9 Design Techniques You Should Know for Getting Maximum Results From Your Postcards

When it comes to marketing, print is still relevant. And a well-designed postcard is a great tool to have in your marketing toolkit.
“In today’s digital era, physical printed branding materials are often overlooked…However, print media could be the most powerful branding tool that companies are missing.” 
Before jumping into this fun little project, let’s discuss some of the critical dos and don’ts of designing an effective postcard. 
9 Design Techniques You Should Know for Getting Maximum Results From Your Postcards
1. Keep it Simple
We all have great ideas, fantastic offers, and critical information to explain to our potential (or repeat) customers.
But we recommend erring on the side of simplicity. Choose your words carefully and keep the idea straightforward and easy to follow. 
Try to stick to one offer: “Use this coupon code to save 25%.” Or, “Go to our site today to sign up for free giveaways.” Or “Claim your offer today at our website.”
2. Keep the Design Clean
Try not to clutter the postcard with images (no matter how great they are).
There are no exceptions to this rule. Use a couple of images per side.
3. Use One Headline and Make it Stand Out
It’s tempting to want to explode on the page with many exciting offers, sales, new products, and ways to contact us. 
Try to use one single headline per side, and make your offer clear so that it stands out. Use great colors and an awesome font, and make it front and center of the page.
Keep the headline the star of the page and don’t use too many techniques, e.g., don’t use italics, bold, and underline when you have a great title.
4. Try to Make It Trackable
Use a special URL or a specific phone number or email by which the postcard recipient can get a hold of your great deal. Then track it.
5. Supersize Your Postcard to Get a Better Response
Of course, you will need to weigh this cost to see if your promotion is worth promoting in this way.
But if you are taking the time and money to send something out, make it count!
6. Make White Space Your Friend
Leave some spaces blank, or just filled with a color block.
Don’t fill every square inch of the postcard with text and pictures. “White space can help organize the elements in a composition and emphasize the most important ones. It also creates an aura of luxury and minimalism.“
7. Don’t Skimp on Color
Be sure you use color to grab the readers’ attention.
This sometimes seems like an effective way to save some money, but color will increase your readership.
8. Don’t Forget Your Contact Information
People need to know who the postcard is from and how to get ahold of you to place an order!
“You want your audience to immediately recognize your branding across all of your communication, including your print marketing materials.” 
Ensure your logo and contact information is on the postcard in a prominent place so it doesn’t get lost in the offer.
9. Print With a Reputable Firm
A cheaply made postcard will detract from all your efforts and money.
You want to choose the right paper and ink to ensure readers know they can trust you to produce quality results. Your local printer is the best place to get your questions answered and get the product you deserve. 
When promoting a new product or service, use a postcard that stands out in today’s busy mail shuffle. If you have questions about doing that, check us out online or call Patti.

Combining Social Media and Print (Here’s How to Do it Right)

Figuring out which channels to use for your company’s next campaign can be tricky: sometimes, a more traditional print-ads approach seems useful, while other times, a social media campaign feels like the way to go. 

But in reality, combining these two channels can create an even more effective result for your company! 

With a few easy things to keep in mind, your company can use print ads to increase social media engagement and use social media to boost the ROI on your printed materials. 

5 Ways to Use Social Media and Print Marketing Together to Your Advantage

1. Use Social Proof from Media Accounts

Potential customers rely on other consumers’ testimonials when deciding whether to purchase from your company.

A recent report showed that 93.4% of consumers depend on customer reviews when investigating retailers for the first time. Use this to your company’s advantage by bringing those reviews directly to consumers through your print materials.

Include quotes of honest reviews from your company’s media accounts on your next direct mail design, and invite consumers to see what others say about your company on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram as a call to action (CTA).

2. Make it Easy with QR Codes and Short URLs

Including information about your social media accounts on your direct mail is a good start, but it won’t get you very far if it isn’t convenient and quick for people to utilize. 

Firstly, if you include a URL, ensure it isn’t too long for people to type into their search engine. You can use websites like TinyURL.com to convert a long URL into one that’s easier for consumers to search.

QR codes are the height of convenience, and they can take consumers to one of your social media pages, websites, or online resources with just a quick scan of their phone camera. 

3. Design Exclusive Media-Related Offers

An easy way to use print marketing as a bridge to your online marketing is by using a media-related CTA on your print materials.

For instance, consumers will be motivated to follow your social accounts if you use print for advertising a special offer or discount for new followers.

4. Try Out Hashtags

Include hashtags on your direct mail and encourage customers to post photos of your products or company using that hashtag!

It could become a viral social media campaign, creating something big from a simple direct mail design.

5. Gather Data for Direct Mail Using Media

Social media provides a pre-organized way to discern which pieces of your content consumers are most engaged by. 

If a photo on one of your social accounts has the most likes, use it as the cover image for your next direct mail piece. See which data your customers like, share, and comment on, and use that to your advantage. 

Are you ready to try combining social media and print for your next marketing campaign? Partner with us, and we’ll show you how! Give us a call today to get started.