How to Make Business Postcards

Postcards can be an important and versatile marketing tool. They can be used in a number of ways. They can announce a move from one location to another, let customers in on an upcoming special, invite them to a special event, or thank them for their business. Best of all, postcards are less expensive to mail than a letter or larger piece of marketing material.Today, developing a good business postcard is simple. All it takes is a computer system with a color printer, graphics and a bit of imagination.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer system with color printer
• Desktop publishing capability
• Graphic art
• Cardstock paper
• Stamps

1. Postcard to announce a grand opening. Determine the purpose of the postcard. Is it to announce a business opening? Is it to inform customers about changes in days or hours of operation? Is to announce the availability of a new product or service? Whatever the reason may be for the postcard, it is important to keep that fact in mind while developing the document.
2. Keep text brief and to the point. Decide what text will be used. Keep it brief and to the point.
3. Determine the graphics to be used. This may be impacted by the limitations of the desktop publishing program being used, as well as the graphics available. Graphics typically include clip art, logos, charts and/or photographs. The graphics chosen may help to determine the orientation of the post card (whether it will be horizontal or vertical).
4. Scan graphics into the computer system, if required. Most desktop publishing programs will allow such scans to be pulled directly into the program.
5. Sketch out the postcard on both sides. Leave space for the mailing label. Simulate the placement of text and/or graphics.
6. Most postcard layouts include a self-mailer. Pull up potential postcard layouts within a desktop publishing program. Choose the layout and orientation that most closely mirrors the drafted postcard in Step 5. Using that format, plug in the verbiage as planned. Use clean, easy-to-read font styles that are large enough to be seen by the naked eye. Continue to adjust, edit and redesign the text until happy with the results.
7. Allow plenty of whitespace so the reader can easily get the central message. Examine the postcard’s remaining white space. This is where graphics can be used to pull the consumer's attention to the document. A certain amount of white space needs to remain in order to give the customer's eye a chance to rest as he or she attempts to absorb the information. A good postcard is a mixture of text, graphics and white space.
8. Ghoose clever graphics that help to accent the postcard. Plug graphics into the postcard as planned. Play around with rotating, sizing, cutting, editing or even changing the colors of the graphic design to make it fit within the space allowed. Don't forget to leave some white space between text and graphics. Continue to adjust, edit, and redesign until happy with the graphics as laid out in conjunction with the text and white space.
9. Plug graphics into the postcard as planned. Play around with rotating, sizing, cutting, editing or even changing the colors of the graphic design to make it fit within the space allowed. Don't forget to leave some white space between text and graphics. Continue to adjust, edit, and redesign until happy with the graphics as laid out in conjunction with the text and white space.

Tips & Warnings

• Postcards should answer the basic questions: The who, what, when, where and why of its message.
• Text is usually black for a reason. It is easiest to read and provides good contrast for the graphics.
• For maximum editing capabilities, choose a desktop publishing that will allow for editing of graphic designs, at least in terms of sizing, cropping and rotating. Programs that allow color change are sometimes difficult to find and limited to graphics that exist only within that program.
• Use the company's chosen font style whenever representing the name of the company.
• Choose fonts that are complimentary to one another.
• Use color if possible.
• Never mix more than two font styles within a single postcard, as it will make the document more difficult to read.
• Don't overdo graphics on either side of the card. They should blend and accent, but not take over the card.

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