advice Have any of you tried marketing domains via Postcard?

[WebInceptions]

I'm talking about a real, glossy, thick paper thing that you send in the mail. I'm thinking of trying this -- has anyone done it and had good (or bad) results?

Any other ideas out there?

I've decided to step up my game in the marketing arena

 

[baseballworld]

Wow very interesting. wonder how many you would have to send out.

 

[Eric Lyon]

I have done something similar and made a $35 sale. Basically, I opened up all the junk mail I had stacked up and pulled out all the free postage-paid envelopes. I then stuffed each one with a list of domains for sale and sent it back to the people that sent me the junk (At no cost to me, except the paper and ink I printed the list with).

Granted, I think I sent out over 100 free postage-paid envelopes before I got a bite, but it sure felt good to reverse their unsolicited advertisement back on them, at their own cost.

Have fun with that one if you haven't tried it yet

 

[WebInceptions]

I have done something similar and made a $35 sale. Basically, I opened up all the junk mail I had stacked up and pulled out all the free postage-paid envelopes. I then stuffed each one with a list of domains for sale and sent it back to the people that sent me the junk (At no cost to me, except the paper and ink I printed the list with).

Granted, I think I sent out over 100 free postage-paid envelopes before I got a bite, but it sure felt good to reverse their unsolicited advertisement back on them, at their own cost.

Have fun with that one if you haven't tried it yet

HAHA! I love that! Great thinking!!!

The closest thing I have to that is I get spammed with "business startup seminars" that do 1 day conferences at large local hotels. I was thinking of putting flyers on all of the cars there that day. I'm trying to find out if that's legal or night. It could also be a trespassing issue.

 

[Eric Lyon]

HAHA! I love that! Great thinking!!!

The closest thing I have to that is I get spammed with "business startup seminars" that do 1 day conferences at large local hotels. I was thinking of putting flyers on all of the cars there that day. I'm trying to find out if that's legal or night. It could also be a trespassing issue.

I tried the flyer idea and ran into local littering laws. Mainly because a large number of people just pull them off the windshield and throw them on the ground. It's kind of hard to defend yourself when there are a ton of flyers with your contact details pointing at you as the litter bug. :P

Additionally, some municipalities consider that as unsolicited/unlawful advertising. Even in areas where they are fine with it, you still have to worry about the business, shopping center, etc. reporting you for littering, which in most places is a $100 to $500 fine for each piece of paper. OUCH!

Thankfully, I only got fined once for the batch instead of for each piece.

 

[WebInceptions]

Ah. I suspect the law might be tough on that around here too, I suddenly stopped seeing car windshield flyers around here about 10 years ago.

OK... how about a hire a stripper in a revealing outfit to hand out flyers at the exit when the conference is ending? We actually had a local dentist hire a bunch of strippers to work the beach/boardwalk/bar area for a weekend once, it was hilarious and seemed to get a lot of interest. They were all very attractive and flirtatious, and instead of the old 'buy me a drink' or lapdance routine, it was 'I'm here with my friends from the dental office. You should come in this month and show them my card, and they'll give you a discount'. I'm pretty sure they all got commissions.

 

[fatter]

I put my domain names on the back of my truck, the letters you stick on your mailbox. Increased traffic but got to many emails requesting help in the area my domains covered.
Another reason I stopped is parking companies frown on advertising domain names to get traffic.
They wanted natural traffic only, maybe that has changed. Of coarse if it is justed listed for sale they don't have an issue
Joe t

 

[WebInceptions]

That reminds me of a situation years ago when I owned adopt.info and used to have my phone# on the parking page. Someone called and left a voicemail essentially placing an order for a baby in a manner like they were ordering a pizza. I thought it had to be a joke from a friend, and called them back. Nope, they were dead serious. I removed my phone number that day.

 

[baseballworld]

I put my domain names on the back of my truck, the letters you stick on your mailbox. Increased traffic but got to many emails requesting help in the area my domains covered.
Another reason I stopped is parking companies frown on advertising domain names to get traffic.
They wanted natural traffic only, maybe that has changed. Of coarse if it is justed listed for sale they don't have an issue
Joe t

And how did they track that method?

 

[Domaniak]

I have done something similar and made a $35 sale. Basically, I opened up all the junk mail I had stacked up and pulled out all the free postage-paid envelopes. I then stuffed each one with a list of domains for sale and sent it back to the people that sent me the junk (At no cost to me, except the paper and ink I printed the list with).

Granted, I think I sent out over 100 free postage-paid envelopes before I got a bite, but it sure felt good to reverse their unsolicited advertisement back on them, at their own cost.

