Marketing Question…Do Post Cards Still Really Work?

It’s that time of year again when salon owners can start smelling “green". As the end of the calendar year approaches salon owners enter into that happy little place where dreams CAN come true. Unfortunately, the state of our current economic condition is raising concern about what this season will produce.

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. If you are a veteran of the tanning industry or just a neophyte, the bottom line for every salon is the BOTTOM LINE! Everyone is talking about the economy these days and if you throw in the consolidation that has been taking place in our industry the forecast becomes very cloudy. Every month I look at the salons that are canceling their Software Maintenance Agreements with us and over 40% of them are because they have gone out of business and over the past six months that number is creeping higher and higher.

A common philosophy shared by some of the salons that are going out of business is that advertising and marketing cost too much. On the flip side, salons that have not been as adversely affected by the downturn are realizing significant returns on their marketing campaigns, with the most effective medium being direct mail.

However, there is a common misunderstanding with regards to what defines direct mail and this will have a significant effect on the return of your investment. Val-Pak and Lost Child mailers are considered direct mail since they are sent through the Postal Service, but they are not sent out to any unique identifiable demographic which is the real problem. When you use this medium for your direct mail campaign you normally send them out to a designated zip code area within your salon’s 2 to 3 mile radius. Companies that push these direct mail tactics are preying on the allure of what they spin as “cost effective” marketing even though only a small percentage of recipients actually meet your clientele’s demographic. The end result is that you will most likely have a very disappointing return rate even though you got a great “deal” on the campaign.

Email marketing is also fast becoming a front runner when it comes to direct mail, but all you need to do is look in your mailbox each day to see that the big box retailers like Kohl’s and Best Buy are still utilizing post cards. If it wasn’t still working for them I don’t imagine they would be spending the millions of dollars they do each year with this marketing strategy.

If you only send out one campaign to test the waters at least you will have your own case study to come to your own conclusion. The most effective way to maximize the return on your marketing budget is to target those customers who not only meet your core demographic, but have also been to your salon and previously spent their money on your products and/or services. The beauty of this concept is that all the data you need is stored conveniently in your salon software’s database.

To start off each year I recommend that you send a post card to every customer who visited your salon within the last one to two years depending on your budget. This is a great time to reintroduce your salon to those customers who have not been in for a long period of time as well as providing a great buying opportunity for your loyal regulars. When you can expect at least a $1 to $3 return on every card that you send out you really can’t afford not to get into this game.

Peace!

www.gohelios.com