The Best Postcard Maker for Direct Mail Marketing
It’s always a joy when sorting through your routine pile of bills that you find a surprise piece of mail that you didn’t expect. In fact, 54% of consumers say that they want direct mail from brands that interest them. Postcards can be particularly exciting – since you don’t have to rip open any envelopes, they’re image-based, made to be eye-catching, and often contain discounts or otherwise valuable information for the consumer. And even with the influx of digital media over the years, businesses are finding that adding direct mail like postcards to their marketing mix has been a proven way to increase business than when simply using digital alternatives. Who thought snail mail would be the way of the future?
If you’re looking to add postcards to your marketing mix, BeFunky’s Postcard Maker is the perfect solution! No matter what kind of business or type of promotion you’re running, we’ve got the perfect Postcard template for you to use as a design guide. They’re pre-designed by professionals, perfectly sized, and so easy to customize. Snail mail has never been easier!
How to Design a Postcard for your Business
To get started with your postcard design, head to BeFunky’s Postcard Maker and follow the steps below:
Step 1: Choose a Postcard Template Front
When you click this link, you’ll be able to see all of the Postcard templates available and find the perfect starting point. Click on any Postcard template thumbnail to have a closer look.
You’ll notice that each Postcard template has a front and a back, shown side by side in the template library. To start, find the design you love the most for the front of your postcard and choose Use This Template to start customizing it.
Step 2: Customize the Images and Graphics
To replace the image(s) on your template with your own photos, open the Image Manager tab in the left-hand menu. Here, you can use the Computer button to upload images from your computer, choose from over a million free stock photos to use, and more.
When you upload images into the Image Manager, they’ll appear as thumbnails. Click and hover an image thumbnail over any existing image in your template until the original turns opaque, then drop it in to replace it. If your template doesn’t have any images but you’d like to add one, simply drag and drop an image thumbnail onto the template and adjust it to your liking.
Step 3: Change the Background Color
If you’d like to change the background color of your template, click on the Customize tab in the left-hand menu. Then, click on the first color tile to choose a new hue.
If you’d like to add any graphics to your postcard, BeFunky has those too! Click on the Graphics tab in the left side menu and follow these steps to add and customize graphics.
Step 4: Edit the Text
To change what the text says, double click any text box and type something new.
Any time you have a text box selected, you can use the Text Properties menu that appears on the left to change the font, color, letter spacing, and more. To choose a new color, click on the color tile and choose a new hue using the Color Picker menu.
To change the font, click on the font name in the Text Properties menu.
Then, choose a new font from BeFunky’s massive library or add your own fonts to use in your design.
To emphasize the main text even more, we added a drop shadow to it. You can replicate this by clicking on Drop Shadow in the Text Properties menu.
Adjust the sliders to alter the Distance, Angle, Blur, Size, Density, Opacity, and Color of your drop shadow.
Step 5: Save the Postcard
When the front of your Postcard looks perfect, click the Save button at the top of the page. You’ll be presented with several options to save your postcard design.
We recommend saving your postcard as a PDF for high-quality printing and also as a project to keep a copy in editable format.
Step 6: Choose a Postcard Template Back
Now that the front of your postcard looks perfect, it’s time to design the back. Click on the Templates tab in the main menu on the left and choose the Search Templates button. This will direct you right back to the Postcard templates in the library, but if you’d like a direct link, click here.
Click on the template next to the design you chose for the front to have a back that already matches the original design. If you’d rather choose a different template for the back, that’s fine too.
When you find a template you love, click Use This Template.
Step 7: Customize the Background
Click on the Customize tab in the left-hand menu and click on the first color tile to change the background color of your template. You’ll notice that BeFunky saves your Recent Colors in the Color Picker, so you can use the exact same color you used for the front of your postcard if you wish.
Step 8: Change the Text
Repeat Step 4 to change what the textboxes say and customize the text to match the front of your postcard.
Step 9: Save the Postcard
When the back of your postcard design looks cohesive and you’re finished designing, click the Save button at the top of the page. You’ll be presented with several options for saving your postcard design.
We recommend saving your postcard as a PDF for high-quality printing and also as a project to keep a copy in editable format.
Postcard Results
And just like that, you’ve got an eye-catching postcard design that’s ready to print and send!
When to Send Postcards
If you are wondering if your business is a candidate for this type of marketing, it most likely is. Whether you are a real estate agent, a local shop or restaurant, or even a non-profit organization, direct mail has proven to be a lucrative option for a variety of businesses. Here are a few different scenarios to inspire your next postcard promotion:
To Advertise Events
Postcards are the perfect way to advertise an event you are hosting. Whether you are wanting to inform people of a grand opening, invite locals to an art show, or want to host a small holiday or craft market, direct mail is a great option when trying to inform your neighbors and getting them involved in your business.
Since Postcards are so visual and to-the-point, they’re the perfect tangible reminder of your event. Totally easy for the recipient to stick to the refrigerator and add the date to their calendar.
To Grow your Real Estate Business
There are several templates for realtors in BeFunky’s Designer: Open House, Looking for an Agent, Just Sold, and Just Listed. If you are needing an extra push in certain neighborhoods, this is a great way to boost your business and get on people’s radar.
With direct mail, real estate agents can target specific areas of the city more directly. It’s much easier to create awareness of a new property on the market or introduce yourself to the neighborhood with a postcard than to rely on digital media.
To Communicate Appointment Reminders
Sending out physical appointment reminders can be very helpful when people are inundated with hundreds of digital notifications each week. If you are looking to send out annual or semi-annual reminders, BeFunky has the perfect templates to use that make creating these a breeze.
Again, the tangibility of a postcard is key for this kind of information, especially since it stands out visually. Push notifications are helpful in addition, but since there’s no visual distinction or tangibility, adding a postcard to the appointment reminder mix is always a good idea for businesses in the healthcare or service industries.
To Offer Specials & Discounts
Sending out special offers to people who are in close physical proximity to your business increases the likelihood that they will utilize your discounts. It’s much easier to target a neighborhood or specific area of the city with a postcard than it is with digital marketing, which makes promotion with a postcard much more effective!
Whether you offer a free birthday gift or a discount on your goods and services, your generosity as a business owner will be remembered. It’s a great way to increase brand recognition and keep people coming back to your business!
To Say Thank You
Saying thank you goes a long way, especially when it is personalized. Slowing down long enough to write a note of appreciation puts your business in the best light and increases brand awareness. Just think about what you can thank your customers for and use one of our Thank You Postcard templates to spread the love!
Create Stunning Postcards for Direct Mail Marketing
Postcards are the perfect opportunity to utilize direct mail marketing for your business’s benefit. Head to BeFunky’s Postcard Maker to get started with your first postcard design today!
