How To Go From Under Dog to Top Dog by Unleashing The Power Of a Postcard

The Tale of Two Dentists...

Dr. Namel and Dr. Ivory are two Dentists located across the street from each other in a high traffic area that is surrounded by affluent neighborhoods.

Both Dentists were certain that having the right location would mean automatic success for their businesses. To their dismay, patients were not lined up at their doors. Business was not booming.

In fact, potential patients pass by them everyday unaware of their choice of a neighborhood Dentist. Some prospects are vaguely aware that there is a Dentist in the neighborhood, but can not recall the name of the Dentist.

After all, they have not been given a reason to take notice.

Dr. Namel decides to spend his whole advertising budget on an Ad in the community newspaper. The Ad results in an occasional trickle of new patients, but will never bring Dr. Namel all the patients he can handle.

Dr. Namel never receives a return on his investment because his Ads are not effective.

His Ad simply has a picture of him and his contact information. There is no call to action or an effective headline. Furthermore, the community newspaper doesn't directly reach his target market.

Dr. Ivory knows that an Ad in a community newspaper will be a waste of money. She wants to reach her target market directly and exclusively. Her goal is to get the most bang for her buck, while positioning herself as THE neighborhood Dentist.

Dr. Ivory decides to use Postcards to market her business.

She knows that she needs to stand out and be remembered. Her Postcard will be competing against all of the other mail that her prospects receive on a daily basis. Yes, her Postcard has a better chance of being read than a letter in an envelope. But it still has to pass her prospect's 'so what?' and 'what's in it for me?' tests.

Dr. Ivory accomplishes this by unleashing the power of Postcards. She makes her Postcards extraordinary by creating Postcard Newsletters.

Dr. Ivory's Postcard Newsletter has helpful dental care tips on the back. The front of her Postcard Newsletter features her current special. She brands her Postcard Newsletter with her logo, contact information, and tagline.

Dr. Ivory sends the 'Dental Digest' to her prospects on a monthly basis.

Her prospects look forward to receiving the Dental Digest every month. It stands out amongst their other mail, and they instantly recognize it due to the consistent layout and design of the Postcard Newsletter.

They enjoy reading the dental care tips and save every issue. They even show their friends the Postcard Newsletter from their neighborhood Dentist.

Each Postcard Newsletter builds more trust and credibility. Now when prospects drive by, they look over at Dr. Ivory's office and remember the Postcard Newsletters they are receiving from their neighborhood Dentist.

When it is time to visit the Dentist, they automatically know to call their neighborhood Dentist, Dr. Ivory. Who else would they trust their dental care to?

When they are asked for a referral to a Dentist, they automatically recommend their neighborhood Dentist, Dr. Ivory. Who else would they wholeheartedly recommend?

Dr. Ivory now has all the patients she can handle. She also has an extra bonus: constant referrals, and patients singing her praises.

Meanwhile, Dr. Namel looks over at Dr. Ivory's office and wonders why she always has a constant stream of patients.

After all, they are both in the same location surrounded by the same prospects.

Dr. Namel wonders why Dr. Ivory is experiencing much more success. He feels that he should have all the patients he can handle, since he is the only one with the monthly Ad in the community newspaper.

Everyday, Dr. Namel looks over at Dr. Ivory and wonders what is the secret to her tremendous success.

Everyday, Dr. Ivory welcomes new patients and enjoys seeing patients who keep coming back. She has established a relationship with her patients before they ever walk through her door.

Dr. Ivory looks over at Dr. Namel's office and it looks deserted. She wonders why he keeps pouring money down the drain on an ineffective Ad in the newspaper.

Dr. Namel's Ad costs ten times more than Dr. Ivory's Postcard Newsletter.

Yet Dr. Ivory's results are twenty times more effective.

Dr. Ivory thinks about her secret to success and smiles. She can't help but smile at the fact that a postcard has so much power. And it definitely gives more bang for the buck.

