Creating a marketing postcard for your business?
Well, you only have 8 seconds to grab the attention of your audience! What’s even more frightening, for postcard marketers, is that you have to do it with either side of the postcard.
Hence, before sending the design to a custom postcard printing service provider, make sure it's on par with industry standards. Then, go over these eight tips to ensure that you’ve covered all the marketing postcard design basics.
1. Go for Bigger Postcards
You need your postcard to stand out first to compel your audience to take a look at it. Postcards with a high-quality graphic design prove useless when the postcard is invisible against other mail. Hence, increase the visibility of your postcard by making it bigger.
Generally, your recipient will receive your postcard alongside other flyers, envelopes, and letters. The larger your postcard is, the more chances it stands out and gets noticed by the recipient.
Do note that going for larger-sized postcards can cost you more. However, if you use EDDM mailing, you can enjoy the benefit of bulk mailing and save some money.
2. Choose Color Combinations Wisely
Another factor that grabs the attention of mail recipients is the color scheme of the mail. Thus, after getting the size right, decide on a theme color for your postcard.
When designing your postcard, don’t use more than four different colors. Instead, choose a combination that harmonizes with the color of your company logo. Also, look for a color that can complement the message of your postcard.
For instance, if you’re message is environment-related, green makes a good theme color. Orange and black will work if you’re vying to give a younger and bolder message.
3. Showcase Your Brand Head On
What you want is for them to register your brand name and logo in their minds. Even if the recipient doesn’t avail of your product or services, it pays to have them know that your brand exists.
Unfortunately, recipients spend the utmost 10 seconds at a postcard before dismissing it. Thus, you have to place your brand name and logo strategically so it’s the first thing they see.
Make your brand name and logo visible by placing them in the upper left corner of your postcard. This is an ideal location as most people read downward, starting from the top-left part of the paper.
4. Use a Strong Headline
The first thing recipients read will be your headline, and you only have 2-3 seconds to hook them before they lose interest. As such, your headline should leave a strong impact head-on.
When it comes to crafting headlines, creativity is only second to clarity. Your audience isn’t interested in finding out how creative you can write. Rather, they want to know why they should care about you and your brand.
Gone are the days when you educate your audience about your product and services. Today, you must be able to let people see that your brand can improve their life. This is the best way to persuade people to spend their money on your brand.
As such, use a thought-provoking headline. Keep it short but concise, and make sure to hit them with staggering facts.
5. Use Attractive Images on Your Postcard
This is a must-know tip if you want to master how to design a marketing postcard that works. Did you know that the human brain values image more than words on a “to-do” list? More interestingly, the more you look at an image, the more important the image becomes.
Similarly, if you present an eye-catching image in your postcard, the more likely it is for your recipient to keep looking. Therefore, lay a striking image foundation in your postcard.
Use high-quality images that align with the interest of your target audience. Avoid using images that use too many colors and feature too many elements.
6. Don’t Forget Your Call-to-Action
When designing a postcard, give attention to your call-to-action or CTA if you want to get higher leads. For a convincing CTA, use the second-person pronoun, you.
Note that you’re directly communicating to a reader with your postcard. Hence, use words as if you’re talking to them in person.
Moreover, in your CTA, do away with polite requests. Instead, be commanding and tell them exactly what they need to do to avail your products and services.
You also have to push the recipient to reach out by motivating them with limited-time offers. Setting an expiration date will make your audience feel a surge of urgency. This urgency will compel them to act upon your CTA.
7. Incorporate QR Codes
Regardless of your goal, don’t forget to put all of your contact information on every mailer. If not, your efforts will go to waste as prospects won’t have any way to reach out to your business. Nowadays, QR codes are a rising trend in contact details.
When you incorporate QR Codes in your postcard, you’re offering the most sought-after feature of business transactions, convenience. Prospects who want to reach your business will only have to scan the code from the postcard on their smartphones. This will lead them to your landing page, where they can access your products and services.
8. White Spaces Matter
Before contacting a custom postcard printing service provider, see to it that your design has adequate white spaces. When we say white space, we’re referring to the in-between spacing of your elements.
Simply put, filling every nook of space on your postcard isn’t maximizing. It makes your postcard overwhelming to look at. Instead, leave some spaces bare or create a colored background to give it a neat and professional look.
Further, if you’re using mailing services, make sure to follow the mailing regulations. Leave spaces for indicia and return addresses. Plan a design that wouldn’t overlap or interfere with said spaces.
Create Quality Custom Postcard Printing
There’s no back page for postcard recipients. The first side they’ll look at will determine whether they’ll spare your postcard a few seconds or not.
This is why both sides of your postcards must be eye-catching. If not, they’d surely disregard your postcard if they look at the side with a weaker design. As such, make sure to apply these tips when designing a marketing postcard for greater results.
Finished with your design and currently looking for a reputable custom postcard printing service provider? AlphaGraphics is here to serve you. Contact us today and get in touch with one of our experts for more information.