In Which Country Was The First Postcard Issued 1869
Tracing the origins of postcards is difficult because postcards were not only invented but also evolved. Its history is definitely tied to the evolution of the postal service, but it also includes innovations in printing and photography, bold proposals… and even a 300-meter tower!
We attempt to describe the history of postcards using a chronology of events relevant back several centuries to provide context that culminated in the official issuance and recognition of postcards by postal operators on October 1, 1869.
October 1, 1869
In Austria-Hungary, Dr. Emanuel Herrmann (Professor of Economics from Vienna) wrote an article in Neue Freie Presse in which he pointed out that the time and effort required to write a letter is disproportionate to the volume of messages sent. He suggested adopting a more practical and less expensive method for shorter and more efficient communication.
His recommendation impressed the Austrian Post, which put it into practice on October 1, 1869. The result was a Correspondent card, a light brown rectangle measuring 8.5 x 12 cm with space for an address on the front and space for a text message on the back. The postcard contained stamps printed with 2 Kreuzers in the upper right corner and cost half the price of regular mail.
It is not known whether dr. Hermann was aware of Stephans’ earlier proposal for a very similar card.
Given the immense popularity of this new means of communication, Switzerland, Luxembourg, England, and several German provinces quickly followed suit, issuing postcards less than a year after they were first published.
Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Canada issued maps in 1871, and the following year Russia, Chile, France, and Algeria also added maps to their inventories. In 1873 France, Serbia, Romania, Spain, Japan, and the United States issued their own maps. In 1874, Italy, Romania, and Serbia also began self-publishing.
In which country were postcards first issued?
1. Austria 2. England 3. France 4. China
Austria – Many of us don’t think twice about sending a postcard home from vacation. But at one point it was a fairly new idea: a short message, no envelopes, and low postage. An Austrian economist, Dr. Emanuel Herrmann, was the one who claimed the first postcard was designed and approved by the Austro-Hungarian government in 1869.
A year later, production of the first regularly printed postcard began, a historic postcard associated with the Franco-Prussian War. Recognizing the value of this inexpensive publication, the British began using postcards for promotional purposes in 1872, and the first postcards of the Eiffel Tower appeared in 1889, sparking the already widespread popularity of holiday traditions
Postcards – A Brief History
postcard. If you are old, you may remember how you could go to the post office and get it for just 3 cents. They aren’t much to look at, but they are a quick and easy way to leave a message for someone without having to put the letter in an envelope.
Believe yes or not, postcards have a fairly long history in the United States. Oh, and for the record, the official name for postcard collection is deltiology. And today, collecting postcards is the third largest collecting hobby in the world. There are only stamps and coins on it.
In the US, it’s also covered with baseball cards, but that’s a purely national thing. Postcards because they have a broad appeal. You can get postcards with pictures of almost anything, with world landmarks like buildings and bridges being the most popular things you’ll find. Today, travelers from all over the world collect postcards as a memento of the places and sights visited.
For example, if someone visits New York and goes to the Empire State Building, on their way out, they can pick up a postcard of the building itself there. No need to look for one. They are easy to spot like ants on a picnic.
The first postcards were printed in 1861 during the Civil War. Printed by J.P. Carlton The copyright was eventually transferred to H.L. Lipman. They are now known as Lippmann postcards. They continued to be sold until 1873 when they were replaced by US government postcards.
Between 1870 and 1898 is referred to as the postcard pioneering period. Later postcards appeared in countries such as Hungary, Great Britain, France, and Germany. The first postcard with the image of the Eiffel Tower was printed in 1889.
The first so-called “show cards” were printed in the United States in 1873. This is a photograph of the main building at the Interstate Industrial Exhibition in Chicago. This card was not originally intended as a commemorative card, but quickly became a coveted collectible item and is now worth a lot of money. It should be noted that during this period all personally printed cards must have postage of two cents, while government cards only cost one cent.
It wasn’t until 1898 that American publishers were allowed to print so-called personal postcards. These cards are printed with one-cent stamps, such as those issued by the US government. This was approved by an act of Congress on May 19, 1898. This is the most significant event in the study of the use of personal postcards. As with previous government and pioneer cards, the writing on these cards is only for the front.
How to Make a Postcard | Marketing Made Easy
Perhaps one of the cheapest and most cost-effective methods of prospecting is by mail with a postcard. Bulk email used to be the way to go, but with spam laws, spam filters, and a spam glut, people have become very hostile toward spam. The check and delete buttons are very convenient and used without thinking.
