The correct use of images in your marketing is just as important as the text – sometimes even more important.

You’ll find that strong visuals have a powerful impact on drawing people into taking action. 

So how do you know if you’re choosing the right image?  There are four main things to think about when choosing an image for a postcard marketing campaign:

1. Match your image to your target market.
2. Your images should support an effective call-to-action.
3. Tailor your images to drive conversation.
4. Test the effectiveness of your images.

All four of these tasks are related. Let’s go ahead and jump into the first topic.

1.) Match Your Image to Your Market

Relevance generates response.  Meaning, the more your target customer can relate to the image on the postcard, the higher the attraction will be.  If you sell motorcycle parts for touring bikes, perhaps an image of a baby boomer with a satisfied look on their face as they ride the open road.  Make sure your customer “sees” themselves using your product or service.

2.) Images Should Support an Effective Call-to-Action.

What your postcard readers see can elicit a response which determines what they’ll do next, whether it’s going forward with a call-to-action or throwing your postcard in the trash bin.

Your image needs to create or stir some emotion in the person it is being seen by. People are usually enticed to purchase things based on an emotional response, not reason.

Think about it; if you got a postcard in the mail today asking you to donate to an animal abuse charity, and on that postcard it had a picture of a happy dog jumping in the air and catching a ball, what emotional response might you have? At best, feelings are mixed – your image is not supporting the action you want the reader to take. Now, if you got a postcard with a sad looking dog tied to a chain you’re going to have a different response from the postcard outlined seen above. This visual will pull you in more because the visual is more dramatic and fits with the overall message.

3.) Tailor Your Images to Drive Conversation.

A good rule of thumb is to look for images that will get people talking. Not only do these images tend to be the best options for creating an emotional response, they can often help cement your message in the reader’s mind as they ponder it internally or discuss it with others. A great marketing campaign can elicit such a wide conversation that people are talking about your company and its marketing to their friends, family and online, quadrupling the reach of your postcard marketing. Use images that will be a conversation starter and you can’t lose.

4.) Test the Effectiveness of Your Images.

You will want to see if your images are getting the response you would like. You may want to divide your tests into groups so you can have more control over it as a whole. Run a couple of small split campaigns and see how they do in each area. Each time, modify and perfect your marketing message.

Follow these four tips when you’re choosing images and you’ll see a marked increase in your postcard marketing results. 

Need help?  www.prospectsplus.com offers multiple design options.  Design your own, customize “Done-for-you” templates or have a custom postcard created specifically for your business.  Call, click or chat today to speak with one of our target marketing experts.