Inventory Postcards Tab

Navigation: From the Main Menu select Inventory Entry, then select a labor or comment Item and click the Notes/Postcards Tab.

For labor items and comments, on the Postcards tab of the Inventory Entry window you can specify a postcard to be sent automatically to the customers whenever this item appears on an invoice. For example, if you set up a postcard on your alignment item, and set it for 6 months, a postcard will be sent to every customer 6 months after they get an alignment done.

What You Will Need to Print Postcards

At your local office supply store, buy Avery #8387 blank postcards, or something comparable. These are simply 8 ½” x 11” cardstock, with perforations to tear the sheet into four postcards. Then select Postcards in the Customer Report menu. That’s it! When you close the report window, you will be asked if they printed correctly. If they did, press the button to delete the postcards so they don’t get reprinted next time. Postcards are typically printed monthly. You will be pleased at the extra revenue they generate!

Setting up Postcards

• Select a labor or comment item, and select the Notes / Postcards Tab.
• Enter the message to appear on the postcard. If you want to use special colors and fonts, click the Use Special Editor button to bring up an editor very similar to WordPad. To change the color or font of your text, simply swipe across it. Then use the drop-down menus to change the font name and size, and use the other icons to change the color and properties of the text. When you are done with your changes, close the editor window, and answer yes to keep your changes.
• Click the Change Graphic on Postcard button and select one of the several pictures to be printed on your postcard.
• At the bottom of the window, select the number of months to wait before sending this postcard. It must be more than 0, unless this is the New Customer postcard or the Customer Reminder postcard (see below.)
• Press the Save Changes button at the top of the window to save the postcard.

After the postcard has been setup, whenever this item appears on the invoice of a customer, a postcard will be generated to be printed after the specified number of months have gone by. However, the customer will not get a postcard if:

• The customer has no mailing address.
• The customers Mail Postcards checkbox is not checked. This is found in the Sales Tab of the Customer Entry window.
• The number of months on the postcard is zero. The number must at least be one.
  

Reminder Postcards

You can set up a Reminder postcard, so you can go to a specific Customer and send them a custom reminder message. The postcard just needs to be set up once, and when it is used it can be quickly customized to your needs.

• Create a comment item with a catalog number of REMINDER, or something similar.
• Set up the postcard as above, with the words SPECIAL REMINDER! in the text, and a generic picture.
• You may leave the number of months at zero, because it will be ignored.
• Save the postcard.
• In the System Settings window of the Setup Entry menu, select the Marketing / Statuses Tab.
• Click the … button on the line titled Reminder Postcard, and select the comment item you just created.
• Save your changes.
  

Now, say you want to remind a Customer to get his transmission checked in 10 weeks. Using the Reminder postcard feature, this can be set up in one of two ways:

• In the Customer Entry window select the Customer and click the Reminder Postcard button.
• While finalizing an invoice, click the Send Postcard button in the Payment window.
  

In either case, you can change the text or picture as desired, and set a date. After the specified date, the Customer will receive the Special Reminder

New Customer Postcards

If you would like to setup a New Customer postcard, all new customers will automatically receive a postcard after their first visit. Follow these steps:

• Create a comment item with a catalog number of NewCustomer, or something similar.
• Set up postcards as above, with a thank you note or a discount coupon, whatever you would like to communicate to your new customer.
• You may leave the number of months at Zero, because it will be ignored.
• Save the postcard
• In the System Settings window of the Setup Entry menu, select the Marketing / Statuses Tab.
• Click the … button on the line titled New Cust Postcard, and select the comment item you just created.
• Save your changes.
  

Now every new customer will receive a postcard with your message.