How to Create a Postcard for Every Door Direct Mail?

With some thoughtful design and smart targeting, an EDDM postcard campaign can be an impactful way for local businesses to drum up new customers.

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of creating a great postcard for your direct mail campaign.

Choosing Your Postcard Size and Shape

When creating a postcard for EDDM, you'll first need to decide on the size and shape you want to use. There are a few common options to consider:

• Ideal for: Brief messages, coupons, and small business promotions that present best in a horizontal format. 
• Best Uses:
  • Quick announcements or offers
  • Local business promotions like cafes or salons
  • Event flyers for community gatherings
  • Limited-time discount coupons
  • Short service lists
• Why Choose This Size: Its compact size is cost-effective and perfect for simple, direct messages.

• Ideal for: versatile marketing, striking a balance between size and cost.
• Best Uses:
  • General business promotions
  • Product launches or special event advertising
  • Real estate listings
  • Vertical or horizontal images 
• Why Choose This Size: This size is popular due to its balance; it's large enough to stand out (larger than the size of a standard envelope) but not so big as to significantly increase costs.

6.25 x 11 inches

• Ideal for: Detailed advertising with more content and visuals. 
• Best Uses:
  • Comprehensive service explanations
  • Detailed real estate listings
  • Extensive product showcases
  • Multiple product/service promotion 

• Why Choose This Size: Offers more space for creative designs and detailed information without being overly large.

• Ideal for: Information-heavy campaigns and visually rich designs.
• Best Uses:
  • Detailed product catalogs
  • Informational brochures for services or events
  • Large-scale event promotions
  • Educational or instructional content
  • Small/medium sized restaurant menus
• Why Choose This Size: Its larger format is excellent for visually impactful designs and extensive textual content.

11 x 17 inches 

• Ideal for: High-impact marketing and oversized visuals.
• Best Uses:
  • Major product launches
  • Big event promotions like concerts or festivals
  • High-impact visual advertisements
  • Maps or guides for events or locations
  • Service Brochures/Leaflets
  • Large restaurant menus 
• Why Choose This Size: The largest option available, perfect for making a bold statement and ensuring your message is seen.

When deciding, think about the amount of information you want to share and the areas you're targeting. For example, if you plan to mail to apartment buildings with narrow slots, lean towards smaller or vertical sizes.

The shape and size you choose impacts your design too. So consider how much space you need for graphics, images, headings and your message. Experiment with different sizes to see what works best for your goals and audience.

Designing an Engaging Postcard

When designing your EDDM postcard, you want to capture attention and interest right away. After all, you only have a few seconds to get your message across before the recipient decides to read on or toss it aside.

Here are some tips for creating an eye-catching postcard design:

• Use bold, contrasting colors and fonts that stand out. Avoid faint or overly complicated designs that are hard to read.
• Incorporate photos or illustrations relevant to your business. Show real people using your product or service. Images help convey what you do much faster than words alone.
• Align text and graphics thoughtfully so the postcard is easy to scan. Use white space between elements so nothing feels cluttered.
• Make sure your company logo and contact information are prominently displayed. Recipients will want to know who sent the postcard and how to reach you.
• Use color strategically to highlight calls-to-action and guide the reader's eye across the page. Vibrant colors grab attention while neutral backgrounds make text pop.
• Leave adequate blank space around the edges and avoid bleeding elements to the trim line. This ensures nothing gets cut off during mail processing and handling.
• Get creative with shapes and formats--a postcard doesn't have to be a boring rectangle. Unique die-cuts or folded cards can make you stand out.

Writing Compelling Postcard Copy

When it comes to writing copy for your EDDM postcard, you need to keep it short, scannable, and focused.

The small size of a postcard means you only have room for a headline, a brief paragraph or two of copy, and your call-to-action. You want every word to count.

Write your headline in bold capital letters to grab attention. Use power words that speak to your target audience and convey the key benefit of your offer.

In your body copy, focus on one primary call-to-action and make sure it stands out visually on the postcard. State the benefit the customer will receive by following your CTA and write in a conversational way, as if you're speaking directly to your reader.

Keep sentences short and paragraphs concise. Use bullets or numbered lists if needed to make the copy easy to scan. Avoid overused marketing jargon and write in simple, everyday language.

