The Flexibility Offered by 5 x 7 Postcard Printing

No print marketing campaign will be complete without the inclusion of postcards. If business cards are there to serve as the main source of your contact information, postcard printing can be used as a selling tool. With 5 x 7 postcard printing, for example, you can entice new customers to try out your products or services. Or, you can tempt existing customers to place repeat orders by including discount coupons or other promotional codes on the card. 

Including the Right Amount of Information on 5 x 7 Postcards

Now, how can you include the right amount of information if you want to use 5 x 7 postcards specifically? First, let us take a look at the other postcard sizes available: 

  • 2.5” x 2.5”
  • 3” x 4”, or 3.5” x 4.5”
  • 4” x 6”, 4” x 9”, 4.25” x 11”, 4.25” x 2.75”, 4.25” x 5.5”, 4.25” x 6”, or 4.5” x 12”
  • 5” x 7” or 5.5” x 8.5”
  • 6” x 11”, 6” x 6”, 6” x 9”, 6.5’ x 12”, or 6.5” x 9” 
  • 8” x 10”, 8.5” x 11”, 8.5” x 4”, or 8.5” x 6”
  • 9” x 12”

Some of these postcard sizes are eligible for EDDM or Every Door Direct Marketing. Here, the print shop works with the USPS to mail out your postcards to every door in a specific address. You can choose to mail based on zip code, individual routing carrier, age bracket, income bracket, or any other demographic. 

With all the sizes available, why should you go with 5” x 7” postcard printing? Unlike the smallest or the biggest postcard sizes, a 5” x 7” postcard gives you just the right amount of area to print your copy in. When designing mid-sized postcards, ask yourself what your goal is in the first place? Do you want people to flock to the opening of your restaurant? If yes, you may want to include a map with a pinned location on the postcard – as well as a discount code. Or maybe you want people to buy the items on your online shop? For this, a QR code works great. 

Considering the size of the postcard, make sure to only include important information and do not crowd the space with too much text. Balance this with sharp images to really attract the attention of the reader. 

As you can see, 5” x 7”postcards offer great flexibility, so consider this if you can’t decide between the many postcard sizes available.

Download, Design, and Print Postcards through Online Printing Companies

If you are looking for a postcard printing company, you can either go with a traditional printing company or one with a purely online operations. These businesses will offer either offset or digital printing. Offset printing uses state-of-the-art printers with the latest in color match technology. Their services might be a bit more expensive than digital printing, but the quality is far superior.

Aside from the printing option, you also need to consider the ordering method that the company has. Can you place an order fully online? Or do you need to go to an office before receiving a set of 1,000 postcards, for example? For convenience, you may want to go with a printing company that has a fully online process for postcard printing.

Here is how the process goes:

  • First, download the guided design templates.

If you want to make it easier to print postcards, you can simply use the guided design templates offered by the printing company. The high-resolution templates can be used with any professional design software. Make sure that you already have an idea of how the postcards should look so that the design can be easily applied on the template.

  • Second, select all the ordering options that apply.

For postcards, you have to choose the size, quantity, paper type, paper finish, and printing speed. If you want your files to be checked by a professional, you just need to add a fixing fee to the order,

  • Third, finish placing your order and wait for delivery – either to your doorstep or to the addresses of your customers!

After uploading your files, you simply need to wait for the postcards to be delivered. If you are distributing it yourself, have the package delivered to your own address. You can also have the printing company directly mail out the postcards or use the Every Door Direct Mail service with the USPS so that you can mail to a specific zip code or demographic.

As you can see, the process of ordering postcards online is quick and hassle-free so get started on designing and printing them for your business.

Postcard Printing in Full Color

One of the cheapest yet most effective forms of print advertising is postcard printing. Similar to flyers, brochures, business cards, banners, letterheads, and rack cards, postcards are printed materials that leave a lasting impression to customers. Unlike digital ads which can only be seen onscreen, postcards can be held and felt, making the experience more memorable. This not only leaves a great first impression to customers, but it also boosts brand recall and the material can be kept for future reference.