Email lists cost the same as mailing lists (sometimes more), making them the most effective and successful way to generate new leads for your multi-level marketing business. People are more likely to look at postcards while quickly deleting emails.
There are 4 basic steps to getting people to contact you about your business opportunity.
Step 1 – Design and send a postcard that will grab the recipient’s attention
This is perhaps the most important of all the steps to successful postcard marketing. There are several things needed to make a great postcard.
Make postcards easy and quick to read. Don’t sell them all over the store with too many words. Keep what you write short, valuable, and interesting. You can provide a web address or a regular phone number if you want, but toll-free numbers are the most effective. You can buy your own 800 number online with a quick and easy search.
Choose a colorful postcard paper. 65 lb paper is recommended. Hot pink is the most popular of all the colors I have tried. I can’t tell you why, but this color reacts more than any other color, the lighter the color, the better the reaction rate.
You can print your own postcards from your own computer and printer, or you can take a copy of the postcard or diskette (3½-inch CD or diskette) to a printer or office supply store and duplicate it and cut it for you. You will receive 4 postcards per sheet.
Buying an 800 number is free for prospects and will cost you a small amount per month (maybe around $2.00 per month) and about six cents per minute for your recorded message and prospects to leave their contact information. I can recommend a good service if you contact me.
Step 2 – Purchase an email list.
Buying a mailing list is the second most important thing you can do. Browsing the web for mailing lists is fine, but you’ll soon be inundated with hundreds of companies claiming to be the best. The cost ranges from very cheap to very expensive. The services offered are as varied as advertising. Purchase 200 or more mailing addresses. Anything less than that doesn’t provide enough coverage to actually generate sufficiently attractive leads.
Buying FRESH Leads is very important. Old prospects have two different error issues. They may not be a current address and may no longer be interested in a home business. Don’t waste your time and money on prospects who aren’t interested in your product or opportunity. Each mailing list company usually has areas of interest that you can browse to find the right listing for your product or opportunity.
You can have this mailing address sent to you by email, in CD format, or as a printed label. If you order 200, I recommend taking the time and dealing with the cards by hand. People are more likely to see a card if it is written in person. First, it looks like it could come from someone they know personally. Second, it shows that you have put the time and effort into connecting with them personally. Make sure your style is legible, if you need to decipher the writing don’t take the time to read postcards.
Mailing labels are my go-to for 200+ addresses. They are fast, easy to read, and inexpensive if you treat your time and effort as a collectible commodity.
Also, use a private return label, preferably with a PO Box. It’s worth renting a box for a year or so from your local post office for your business. Using a private return address makes it more personal and validates that you are personally investing your time, money, and effort.
Many postcard organizers don’t recommend using a return address, but I did. This is a great way to check the number of undelivered postcards provided by the service provider. Too many returns tell me not to use this company anymore. Also, some mailing lists companies replace bad addresses with one to three additional addresses for each bad address you receive from them. Take advantage of this and get a free replacement.
Again, I can recommend some reputable companies if you contact me.
Step 3 – Ask potential customers to take their postcards home
If the prospect looks at the postcard and decides it’s worth taking home, you’ve made it through the front door. That in itself is a great achievement.
I can do K.I.S.S. not stressed enough. (keep it ridiculously simple). Make sure it interests them without telling them the whole story. You want them to contact you so you can build a relationship with them.
Step 4 – Connect with your prospects instantly
Your relationship with your prospect begins when you first enter their living space. (Your postcard) The reason they called you was because you showed them something they were interested in. You want what you have, be it a product or an opportunity. Start with a friendly, polite voice. Don’t be put off by the fear of the phone. Remember they called you first. They expect you to call them.
If you wait two or three weeks, they will completely forget about you and your ability to make money or buy your product. Making a good first impression is very important.
Speak confidently and feel comfortable with what you present to them. Practice what you want to say to them without sounding like a recorded message. I’ll cover the actual phone process in the next part of this series.
There are many ways to market your postcard project, but these four steps are essential to making a postcard campaign a success.
Be a student of the postcard you receive in the mail. What’s the first thing that makes you look at the map? Is there something they wrote on or on the card that interests you? If so, what is it? Is it direct and to the point, but leaves you dark enough to call and ask? If the card you receive interests you, imagine how you could design your postcard to appeal to them.
Don’t jump into a postcard campaign without first doing some basic homework carefully. Postcard marketing is a great way to reach the world at a reasonable cost.