Have fun with that one if you haven't tried it yet

As satisfying as that may have been, the marketing result - not so much, I think. Not surprisingly. Such incoming mail goes to very low level labor, tasked with processing respective return slips. Anything else found in the envelopes - into the trash bin it went, without a second glance, I suspect.

In reply to OP: I think you're on the right track. I have not tried this yet, but getting ready to market my brandables by snail mail. No postcards, however. Attention to detail and professionally worded business letters. Sent from a COMPANY, not an individual. In quality envelopes, addressed by name and title to top management, no less. Given the $XXX-XXXX price range of the assets for sale, mailing cost is a no-brainer. I'm old date: you gotta shell out a little money, to make more money! Processing, using a mail-merge app, not much more effort than sending out spam... er, emails
Actually, factoring in email bounce and other issues, this may well turn out to be less hassle.

Thought of faxing the letters, too, but still on the fence about that idea for a number of reasons...

 

[WebInceptions]

As satisfying as that may have been, the marketing result - not so much, I think. Not surprisingly. Such incoming mail goes to very low level labor, tasked with processing respective return slips. Anything else found in the envelopes - into the trash bin it went, without a second glance, I suspect.

In reply to OP: I think you're on the right track. I have not tried this yet, but getting ready to market my brandables by snail mail. No postcards, however. Professionally worded business letters in quality envelopes, addressed by name to top management, no less. Given the $XXX-XXXX price range of the assets for sale, mailing cost is a no-brainer. I'm old date: you gotta shell out a little money, to make more money! Processing, using a mail-merge app, not much more effort than sending out spam... er, emails
Actually, factoring in email bounce issues, this may well turn out to be less hassle.

Thought of faxing the letters, too, but still on the fence about that idea for a number of reasons...

I've thought about doing letters too, for my xx,xxx priced domains. I seem to remember that spam-faxing is illegal too, depending on your area.

 

[fatter]

And how did they track that method?

They never did, but almost all the traffic was within NY, so I didn't want to risk being banned, I also posted just the name/names in grocery store bulliten boards

Like I mentioned above I would get questions on diabetes , childsupport etc depending on the domain wanting help, I would try and explain I am just selling the domain but I am not sure they got it

 

[baseballworld]

Clever to say the least. Sounds like a perfect method for developed site with affiliate ads or ecommerce on it.

 

[fatter]

Clever to say the least. Sounds like a perfect method for developed site with affiliate ads or ecommerce on it.

I used to drive the NYS thruway everyday so there was a lot of exposure,.Till one day my sugar went low and I crashed into a telephone pole, needles to say I don't do deliveries any more

 

[dtagr]

I tried postcards to 3 cities in Ohio for an audiology related domain. Crickets.

What I'm trying now is decals on my vehicle as an experiment. I have 9 names in various colours and fonts on my white Genesis Coupe. Traffic has increased, but no offers.

 

[namerav]

No but sound cool to do it

 

[Kuffy]

I've got the names of a couple of Hampshire villages. I was thinking of advertising them by putting a postcard on the sales board of the local newsagent. I'm also tempted to put some low value names on the sales board in some supermarkets.

 

[John0]

As satisfying as that may have been, the marketing result - not so much, I think. Not surprisingly. Such incoming mail goes to very low level labor, tasked with processing respective return slips. Anything else found in the envelopes - into the trash bin it went, without a second glance, I suspect.

In reply to OP: I think you're on the right track. I have not tried this yet, but getting ready to market my brandables by snail mail. No postcards, however. Attention to detail and professionally worded business letters. Sent from a COMPANY, not an individual. In quality envelopes, addressed by name and title to top management, no less. Given the $XXX-XXXX price range of the assets for sale, mailing cost is a no-brainer. I'm old date: you gotta shell out a little money, to make more money! Processing, using a mail-merge app, not much more effort than sending out spam... er, emails
Actually, factoring in email bounce and other issues, this may well turn out to be less hassle.

Thought of faxing the letters, too, but still on the fence about that idea for a number of reasons...

If you are charging xxxxx for a domain then you are going to find it hard to get talking to the person you need to, as you have to pass various gatekeepers.

You're on the right track there, I'm just going to add...

if you handwrite the address, you may even get better results.
Gatekeepers, secretaries, personal assistants, they are the ones that open the letters to the people you will be sending to. It doesnt matter that it is not addressed to them.... So physiologically speaking people nowadays are programmed to look at letters that have been mail merged and think uhh just another letter.

But a handwritten letter with good lettering in an expensive envelope is a personal touch. Even spray a nice summery fragrance on the letter not too strong, will make an impression. and that counts.
Because after that letter you are going to send them another one, with some kind of free thoughtful gift in relation to their business. with your business details on it of course!!
Its better to spend xxx to make xxxxx than spend 0 and make xxxx.