You can distribute postcards to potential and existing customers by physically handing them out to people or by mailing them. Put together your own mailing list or take advantage of the Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) service offered by some printing companies. For the latter, the printing company will work with the USPS so that you can send out mailers to every door within a specific zip code. Or, you can narrow down the addresses based on demographic, age group, or household size.

Now, when it comes to the process of postcard printing, you want to make sure that customers will be impressed once they receive the actual card. This is where full color printing comes in. There are companies that promise to print postcards using the best in color match technology. Check the reviews or ask for sample prints so that you can see for yourself how the postcards will look. Pay close attention to details such as the resolution, the brightness of the print, and the contrast and vividness of colors. The material used is also important. Check on the thickness and paper stock, as well as the finish of the print.

By keeping a close eye on the tiniest details of postcard printing, you can make sure that your customers will receive only the best quality cards possible.

All About Designing, Postcard Printing and Distribution

If you want to include postcard printing as part of a full-blast print marketing campaign, then you must be familiar with the steps involved. First, design the postcard itself. Second, look for a postcard printing company that will print the cards for you. Third, decide how you will distribute the cards.

Let’s take a closer look at these steps.

  • Designing the postcards

Why go for postcard marketing in the first place? It’s a tangible form of advertising that can effectively deliver your marketing message. No matter what your business is, you can use postcards to let people know about your business name, address, the products or services that you offer, etc. When designing the postcard, consider the size of the card. The copy should be short because limited space is available. The information should be accurate and up-to-date.

More importantly, there should be a call to action. Indicate whether you want customers to call you for more information, if you want them to visit your store to check out your wares, or visit your website to know what your business is all about. Also consider the demographic of your target audience when designing the card so that the look and feel would appeal to them.

  • Printing the postcards

Next, look for a company to print postcards for you. Offset and digital printing are your two options. The former has better quality than digital, although it may be a bit more expensive. When looking for a printing company, make sure that the quality of print is excellent, as well as the material used. The ink should be long lasting and there should be several options for print finish.

  • Distributing the postcards

Lastly, decide how you will distribute the postcards. Some printing companies offer direct mail and Every Door Direct Mail distribution services. With direct mail services, they can mail out the postcards for you if you already have a mailing list. If you don’t, the better option is EDDM because you don’t have to put together a mailing list. Simply choose which zip code, demographic, or other mailing category to send the postcards to. The printing company will work with the USPS in mailing out the postcards to the address category of your choice.

By familiarizing yourself with these steps, you can take full advantage of the marketing benefits of postcards mailers.

Effective Messaging Tips for Postcard Printing

If you are creating online ads or copy for postcard printing, your goal is to effectively deliver your marketing message. Let’s say that you are promoting the soft opening of a local diner. Everyone living within the vicinity of your food establishment is a possible customer, so how do you “talk” to them? You can try ordering postcards online then mailing them out to households within a five-mile radius of your location. You can distribute the postcards to people in areas where there is high foot traffic. These mailers or printed advertising materials can also be displayed in your storefront on opening day.

Short but Sweet or The Longer, The Better?

You already know how the postcards can be distributed – but how about taking a step back and determining exactly what you will write on the postcard? Is the rule to follow ‘Short but sweet’ – or ‘The longer, the better’? First, consider the size of the postcard that you will use. For printing companies, the most popular sizes are 3” x 4”, 4” x 6”, 5” x 7”, and 6” x 9”.

If you will write one or two paragraphs on a 4” x 6” postcard, imagine how crowded the letters would be. You would have to use a very small font which is difficult to read. If you will reduce two paragraphs to just one, the letters might look bigger but if there is no white space, the overall design would still look too packed on the card.

For postcard printing, the better rule to follow is to keep it short. If you want people to go to the soft opening of your diner, include only the relevant information. When and what time is it, where is the diner, and what kind of food should they expect? You might want to include a message that if they bring the postcard, they’re entitled to drink upgrades, a free dessert, or 5% off their total bill. Print advertising is all about clarity and by keeping the copy concise, you can effectively deliver your marketing message.

