The postcard has many uses in marketing.  Over the last few days I have been thinking a lot about their pros and cons.  I figured I would think on this blog and share my list about the simple postcard.

A postcard by USPS standards is no larger then 4x6.  So when should you use this potentially very effective mailing device?

Pros:

Postage is lower then any other class of mail
Fast and easy to print and mail out
Inexpensive to produce in small or large quantities
Great for timely promotions or specials
Can be used as a reminder to an earlier direct mail effort
You can use graphics and text to communicate

Cons:

May get lost in your consumers mail pile
Limited space to tell your story
Size limits room for creativity (although you can be creative)
Too small to send to a potential prospect
 May not perform as well as a larger mail piece
Some marketers rely too often on postcards when other formats would be better suited.
I think the pros win but remember to make sure your marketing goals match the medium.