Marketing Postcards are one of those promotional tools that often get overlooked by both companies and recipients. For companies, postcard mailers and direct mail marketing can be one of the most cost-effective and simple ways to reel in new clients. However, even though it’s easy to create and send out postcard mailers, it’s even easier for people to toss them in the trash. Your postcard design should stand out and have a clear purpose if you want to generate traffic and sales. Whether you’re an ambitious real estate agent, a hustling small business owner, or a local restaurant owner, designing templates for a postcard marketing campaign can generate traffic and sales.
Here are 10 tips to improve your postcard designs.
1. Showcase Your Brand (Include Your Company Name and Logo)
Postcard mailers are a fantastic way to introduce yourself to people that may have never heard of your company before. Make sure to include your company name, brand logo, and slogan on your postcard. Brand awareness is key when trying to reach out to potential customers. Your postcard layout should make these eye-catching elements the main focus.
2. Choose Color Combinations Wisely
A seamless color scheme can make all the difference when someone receives a postcard in the mail. When designing your postcard, we recommend you choose a color combination that a) doesn’t clash with your company logo or pre-existing color palette, b) elevates the meaning behind your message, and c) has no more than 4 different shades/colors. Having too many colors and design elements puts your card at risk of looking too busy and ultimately getting tossed in the trash without a second glance.
3. Crisp Images are a Must
Custom postcards are an easy way to showcase your marketing images. Adding photos related to your company, such as product images and examples of services, helps promote your business. Any photos you include on your postcards must be high in resolution (300 dpi for printing). If you don’t have your own photos to add, you can easily purchase affordable, high-quality stock photos on platforms such as Getty Images or iStock. Real estate postcards, for example, often incorporate high-quality images of homes for sale, interior design, and even professional realtor headshots. Restaurant postcards will share appetizing photos of meals and menu specials.
Your 4×6 postcards should have attention-grabbing art. Other than a photo, some people opt for an illustration or graphic design. Those should also be clear and distinct; you don’t want any pixelated or blurry graphics.
4. Produce Short Yet Meaningful Copy
What message do you plan on sharing? Copy is one of the most important parts of a marketing postcard, since you want potential clients and customers to respond to your mail. Brainstorm your goals for the postcard, like brand awareness or gaining new customers, before working with a professional copywriter to bring your ideas to life. Copywriters produce concise, short-form writing that says all you need to say without saying much. If you need help, here are a couple of ideas to consider:
- Ask a question that generates a yes or no response from the reader.
- Come up with a tagline that gives the essence of what your company can do for its clients.
- Share brief points about the benefits of choosing your services.
- Add a relevant testimonial or review.
5. Include an Incentive or Offer
People will hold onto a marketing postcard that offers some sort of sale, coupon, or deal. Business postcards are a simple and effective way to get the word out about an upcoming promotion. Make sure the offer matches your imagery—retail postcards promoting a big clothing sale should highlight some of the popular discounted products, and food delivery postcards should show off the menu combos eligible for delivery. Adding a coupon code or special offer is a great way to encourage a higher ROI. This way, you can better track how well your marketing campaign performs. Some small businesses use postcards as packaging inserts to thank customers and offer a discount on their next purchase.
6. Distinguish a Clear Call to Action
You don’t want people to just look at your postcard; you want them to do something once they’ve seen it. A call to action is how you direct their attention to your company. Simple phrases like “Call Today,” “Order Now,” or “Sign Up Today” encourage the recipient to do something. Make sure you’ve included the relevant contact information, like a website, phone number, or email, for people to follow through on your directive.
7. Leave Enough Room for Postage
USPS has specific guidelines when it comes to designing your mailers, so we can’t stress the importance of this enough – make sure to look over the guidelines and let your designer know that they’ll need to account for this when creating your marketing postcard. With the standard postcard size, which is 4” x 6”, you’ll want to ensure you’re using the available space effectively.
Part of EDDM, or Every Door Direct Mail, marketing is making sure your mail fits all the requirements. Learn more about EDDM and GotPrint’s Mailing Services.
8. Review and Re-review Your File
This step is crucial in designing a marketing postcard. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve come across prints that had avoidable typos and design flaws. Frankly, a minor mistake sets the tone of your company and its level of professionalism, and you don’t want to jeopardize your business over a quick fix in your design process. We recommend that you get a few pairs of eyes that have not already worked on the design process to proof your files—ideally, at least one person who is proficient in copywriting, and another who’s a designer.
9. Choose the Right Paper Stock
Different postcard needs require different paper types. If all your messages are typed and printed, you can go with coated paper, like 14 pt. gloss. We recommend a glossy postcard finish when your design has photos and bright colors, as the gloss coating makes the shades pop. If you want to handwrite messages, we suggest uncoated paper with a writable surface. Postcard printing with high-quality paper also speaks volumes about your company, as it shows that you invest in premium materials. No matter what, you want to print custom postcards on a paper stock that best showcases the content.
10. Add a Custom QR Code
Though it’s not a make-or-break factor for your marketing postcards, adding a QR code to your postcard helps customers interact with your resources – i.e. a website, online storefront, a PDF link, your social media accounts, and much more. If you decide to design your postcards on our website, our online designer has a built-in QR code generator you can use! If you’re designing your mailers on another platform, there are plenty of QR code generators all over the web, and they’re all easy to use.
If you’re still struggling with your postcard design, browse our free templates to find a pre-made postcard template that is fully customizable. You can also reach out to GotPrint’s professional design team, and they will create a unique composition for you.
Before ordering your customized postcards, check out our Free Sample Kit to compare paper stocks and find the right postcard thickness for your needs. You can also view our custom business cards, brochures, flyers, and other marketing must-haves.