Postcard Printing: Going Back to Basics

Mobile, in-game, in-app, social media, and search engine are some of the online ad options available right now. Depending on your products or services, most of these may be effective, but what about old school print ads like postcard printing? Online advertising may be the obvious choice especially for new businesses, but there’s just something about holding a tangible item in your hands that makes printed advertising materials still effective.

Whether you’re offering a unique service or a retail product, here’s how you can go back to basics with the help of postcard ads:

  • Use the limited space in the postcard to get your message across.

What is the main goal of advertising in the first place? To let your target audience know that your brand exists. How do you get this message across? With postcards, you have very limited space. A 4” x 6” card, for example, only has space to include your business name and contact information – then maybe a tagline or two. Use the available space wisely – and make sure to include a call to action.

  • Design the card in such a way that it appeals to your target audience.

When you are advertising using printed material, pay close attention to detail. Design the postcard in such a way that the color, font, and any image that you will include pops and appeals to your target audience.

  • Look for the right postcard printing company.

Finally, work with a printing company that has ample experience in printing postcards. Choose from offset or digital printing. Consider the costs, but do not compromise on quality.

When you print postcards and use it as part of your print advertising campaign, you may be going back to basics. However, the appeal of printed materials will improve name recall, giving your target market a chance to remember your brand, allowing your business to grow.

Which Businesses Can Benefit from EDDM Postcard Printing?

If you’re a business owner, you are missing out on a lot of marketing benefits if you have not tried EDDM postcard printing yet. With Every Door Direct Mail, a printing company that works with the United States Postal Service can print flyers, brochures, and EDDM postcards for you. You don’t even have to put together your own mailing list. Simply choose a zip code, demographic, income bracket, age bracket, or any other classification that fits your marketing needs – then the postcard printing company will handle the rest of the work for you. Aside from being hassle-free, this type of marketing is cheap and effective.

Types of Businesses Suited for EDDM Marketing

Now, which types of businesses can benefit from mailing out EDDM cards? Here’s a quick list:

  • Restaurants

Everyone living within a five-mile radius of your restaurant, bakeshop, coffeeshop, diner, or food truck is a possible customer. If you’re in the food business, sending out EDDM cards to every door near your place of operations is the simplest way of attracting customers. They would know that your business exists, where you are located, what type of food you offer, your operating hours, and prices.

  • Real Estate Firms

Instead of sending out EDDM cards to every door within the five-mile radius of your real estate firm, you might want to narrow down your target market by demographic. Those on the higher income bracket might find themselves in need of a house to buy or rent, so send your postcard printing marketing message directly to them.

  • Medical Service Providers

Every household will find the need for medical services at one point or another, so you can use the door-to-door marketing approach for this.

Aside from these three, those who are operating local businesses can benefit from direct mail marketing.  If you own a barbershop, dry cleaning, retail store, home cleaning services, auto dealership, plumbing services – direct mail print advertising is a must-try.

Top Three Reasons to Market via EDDM Postcard Printing

When it comes to marketing, you might think that digital is the way to go. Although gains may be earned by this type of advertising, there is still something about old fashioned printed advertising materials such as EDDM postcard printing that appeal to most target markets. Since it’s tangible, people can hold actual cards, postcards, flyers or brochures instead of just looking at a layout on screen. Information is better retained when it is printed on paper, and it makes for a longer-lasting impression.

Why Use Direct Mail Marketing?

With options like an Every Door Direct Mail or EDDM campaign, you can send a postcard, for example, to every address within a five-mile radius of your business location. If you’re a restaurant owner, postcard printing enables you to send one card to every address near your food establishment. This is a great way to attract customers. Not convinced yet? Here are the top three reasons why you should go for direct mail marketing:

  • It’s cheap and hassle-free.

