Margie Dana

A few weeks ago I wrote a Print Tip about a postcard that got it all wrong – too many messages + a cluttered design = failed attempt at impressing me. I tossed it.

Last week I got another postcard altogether. It, too, is a jumbo (6 x 9). This time, whoever was behind it got it right. I’m sharing photos (front and back) to show you why I’m singling it out. It’s from AMSP (Association of Marketing Service Providers), who sent out this card to promote their annual conference in June, in San Diego.

The key message is simple and direct (TWO THUMBS UP, GUYS!). The copy on side one is short and intriguing: “What’s Next? Find out June 25 – 28, 2013. At the bottom is the event info (name, dates, venue, city and state) and the marketer’s logo.

One thing in particular works really well on this side of the postcard: the main type is reversed out of the full-color photo. Really attention-grabbing.

The flip side (address side) also keeps it clean and simple – with jumbo type that’s laid out in an atypical, quirky manner: the type is flush against the top and left edge of the card. Intentional or not, it works. I noticed.

The colors are pleasing and fresh (navy blue and an aqua blue, with bold black text for the “Be Ready for What’s Next” line on this side of the card.

And there, nestled below this copy is a 1” square QR code with these red instructions: Scan for a chance to win a free registration!

So I did! I wanted to test this code and see what it offered. It brings you to a page asking for basic contact information. Short, sweet and simple. I filled it in and am crossing my fingers I win the free registration. (I was in San Diego once, speaking to an audience of print customers. What a gorgeous place!)

This postcard is a terrific example of how to do it right: a handsome direct mail campaign designed to do one thing: get me to scan the QR code to win a ticket to an annual conference. Had it been a mess of a postcard, or had the QR code not been designed well, I wouldn’t have bothered.

Congrats, AMSP! Hope this postcard is a huge success for you. Their website, BTW, is http://amsp.org.