The Remote Postcard Business Reality Check
You know what caught my attention during a recent 9x12 Method community call? Someone asked about running this postcard business from out of state, and honestly, the answer surprised me. I was expecting some complicated workaround or major disadvantage, but here's the thing - it's totally doable, and people are making it work every single day.
Let me break down what I learned from this conversation, because if you're thinking about starting a postcard business but you're not tied to one specific location (or maybe you want to target warmer markets while living somewhere cold), this could change everything for you.
The Local vs. Remote Advantage Breakdown
Here's what's interesting - being local definitely has its perks. You can walk into a shop and say "Hey, I'm a business owner right here in town, just like you." That creates instant connection. But William on the call brought up a great point about wanting to work in warmer markets, and honestly? I get it.
The reality is that plenty of businesses work with people who aren't in their immediate community. Think about it - your web designer probably isn't down the street, your accountant might be in another state, and that marketing consultant you hired could be anywhere. If you're providing real value, location becomes less important.
Lucy's Game-Changing Local Trick
Now this is where it gets good. Lucy shared something brilliant that I hadn't thought of before. She lives 18 miles from a Walmart in a town of 300 people (more cows than people, as she put it), but when she's prospecting in the tri-city area, she tells people "I'm up the road on State Road 150."
That's genius, right? State Road 150 runs through Indiana and down through Kentucky, so no matter where she is in that area, people think "Oh, she's just over on State Road 150." She becomes local without actually being local.
The Psychology of Remote Selling
What really struck me was Mitch's point about convincing yourself of the value you're providing. He said something that stuck with me: "We are providing a 5x decrease in the cost of advertising for these businesses if they join."
That's not some vague benefit - that's math. When you can cut someone's advertising costs by 80%, does it really matter if you're calling from across the state? The value is so tangible that your location becomes secondary.
The Numbers Game Mindset
William brought up something I think we all struggle with - the fear of rejection. He admitted he'd seen opportunities but was scared to approach people, and man, I felt that. But here's what helped him (and might help you): understanding that a "no" isn't personal. It's just because they don't understand the value or didn't do the math.
Alex Hormozi has this concept about doing so much work that it would be unreasonable for you to fail. Lucy mentioned this, and it really resonates. If you know you need to contact 100 businesses to close 16 spots, then you just work backwards and make sure you hit those numbers.
Practical Remote Business Strategies
The Email Automation Setup
Lucy and her husband (who apparently has a cybersecurity background) set up a four-step email campaign that's working really well. Here's what's smart about their approach: when someone responds to email two, they automatically get pulled out of the sequence so they don't get emails three and four. That means every response is warmer because they've already shown interest.
She mentioned that responding to an inbound email is much warmer than cold calling, and honestly, that makes perfect sense. If someone took the time to reply to your email, they're already halfway interested.
The Facebook Group Asset
This was another lightbulb moment for me. Lucy creates a Facebook group for every postcard area she works in. Even in her tiny town of 7,500 people, the group has hundreds of members because "everybody's looking to gossip and follow what's going on."
She uses this as additional value for her advertisers - they get shouted out in the group once a month. For an online business (someone asked about this), she mentioned she might charge $100 just to put a post in there a few times a month. That's brilliant because it doesn't cost her anything except moderation time.
The Target Market Strategy
Mitch explained something that really clarified the remote approach for me. You're actually dealing with two different targets:
- Where you're sending the cards - Higher income, single-family homes, fewer apartment buildings (because home service businesses love this demographic)
- Where you're finding advertisers - A 10-15 mile radius around that mailing area
So a landscaper 15 miles away might still want business in that high-income neighborhood. You're not limited to businesses in the exact zip code you're mailing to.
The Seasonal Opportunity
Someone asked about timing for New Year's cards, and Mitch made a great point - don't put pressure on yourself to get cards out before New Year's. People don't necessarily want to advertise right after Christmas anyway. But a card going out just after New Year's? That's perfect for gyms, any business that can tie into resolutions, really any advertiser who can put a resolution in people's minds.
Making It Work When You're Not Local
The biggest challenge with remote work is that some businesses will ask "Are you even from here?" and that might turn them off. But here's the thing - some businesses won't even ask, and others won't care if you're providing real value.
Lucy's approach of having a legitimate second business (she sells medicinal, edible, and culinary plants) gives her another reason to be prospecting in an area. She's setting up landscaping business for spring while also selling postcard spots. That double purpose makes the outreach feel more natural.
The Community Card Alternative
If you're worried about the higher price point of 9x12 cards when working remotely, community cards might be your answer. At $199 vs. $500, they're easier impulse purchases for business owners. You make less per card, but you can probably sell them faster.
Plus, the 6x11 size still gives businesses plenty of space for a simple message and good offer. As Mitch said, complexity on a small ad kills conversions anyway.
The Bottom Line on Remote Postcard Business
Here's what I took away from this whole conversation: Yes, being local helps, but it's not a dealbreaker if you're not. The value you provide is so concrete and measurable that location becomes less important.
If you're going to work remotely, focus on:
- Having a compelling reason to be in that market
- Understanding the local geography enough to sound familiar
- Leading with value, not location
- Building assets like Facebook groups that add legitimacy
- Using email sequences to warm up prospects before calling
William summed it up perfectly when he said he'd been a "tire kicker" for a year, scared to start. But sometimes you just have to pick a market - whether it's local or remote - and start making those first contacts. The math works regardless of where you're calling from.