How to Design the Perfect Direct Mail Postcard

Using direct mail postcards to market your business to your target audience can help you dramatically increase your revenue. But great direct mail pieces aren’t born – they’re made. We’ve created a how-to list that will help you learn the most effective way to design a direct mail postcard. Before we dive into the different postcard design elements that you should use, let’s take a minute to understand the end-goal. To do that, you’ll just need to use a little bit of imagination.

Let’s think of your direct mail postcards as a giant billboard on the side of a busy road. Cars and people are everywhere. Your billboard isn’t alone. In fact, there are a dozen billboards lined up one right after the other. With so much going on around them, no one has the time to stop and look at every billboard. Only the very best will stand out. Right? The same is true when it comes to your direct mail postcard. Every day numerous advertisements arrive right in your potential customer’s mailbox, but only the ones that stand out are the ones that receive their attention. Now, your direct mail postcard is going to be one of those special few. But to create it, you’ll need to utilize the proven design strategies listed below.

Use a Design That Pops!

Images can make or break your direct mail postcard campaign. After a long day of work, what’s going to make someone take a second look? A dull and boring image? Or something bold, interesting, and engaging? To create an image that pops, use color and shading to highlight key areas/features. Just remember that bold images/designs are a great way to make your direct mail postcard stand out, but they should also tie back to your brand or the theme of your campaign in one way or another.

A Few Design Elements to Consider:

• Shape
• Size
• Images
• Color
• Shading
• Die-Cutting

Less is More

We get that you want people to truly understand your brand, but when it comes to a direct mail postcard, the more text you add, the more cluttered the postcard becomes. Emphasis should be placed on your attention grabbing headline, the offer, and the call to action. Ask straightforward questions and provide simple solutions. You’ll be surprised at just how much you can say; a few words combined with the right design elements can tell a much better story than a poorly designed, wordy postcard.

A Few Design Elements to Consider:

• Typefaces
• Colors
• Patterns

Keep It Clutter Free

Great design combines bold statements and eye-catching images without creating clutter. Don’t be afraid of including plenty of white space on your postcard; it gives the design some room to breathe and creates the perfect balance between beauty and simplicity.

Bigger IS Better

You don’t want your postcard to get lost in a pile of mail, do you? You can help your postcard stand out by making it a little bigger than average. Or experiment with unusual designs. There are tons of options you can use to customize your direct mail postcard; just make sure the one you choose is a cost-effective option.

Focus on the Offer

We see it time and again – a direct mail client spends tons of time creating the perfect direct mail piece that aligns with their brand only to tack on the offer at the end. Voila it’s finished! Or so they think. The truth is that your direct mail offer shouldn’t be a last minute addition; it should be built around your entire direct mail piece. So remember, if you want to elicit a positive response, you’ve got to focus on the offer from the start.

Quality Printing Matters

There are many different paper weights, options, colors, etc. The printing choices you select will impact the look and feel of your postcard. These choices can also convey a message about your brand to an audience who is unfamiliar with your company. For example, thicker paper often sends a more professional message.

Designing the perfect direct mail postcard isn’t as hard as it may sound. To save money and achieve the best results, always use an industry expert to print your direct mail postcards. For more information about the direct mail postcards, head to www.KDMailing.com today!