Adding Essential Elements To Your Postcard

EDDM postcards need to include some key information in order to effectively promote your business. These include:

• Your Business Name, Logo, and Address - This identifies your business and gives people all the info they need to locate you. Make sure your business name and logo are prominently displayed at the top. Include your full street address.
  
  
• A Special Offer or Deal - This creates urgency and incentive for customers. Offer a limited-time discount, coupon, or special deal to entice people to visit your business. For example, you could say, "20% off your first purchase" or "Buy one, get one free.”
  
  
• Your Website and Contact Info - Include your website URL so people can easily learn more about your products or services online. Also list your phone number and email address so customers can get in touch.
  
  
• A Strong Call-to-Action (CTA) - The most important part of any ad is the CTA! Encourage potential customers to take immediate action. Use action-oriented language that tells people what you want them to do next.
  
  For example, you can say, "Visit us today and take advantage of our special offer," or "Call now to book your appointment." Make sure your CTA stands out visually, whether it's through bold text, a contrasting color, or a catchy button that says, "Shop now," "Book now," or "Contact us." Your CTA should be clear and compelling, driving visitors to engage with your business.

Working with a Print and Mail Service

When sending EDDM, you'll need to work with a print and mail service to handle printing, sorting, and delivery of your postcards. This offers several benefits:

• Production expertise. A professional print and mail service has the specialized equipment and expertise to efficiently print, address, sort, and deliver large mailings like EDDM. Doing this yourself would be extremely difficult.
  
  
• USPS paperwork. The service will handle all the USPS forms and paperwork required for an EDDM mailing.
  
  
• Delivery to USPS. They'll bring the finished mailpieces to the Post Office for you and get them in the mail stream.

When choosing a service, look for:

• EDDM experience. Find a company very familiar with Every Door Direct Mail requirements. This ensures your mailing goes smoothly.
  
  
• Customer service. Find a responsive company that can answer your questions and provide guidance. Read reviews to get a sense of their service quality.
  
  
• Competitive pricing. Get quotes from several printers to compare costs. Expect to pay 5-20 cents per postcard, including printing, addressing, and mailing. Additional fees may apply for mail list rental, design, and setup.

Placing Your EDDM Order

Once your postcard design is complete, it's time to place your EDDM order with the print and mail service. Therefore:

• Provide your postcard design file. Finalize your postcard artwork and provide the print-ready file to the mailing service. This is typically a press-quality PDF file. At Taradel, we provide affordable design services for those without an in-house design team. 
  
  
• Specify your target route details. You'll need to provide the mailing service with your desired routes or neighborhoods. They can help identify the specific USPS carrier routes that align with the area you want to target.
  
  
• Confirm your mail date and quantities. Specify the date you want your mailing to drop and the quantities you need. Most services require minimum quantities of 200-400 pieces per carrier route.
  
  
• Pay service costs. There are fees for printing, addressing, and delivery. Your total costs will depend on size, quantities, and any additional services like design. Expect to pay anywhere from $.15 - $.50 per piece. NOTE: At Taradel, our prices are all inclusive, so no need to worry about printing, postage, or any extra fees. 

Timing Your Mailing Carefully

When is the best time to send your EDDM postcard mailing? 

You'll want to avoid holidays or other busy seasons when mail volume is high. People tend to overlook marketing mail during those times.

Instead, aim to mail when most households are likely home and able to review it. Allow enough lead time before any special offer or event you're promoting expires.

For example, if you're advertising a back-to-school sale, mail your postcards at least 2 weeks beforehand so recipients have a chance to stop in. For a holiday promotion, send them 1-2 months ahead when people are starting to plan and shop.

Consider mailing mid-week as well. Postcards arriving on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays give people time to see your offer before the weekend.

The key is mailing when customers are most receptive, so time it wisely. Follow postal guidelines, but otherwise, pick your timing strategically. With thoughtful planning, your mailing will generate greater interest and response.

In Summary

Creating an effective EDDM postcard involves strategic decisions on postcard size, engaging design, concise text, necessary details, and meticulous timing.

With careful planning and execution, you can maximize your postcard’s potential to generate more interest and response.