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

By Tresaca Hamilton
Posted Friday, January 21, 2005

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.

About the Author
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