you to understand the fundamentals of what it takes to create, test, and repeat successful campaigns that will, ultimately, lead to greater business success than trying to find the fastest point from A to Z.

• Gain Attention – Make them notice you and your business. Flash isn’t always what you need, but the first impression a reader has, and the instant attraction (or repulsion) you create opens the door. You need to get them to ‘walk through’ that door to the next step.
• Focus on the Customer – The postcard isn’t about you or your business. Crazy, right? You’re not advertising your business. You’re advertising what you can do for the prospect or customer. You’re solving their problems and addressing their pain points (perceived or otherwise). You are not positioning you or your business under a Vegas spotlight for admiration or to gloat.
• Stress BENEFITS – I say this over and over. If a ‘feature’ does not lead directly to the benefit the reader wants, you’ve wasted your time. I don’t really understand ‘sell the steak not the sizzle’, but I guess you can make that work. WIIFM. What’s In It For Me? Answer that for the reader and you’ve got a captive audience. THIS is how I can help you. THIS is how your day-to-day life will improve. THIS is why we need to move directly to my Call-to-Action.
• Differentiate from your competition – Never bash your competitors. Ever. Negative press moves faster than you can believe, and you want to present your company as upstanding, credible, reliable, and trustworthy. Show the reader interesting/creative ways where you stand apart from your competitors, whether that’s on price, history in the business/niche, awards or superior certifications won, the knowledge and expertise of your employees, anything. Positivity goes a long way in the decision a reader makes to support your business. Ask yourself if you’d want to do business with someone who was nasty toward their competition. The answer is probably no.
• Prove your case/Establish credibility – If you have the space, drop some testimonials or blurbs of positive client experiences. If you don’t have the space, hint that they exist, and point the reader toward a handy QR Code where they can hit a landing page that gives you the ability to present more information, toot your own horn, and move them toward your Call-to-Action. You have to be able to back up what you’re selling, and positive reviews and even the odd case study or white paper can go a long way in establishing that for you.
• Build value – NOBODY wants to waste money – not their own, and certainly not the funds tied to the success or failure of their company. Smart choices from readers are made when they understand the value for the product or service. Show them. Prove it (see the bullet above). If your product helps readers with projects of all sizes, explain how you can (and have) helped the little guy and the corporations, alike, accomplish their goals in an economically positive manner.
• Be specific – Save the wishy washy for answers to questions about your mother-in-law. Targeted postcards with targeted messages sent to targeted individuals help you save time in presenting your message. Get to the point, be concise, be pointed but pleasant, and leave no room for misinterpretation. ‘This product can help you do ‘x’, saving you precious time and money in the process.’ Or something like that.
• Close with a Call-to-Action – This is the Holy Grail, as it were. The entire point of a postcard campaign bent toward either gathering leads or making sales is to move the reader exactly to the point where they can’t help but ask for more information, or jump into your landing page on the way to putting your product or service into the ‘Cart’ to checkout. If you don’t ask for the business, or give them the opportunity to initiate a sale or a lead, you’ve completely wasted the postcard.

Direct Mail postcards will not make you successful overnight. Hopefully, they contribute to you becoming successful over time. Give Opportunity Knocks a call today. We’ve got Success Coaches standing by. They’re ready and waiting to help you make the most out of ensuring you understand and utilize the fundamentals, avoid the pitfalls of taking shortcuts, and get you from A to Z the right way.