Financial Advisors: Are You Using The Power of Postcards?

Have you added “send postcards” to your weekly activities list? If not, why not?! In our fast-paced, get-it-done, high-tech world, postcards are an inexpensive way for your firm to stand out above the rest. They’re a simple way to keep your network, clients, and prospects in touch and updated. Postcards are small, inexpensive, and they pack a powerful marketing punch!

Consider using some of these interesting and affordable ways to use postcards to stand out:

Announcements

• Announce something new. Like a new team member, product, service, educational class, or article using postcards.
• Have you changed your address or updated your website? Say it with a postcard.
• Turn your postcard into a free consulting offer or a gift certificate.
• Use your postcard to deliver a QR code that links to your home page or a special video/word message from you.

Reminders

• Send a “Looking forward to seeing you on ____” meeting reminder to a client or associate.
• Before an event, send reminders with event information, or send the meeting agenda.
• Remind folks of events that might be of interest to them, as a service to your network.

Visibility

• How about placing your logo on a yearly calendar postcard?
• Carry a few un-stamped postcards printed with your latest message and contact info, instead of business cards.
• Do you have helpful tips for your clients? Send them on a postcard!

Research

• Place a survey on a pre-stamped, returnable postcard.
• Send a research question to a group of clients, with an email address for their response.

Salutations

• Postcards are a simple way to say “thank you.” Drop one in the mail after a meeting.
• Send clients birthday*, congratulatory, or just saying “hi” postcards.

*Don’t send birthday postcards to your best clients. Send a card, written by you and signed by everyone in the office.

According to The Guerrilla Marketing Handbook, “…color increases readership by 41% and raises a buyer’s inclination to buy by 26%.” Make your postcards colorful and eye-catching, and as personal or professional as you like. Create a basic postcard with contact information, or personalize it by including a picture — of yourself, your book, your team, your conference location, etc. They’ll pay back your effort many times over. It’s so easy to “say it with a postcard!”

©2003/10/13 Maria Marsala guides high-achieving independent financial advisors to reach their 5-year business and personal goals in 24 months. She is a business coach, speaker, and a former Wall Street Trader. Named one of the Top 30 International Coaching Gurus in 2011, Maria has been recognized as a thought leader whose ideas have been published in Financial Planning Magazine, RIA Biz, Advisor Max, Dow Jones, The Street, Entrepreneur Magazine, and numerous books, trade journals, and magazines. She has authored four business-building workbooks including, Attracting Clients You Love Working With: 6 Steps to a Profitable Client Base.

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