How can I use direct mail postcards with QR codes to build my email list inexpensively?

You can get 1,000 postcards printed for around $400 (about 40 cents each) through print services. Add a QR code to the postcard that links to your email capture page. Then target high-end neighborhoods, new housing developments where people are decorating, or any area where your ideal collectors might live. Instead of paying for postage, find someone - perhaps a kid on rollerblades - to hand-deliver them to mailboxes for about 10 cents per house. Rollerblades make this incredibly efficient compared to walking. This approach gets your art in front of 1,000 households, will likely generate numerous email signups through the QR code, and often produces enough sales to cover the entire marketing cost plus provide a positive return on investment.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2026-05-29