Creating and sending postcards from your own images is by no means a unique idea. There are a lot of companies offering the service. So when we first talked to Postify, it seemed like they were doing something that has already been done and then some.
However at a closer look, it seems like they do have a hidden gem in there. Instead of focusing on the end-consumer, they want to create a new marketing channel for companies.
What this means is that companies can create sponsored post-cards that they can let their user-base send to their friends and relatives for free. Alternatively, as some charities are doing, charge the money for sending the postcards and go into a revenue-sharing agreement with Postify.
Naturally, a sponsored postcard will have the companies logo and message on the back. The message can be anything including discount codes and call to action.
Last year Postify raised a total of €155 000 from undisclosed Swedish angels in order to grow the company and build apps for websites and smartphones.
Since their launch in November, they have had 10 campaigns with different companies in Sweden, sent out over 10 000 postcards and boast a total of 3 000 users on the mobile app that was just launched a couple of weeks ago.
Of course you can also send postcards as an individual as well. For €1.69 a piece you can use the images from your computer, mobile phone, Facebook or Instagram. The postcard will be printed in the closest printing house to the delivery address. Currently this means that USA, Sweden and the UK.
In addition to the already existing funding, the company is seeking additional finances through Fundedbyme.
There have been a number of attempts to do this and some of them are still up and running, while others are no-longer functioning. So it remains to be seen if this new approach with a focus on marketing will allow Postify to become a startup success.
