Postcard Templates

Postcards

How to make a postcard?

Creating an effective postcard begins with a well-thought out plan. Before you start, decide what it is you want your readers to do after they read your postcard. The answer to that question is your Call to Action. Clearly conveying that CTA is the goal of the postcard design process. Your CTA could be an invitation to visit your new location, participate in a sale, utilize valuable coupons, join a rewards program, attend an event, or call for a free consultation. Browse our catalog to find a postcard template that meets your needs. Gather together your high-quality images, original content, and an understanding of your company’s branding strategy, then open your chosen template in our online editor.

Once the editor loads, you can easily apply your company’s color scheme by utilizing our “Replace this color” feature to swap out all occurrences of one shade with another. Choose from the existing colors in our palette or enter your own custom CMYK codes to ensure that your postcard stays on brand. Upload your own logo and images to replace those within the template or utilize any of our stock photos. Our photo quality index gives you a preview of how clear your printed images will be by displaying its DPI and a quality category from Marginal to Perfect (For more on image quality and DPI, check out our Complete Guide to Understanding DPI. Replace placeholder text with your original content by copy/pasting or simply typing directly into the textbox, add or customize call out boxes, and swap out icons, shapes, and patterns from our toolbox with just a few clicks. Triple-check your work for any goofs or typos, then hand it over to another pair of eyes for an outside perspective. Does your postcard do what you intended it to do? Does it make sense? Are there any glaring errors or clarity issues to address? Once you’re satisfied that everything is in order, you’re ready to print! If you want to learn more, read through our guide, How to Make a Postcard: A Simple Guide For Business Owners. 

What is a standard postcard size?

The standard postcard size is 4.25” x 6,” but MyCreativeShop also offers postcard templates in 3 additional sizes: 8.5" x 5.5," A5 (210mmx148mm), and A6 (148mmx105mm). When designing your postcard, consider the content you want to include and your company’s branding strategy, then select the postcard sizing that's the best fit.

 

Does MyCreativeShop offer direct mail services?

We offer direct mail services for postcard quantities over 1,500.  We are working on building a fully automated solution for our customers but for the time being please reach out to support@mycreativeshop.com and we will help you get started.  The process is very simple - we ensure that the postcard that you've created meets all mailing standards, we have you send us your mailing list (which we will validate and de-dupe), and then we print and mail the cards directly to the addresses on your list.

Does MyCreativeShop have EDDM postcards?

Yes, you can jump over to our EDDM postcards page to see those sizes.

How to mail a postcard?

Mailing your finished postcards to your intended audience will likely take one of three paths. First, if your list is small, you can handwrite or print labels with each address and then either add appropriate postage or mail them from your local post office. If taking this path, it’s important to note that the US Postal Service only allows postcards with a maximum dimension of 4 ¼” x 6” x 0.016” to receive the lower First-Class Postcard rate. You can still send postcards that are larger than that, but you’ll need to pay the regular First-Class Letter rate. Anything greater than 6 ⅛” x 11 ½” x ¼”, though, and you’ll find yourself paying Flats (large envelope) rates. MyCreativeShop offers postcards in both 4 ¼” x 6” and 5 ½” x 8 ½” sizes.

The second path is to utilize the USPS’s Marketing Mail program. This option requires you to be willing to either sort your addressed postcards by ZIP code or hire someone to do that for you. Also known as Bulk Mail or Presorted Standard, Marketing Mail rates are significantly lower than the regular First-Class pricing. Another benefit is that your postcard sizing is not limited to  4 ¼” x 6” since all mail sizings receive the same rate. There are specific parameters to be followed, including purchasing an annual Bulk Mailing permit for each post office location you plan to mail from, but this method can be incredibly useful if you plan to mail a large number of postcards throughout the year - and if already have a mailing list ready (or a plan to acquire one). For more details, check out the Postal Service’s Business Mailing 101 resource.

With the third path, you can also opt to utilize another of the Postal Service’s prized programs - Every Door Direct Mail® (or EDDM). To learn more about this program, you'll need to jump over to our EDDM postcard templates page and look through the questions section. 

Lastly, if you already have a mailing list and are looking at quantities over 1,500, MyCreativeShop can simplify the process for you . Email support@mycreativeshop.com for more info on our direct mail services.