Once upon a time, a postcard in your mailbox meant someone was thinking of you. Perhaps they sent a picture from exotic Hawaii, or a "Look at this!" snapshot of their hometown's August fair. Either way, finding that small piece of cardstock in among the bills, was a pleasure.

It can still be that way. Memories like that are one reason why postcards are such a powerful advertising medium. There are a few other reasons, too.

        ·They're hassle-free.

By the time you've torn open the fifth envelope in your daily stack of mail, aren't your fingers getting tired? Wouldn't you like to be able to just pick something up and see if its message interests you?

If it's a postcard, you can do that.

        ·They're eyecatching.

With a postcard, you can devote an entire side to one of advertising's most powerful tools: a photograph. In our visually-oriented world, pictures may be worth more than a thousand words.

Your message has to be short (to fit on that tiny card), and that means your busy prospect is more likely to read all of it.     

        ·They're easy to keep.

Your prospect can tuck a postcard into the corner of a bulletin board, or stand it up against a wall. That's not so easy with a 14-page sales letter.

        ·They're not spam.

Today's business owner needs low-cost marketing methods. Not long ago, that was email, but not any more. Spam has taken care of that, and any advertisement you send out—even to people on your mailing list—runs a high risk of being filtered and dumped into their e-trash. They'll never see it.

Postcards are inexpensive to produce and mail. They're also REAL: your prospect must touch the card as she goes through her mail. She can't help seeing it.

To get the most out of these mighty messages, remember a few simple tips:  

1. Postcards are best for announcing a last-minute sale or special; getting people to call or come in for more information; or promoting inexpensive items that don't need much explanation (you wouldn't want to use postcards to sell yachts).

2. Keep your message to 150 words or less. More than that, and you'll have to use type so small that no one can read it. Make the most of those 150 words with a strong, clear headline and copy that tells your prospect what you want him to do.

                        50% Off Sale! One Day Only!

                    Bring this card in on Saturday, May 27,

                        for half off ANY item in our store.

3. Use postcards in partnership with another advertising method, such as newspaper ads or radio commercials. "Diversity" is good for your investments. It's also good for your marketing.

4. Consider a series of postcards mailed at regular intervals. That way, you can advertise more than one product, and keep your name in front of your prospects for several weeks or a month.

 The upshot: They won't work for everything, but if you have a simple message to send, a postcard can be worth a lot of pennies.