Copyright 2004 Black Unicorn Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Black Unicorn Communications helps Independent Service Professionals attract more clients in less time. Visit http://www.blackunicorninc.com for a FREE Business Success Toolkit, including the 7 day e-course: 7 Steps To More Clients

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


The Biggest Needle In The Haystack

Hello everyone! Have you ever been curious about something, and... Read More

Sleigh Bells Ring...And Cash Registers, Too

During the holidays, folks everywhere shop many long hours to... Read More

The Bare-Bones Basics Of Multi-Level Marketing

Multi-level marketing is the biggest growth industry in the 1980's.... Read More

How to Avoid Giving Away Free Consulting

After spending 30 minutes in a coffee shop with a... Read More

Stop Your Marketing Leaks

Thirty percent of all the drinkable water that runs between... Read More

Turbo-Charge Your Viral Marketing- Five Easy Ways

The world of marketing has changed. With increasingly better educated... Read More

Universal Principals That Guide Business Growth

Universal principals are those "self-evident" truths that have guided brilliant... Read More

5 Steps for Developing a Marketing Tag Line for Your Product, Business, or Website

A marketing tag line is the one or two line... Read More

Marketing 101: The Power of Marketing

When you hear the word "marketing" what comes to mind?... Read More

Developing a Contact List- Part Two

In a previous installment, we spoke about how to come... Read More

How to Use Direct Response Post Card Decks as a Valuable Market Research Tool

Market research specialists have discovered a new tool which enables... Read More

Top 10 Dos and Donts for an Effective Business Referral Network!

Every business - particularly small, entrepreneurial or professional businesses -... Read More

10 Awesome Ways To Attract More Orders

1. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic... Read More

Referrals . . .The Secret Weapon

Are you getting referrals from you customers? If not, you... Read More

The Advantage and Consequences of New Economy Marketing

Some of the research that has been done today gives... Read More

Painless Marketing for People Who Hate to Market

Face it?you know you've got to do something to keep... Read More

Six Secrets to Creating Successful Tourism Marketing, Websites, Ads, Tradeshow Booths, & More

If you want to substantially increase your tourism prospects and... Read More

How To Turn $100,000 Into $1,191,817 In Just One Year Part II

Turning a modest $100,000 annual turnover into $1,191,817 may sound... Read More

10 Start Up Marketing Tips

This list has been compiled as a result of years... Read More

What to Look for in Display Graphics and Trade Show Graphics

Display graphics are graphic images used for illustration or "display"... Read More

Why Instant Gratification Marketing Condemns Businesses To Losing 90% Of Their Potential Customers

Most businesses target only people "ready-to-buy". These hot prospects are... Read More

8 Instant Ways to Create Consistently Successful Marketing Campaigns

It's almost a given that when I speak to a... Read More

How to Convey Trustworthiness in Direct Mail Marketing Sales Letter

A person or business that might buy from you is... Read More

Design Does Matter

The idea that good design can improve how people perceive... Read More

Getting Personal ? Innovative Marketing for Small Business Owners

The small business marketing strategy you can't afford to miss... Read More

Postcards: Awareness Tool or Selling Tool?

Are postcards better for building awareness or for selling?In my... Read More

Why Pay for Online Press Release Distribution?

We've all heard that "free advice is worth what you... Read More

Practice Marketing: How to Answer What Do You Do? to Increase Prospects, Publicity and Profits

"What do you do?""I'm a CPA. What do you do?""I'm... Read More

Feature Your Benefits

Sales Copy? eventually every small business owner must consider what... Read More

A Look at Color Brochure Printing

Brochures have become vital in today's workplace, serving a wide... Read More

The Art Of Writing Classified Ads

The writing of good classified ads truly is an art... Read More

Selling To Your Affiliates

While success with any internet marketing program falls on the... Read More

10 Surefire Ways to Add Sizzle to Your Brochures

Businesses rely on brochures as their front line in communicating... Read More