PostcardPerfect.com/blog

I’ve never been a big fan of the “answer these questions in your blog and then tag others to do the same” posts. However, Naomi at IttyBiz put out a home business challenge to answer a few questions about what your business actually does. I probably would have ignored it if I wasn’t due for a post anyway. But I was, so I won’t.

Wait, talk about PostcardPerfect on the PostcardPerfect blog? That’s right. Thaaaat’s right. OK, here we go…

1) What’s your game? What do you do?
Monopoly.

I started PostcardPerfect as a way for people to send real, custom postcards without searching for a stamp. They create cards digitally, and we make them tangible by printing and mailing ‘em.

Each card has a picture on the front (usually one taken by the customer’s digital camera), and a message on the back. They are professionally printed, given a protective coating (to stand up to the USPS), and mailed out first class.

It’s simple. It’s sexy. It’s what we do.

We have self service kiosks that let users create cards on location (tourists, for example), as well as web ordering so that you can play along at home.

2) Why do you do it? Do you love it, or do you just have a knack?
I mailed my wife a short letter every day for the three months leading up to our wedding day. It was partly a countdown and partly just a way to make her smile as she stressed over all the wedding details. She still has them all. She can’t say the same thing about e-mails I sent her during that time.

My sappy attempts of romanticism aside, I mention that only to illustrate that I really believe there’s something about tangible mail that the electronic world can’t touch. It’s personal. It’s thoughtful. It’s unexpected.

That, along with the hope of a financial payoff, is why I do it.

3) Who are your customers? What kind of people need what you offer?
PostcardPerfect has three types of customers:

1) Kiosk – People that run into one of our machines. Details here.

2) Web – People that use our online service to send holiday cards, save the date cards, invitations, etc. These are customers that want to quickly send a bunch of cards (usually 5+) without writing each one out. They send us the picture, message, and addresses – and we take care of the rest. Details here.

(Update: We now offer individual cards online too. Yay! Details here.)

3) Business – Individualized postcards provide a powerful way for companies to let consumers interact tangibly with their brand. I’m looking for companies that want to try something new. This could mean hosting a kiosk and allowing customers to use it for free. It could be integrating with us online. It could mean a lot of things. Details here.

Oh, we can also do direct mail - but that’s not nearly as fun.

4) What’s your USP? Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?
There are no other losers. Really. If you want to create and mail a custom postcard on the spot (kiosks) - I’m the only loser that can help you. I told you my game was Monopoly.

The UPS (”unique selling proposition” for those not hip to the marketing lingo) varies a little depending on the type of customer.

Kiosk users get to easily share their experience in a personal way. Web customers get the convenience of communicating tangibly from their desktop. Finally, businesses get the ultimate promotional product. Since the postcards are branded AND personalized (read: not going into the trash) they become a unique mix of user generated content and direct mail.

5) What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?
World domination, one postcard at a time.

Learn more at postcarderfect.com. Questions? What to join the postcard revolution? Contact me: David (at) postcardperfect dot com.