Do you have any tips that we can use to do a postcard makeover? We have generated a great number of leads using the "just listed" and "just sold" postcards, but we don't feel the cards look good enough.

If you generated a lot number of leads using your postcards, most likely your postcards look just fine. Believe it or not, the best direct mail marketing pieces are not the ones that look that sharp. Some are quite ugly if we'd judge them by their look! (yeah, really :-)

It is actually a good idea to make your postcards look like "home made". Sometimes I even advise my clients to make their postcards look as they were written some old typewriter!

Why? Such simple, unassuming, design is more intriguing and gets more attention (and response!) than those professionally designed, slick and very expensive, colorful cards printed on a glossy paper stock.

So, don't sweat over the "look" alone. Here are the most important things to keep in mind in regards to postcards:

• Use compelling headline. The headline is the most important part of ANY marketing piece - it should grab the attention of the reader. Here it serves as the ad for your postcard!
  
• Print it on a bright yellow or orange card stock to make it stand out in the mail pile. Study prove that these colors work like magic in direct mail. And black color ink lowers your cost.
  
• Don't try to convince people to buy or sell a house with you - use postcards ONLY to generate leads. You will have plenty of time to convince people to buy from you later, after you know who they are.
  
• Beside the headline, the most important part is the offer. Make your offer so irresistible that it will make their finger *itch* to pick up the phone to call you instantly ...
  
• Be persistent. Like with all other marketing efforts, it is doing it over and over again what brings great results!
  
• Follow up on your leads. Phone, e-mail or visit with them within a day - no longer that a week. And keep going with your follow up. How long? My favorite saying is "until they buy or die".