Tip 5: Go First Class

Send your postcards by First Class Mail. It costs only 23 cents in US if make them at least 3 1/2 by 5 inches but not over 4 1/4 by 6 inches.

This gives you all benefits of First Class Mail for just a few cents more than Standard Mail ("bulk rate mail") ...and it produces a lot more replies.

Tip 6: Watch Your Timing

Send your postcards so they arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday. The volume of mail delivered in US on those days is usually light and your postcards won't have to compete with a lot of other mail delivered at same time.

Try to avoid having your postcards delivered on Monday. It's usually biggest mail delivery day of week and a very busy day for most people.

Tip 7: Economize on Designing and Printing

Don't spend a lot to design and print your postcards. Using an elegant layout with colorful graphics can be expensive and it rarely improves your reply rate - unless you are selling those services.

Simple postcards designed to look like a message from a friend can be printed on your own computer for only 1 or 2 cents per card ...or you can have a commercial printer do job for as little as 4 to 7 cents per card.

The next time you want to drive a surge of traffic to your web site or generate a flood of new sales leads - send postcards. And be sure to follow 7 tips revealed in this article to get maximum response to your postcards for lowest cost.

Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales. He just released a New Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You'll find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV

Most Chambers have a monthly newsletter and accept press releases. Some also sell advertising at very reasonable price. Also keep in mind that if you are an active member and maybe even a committee chairperson or board member, you may have your own column in newsletter or at least a listing as a committee chair or member of board. This listing usually will include name of your business.

If your committee is dealing with important issues and or events, there may also be additional benefits in way of local media coverage. I always made sure I chaired at least one or two events a year, and I picked ones that were most likely to effect a large segment of community "in a positive way". This becomes important. For instance, you may want to think twice about chairing a committee to recall local mayor and opt instead to take over Christmas Parade.

A lot of Chambers sponsor trade shows. If promoted right, these events will offer an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your business. The trade shows are sometimes limited to a specific type of business. An example may be an electronics show or a fashion show. Obviously, if you sell running shoes, setting up a booth among nothing but big screen TVs and laptop computers may not be place for you. On other hand if you sell insurance, this may be place for you to pitch homeowners insurance to people with a lot of high priced electronic gadgets. You have to pick and choose right place at right time.

Another function some, if not most, Chambers sponsor are seminars. Don’t miss opportunity to present yourself as an expert in your field. Explore possibility of becoming a presenter at a seminar being offered.

Don’t over look possibility of selling your goods or services directly to Chamber itself. It’s a fairly good bet that, with little exception, they are not going outside their own membership to purchase anything unless they absolutely have to. If you do get a chance to do business with them, make sure you give them best service and best prices you can. The last thing you want to do is over charge or under serve what is probably largest and most influential business organization in your area.

The list of possible exposure via your chamber is endless -- web site listings, yearly directories both on line and hard copy, referral services, business card racks, local maps and on and on. I can’t possibly cover all advantages of membership. There will be many other opportunities that your involvement will create for you. Yet, not all of benefits can be, nor should they be, measured in dollars and cents. One of greatest benefits of being a member will be in overall pride and satisfaction that you will get, knowing you are a leader working to make your community a better place to live. You can’t put a price on that.

No permission is needed to reproduce an unedited copy of this article as long About The Author tag is left in tact and included. We do request that we be informed of where it is posted and reciprocal links will be considered. Email floyd@sbmag.org.