It has probably never been more important to advertise a business than during an economic downturn. Studies have shown over and over again that businesses that continue to advertise and engage in proactive marketing do better during the economic downturn and position themselves to prosper when the economy recovers.
One cost-effective way to reach out to your customers and prospects regularly is to mail a post card. Unlike letters and self-mailers, the recipient doesn’t have to open anything to see the message, and a post card is easy to store or file.
A popular size for post cards is 5½ x 8½ – half of an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. However, there are some other sizes that we like because they are unusual but still can be processed by postal service equipment rather than by hand: 6 x 9 and 6 x 11. A 6 x 9 post card will extend one-half inch above and to the side of a stack of mail, making it more visible. A 6 x 11 post card looks like a giant and attracts attention by its size.
When designing a post card, keep in mind how the mail is presented when delivered. Most likely, it will be sorted with the address facing the recipient. Be sure you include enough tantalizing information and good design on this side of the post card to ensure that the recipient will turn it over.
Contrary to common usage, the mail panel on a post card does not need to take up the entire right half of one side. An addressing area of 4 ¼ inches wide by 2½ inches high is sufficient for most 3- or 4-lines addresses.
Remember that a poorly designed or positioned mail panel may prevent you from qualifying for the best postage rate. For that reason, we suggest that you have us look at the mail panel before you commit to press.