At less than a dollar per piece, you can order a couple of thousand cards that you can mail out to every address within a zip code. If your target market is a bit more targeted, you can choose a demographic based on age, income bracket, or household size. Postcard printing as a form of print advertising is not just cheap, but it’s also hassle-free. Since the printing company will work with the United States Postal Service, there is no need for you to go through the tedious process of putting together a mailing list of prospective customers.

  • It’s effortless.

Aside from having a ready-made mailing list, you also don’t have to go through the USPS-required paperwork – the printing company takes care of that for you. There’s also no need to do a literal heavy lifting. Once you’re done choosing the design, paper size and thickness, and the route, the printing company will take care of the rest of the process.

  • It delivers results.

Sending out physical postcards and other printed materials enhances name recall. Since it’s cheap, you do not have to wait for a long time before getting your return of investment. As long as your postcards are well-designed with a perfectly placed call of action, it will deliver results. Whatever your marketing goals are, you can rely on EDDM cards and direct mailing in general to effectively send out your marketing message to your target audience.

EDDM Postcard Printing & Marketing Made Simple

If you are a business owner, you might find the idea of launching a full blast print marketing campaign that includes postcard printing  intimidating. Some might feel that digital is the only way to go. In the same vein, others may find printed marketing materials to be ineffective. There are also those who are simply not familiar with the options available for print marketing, so they’d rather not deal with it at all. But what if there is a way to make the entire process simple? The best thing to try is EDDM postcard printing. EDDM stands for Every Door Direct Mail and it is a practically hands-free way to get the message out to your customers using printed marketing materials. The process is made hassle-free because the United States Postal Service (USPS) is involved.

Here’s a brief overview of the process involved in marketing through EDDM postcards:

  • You look for a company offering EEDM services.

There are printing companies that work with the USPS and offer EDDM as a service. The company does the “dirty work” for you – starting from bundle wrapping your EDDM postcards in stacks to making sure that the requirements of the USPS are followed to the letter.

  • You choose from the available templates and finalize the design.

The good thing about working with a printing company that offers EDDM services is that they have ready-made templates that you can choose from. Based on your marketing message, you can select a template with a design that fits what the USPS requires – from the size of the card to the thickness of the paper.

  • You choose which zip code or demographic to send your EDDM cards to.

Another advantage of EDDM marketing is that you don’t have to put together your own mailing list. You can choose a zip code, a demographic, an age or income bracket, etc. The final task of the printing company is to take care of the USPS paperwork, then they will mail out your marketing materials for you!

The only thing left for you to do is wait for feedback from your customers. With this simplified EDDM postcard printing process, you can effectively send your marketing message to your targeted demographic.

Everything Your Need to Know about Postcard Printing

If you think that postcard printing is only useful for sending out souvenirs to people from the places you visit, think again. These cards are a very handy marketing tool that can help introduce a brand to prospective customers, reach out to existing buyers, and personalize one’s connection to a business. Fortunately, there are many companies offering online printing and they can print out not just postcards but also all the other materials for your print marketing campaign: business cards, envelopes, notepads, brochures, flyers, stickers, etc.

When deciding which online printing company to go with, there are a few things that you need to consider. First, what’s the printing process that they use? It’s better if you will go with one that utilizes state-of-the-art printing presses instead of just a digital desktop printer. The equipment used will make it easy for them to print out a huge batch of the same marketing material. The colors pop, the print will not easily fade, and you can choose from different sizes and finishes.

Postcard printing, for example, will give you numerous options in terms of sizes. The most popular is the 4” x 6” postcards which are used by travellers. Some variations are 4” x 9”, 5” x 7”, 6” x 9”, or it can even go as large as 6” x 11”.  As far as the material is concerned, the most common is 16-pt. which you can have printed using an ultra-smooth matte finish, or an ultra-smooth glossy finish.

When printing postcards, make sure to not crowd the available space that you have with too much text or images. Include a call to action – indicate whether you want the recipient to use a discount code, or head over to your website for more information. More importantly, mail out these postcards regularly. Doing so will help embed your brand’s name into the minds of your customers. Regular postcards mailing also helps establish customer loyalty while giving your marketing efforts a more personal, yet still professional touch.