How to mail a postcard

The first step in mailing a postcard is deciding what the purpose will be. Examples are: 

• an event announcement such a s a "save the date" for a future formal invitation
• service reminders  (veterinarians, doctors, dentists, and auto service providers)
• informational to build awareness of a business, product, or service
• promotional to offer a sale or coupon

The second step in mailing a postcard is establishing a budget.  Budgetary factors include:

• how many people will the postcard be sent to -- mailing lists can be customer lists, target marketing based on demographics and area, or using a new service from the USPS called "Every Door Direct Mail".   A few cautions are needed:   if a customer list will be used, it is important that those customers who wanted to opt out are removed from the mail list;  mailing lists degrade 1.5-2% per month, so it important to regularly cleanse a list or start fresh. 
• how many times will the mailing be made (often times referred to as a "campaign").  According to market studies, the response rate increases as the number of mailings increases.  General rule of thumb is that the best response rate occurs after a customer receives 6 mailings, with each mailing sent 2-4 weeks apart
• postcard size (see third step below)
• printing specifications (paper type; ink colors --black, 1 or 2 colors, full color,  UV coating on one or both sides)
• Postage. If time is of the essence, standard mail rates will mean the postcard must move within 1 day.  If a little more time can be allowed, cleansed mailing lists with postal tracking codes can help to keep costs down.

The third step in mailing  a postcard is determining the content and graphics to be included.  Here are some considerations:

• postal regulations and amount of content will influence the post card size
• addition of specialized QR codes and coupons may mean using a larger size.  QR Codes and Coupons are great ways to increase response rate. See future blogs about QR Codes.
• addition of tracking can also help to measure return on investment. 
• variable graphics and text tailored to a specific customer can greatly increase response rate.

Your local print shop in house graphic design team can help guide you through the process and make recommendations to maximize response rate and maximize return on investment. 

Call or stop by our Austin, Texas Print shop for a free consultation.  Or, for more info, see my prior posts for postcard how to's.