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Dave Chartock

Guide to Postcard Printing

How to find competitive bids on postcard design and printing

By Dave Chartock, Consultant and Sr. Writer, Information Resources

Many small businesses turn to postcards as an alternative to the high-cost of display advertising, Yellow Pages ads or full-blown direct mail pieces. Small businesses use postcards as part of a direct mail marketing campaign to help promote their business, events or reach a targeted audience. Once you've decided postcards are the way to go:
  1. Find out when, where and how to use postcards.
  2. Look for help with postcard design.
  3. Try your hand at making your own printable postcards
  4. Search the Internet to compare printing prices. Compare these prices to those at local postcard printers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done


Determine if postcards are right for you

Assess your marketing needs to see if business postcards will help you achieve your goals. Postcards can help you test market a new product or offer, as well as drive traffic to your Web site. You can also track the results of your mailing campaign by assigning a specific discount code or sending potential customers to a unique page on your Web site created specifically for a particular offer or product.
I recommend: Check out Postcard Marketing Secrets and Chuck Green's Ideabook for templates and creative ideas for your marketing campaign.  Find direct-mail marketing consultants at Business.com.

Get postcard design help

Take advantage of Web sites offering postcard design help. Your postcard shouldn't try to include every detail of your offer. Eye-catching graphics and a brief summary of the main points of your offer are more likely to get the attention of potential customers.
I recommend: Get professional help with your postcards through a full-service shop such as Track Marketing Group, Creativepro, Positronic Design, PostcardMania and Small Business Printing.

Compare postcard prices

Post card design and printing prices will vary according to the size of the postcard, whether it is going to be printed in black-and-white or color and the print quantity. Some sites even offer free printing to attract you as a customer.
I recommend: If you're looking to have business postcards printed for free try VistaPrint or Bestprintingbestprice.com.  For a list of competitive postcard printers, see Business.com.

Make your own printable postcards

To make your own printable postcards, download templates from the Internet that will work with design software such as InDesign and Quark. Or take advantage of free online postcard templates to make printable postcards.
I recommend: PsPrint offers free postcard templates for printable postcards. Try OvernightPrints if you want 24-hour turnaround on your postcard order. For a 48-hour turnaround, use 48hourprint.com.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

  • Decide who you want to target with your postcard mailings and how many mailings you will require. Remember, frequency is best.
  • Design is important. Many Internet sites offer design for printable postcards, printing and even mailing assistance.
  • Carefully research the Internet for a site that meets all your needs. Remember to check out the turnaround time promised by postcard printers.

The official source of Postcard Printing is the Postcard Printing page at Business.com

More Featured Listings
Custom Postcards Starting at $19.99
Market Your Business with Custom Color Postcards. Use Your Own Graphics or Choose From Hundreds of Free Downloads. We Also Offer Mailing Services!
Pricing | Customer Service
www.PrintsMadeEasy.com
Full Color Postcards
High Quality PostCards Fast and Easy. 5,000 for $129! Choose a design or upload for free. Variable Data and mailing service available!
www.printsmadeeasy.com
Blank Postcards
Four-of-a-Kind Postcards are a great way to get your message out at postcard rate!
pcforms.com
One Stop Shop for Gift Packaging
Paper gift boxes, bags, greeting cards, pop-up books & more. One stop shop for gift packaging & printing in China. Fast delivery, low prices.
Home | Company Profile | FAQ | Contact us
www.discturnkey.net
Related Resources

Recommended Solution Providers

Xerox: Color Connection
Find business postcard templates to choose from and get some tips about postcard printing.

Vista Print: Printing Solutions
This printing provider can customize your postcard printing solution for your small business to get exactly what you want.

My1Stop: Postcard Printing
Find your small business' brochure and flyer printing needs here. This provider's commercial printing services include complete design services and quotes on custom projects.

Small Business Printing: Wholesale Postcard Printing
This service has a graphic design studio and print house specializing in wholesale printing. The printed products include business cards, stationery, envelopes, brochures, sell sheets, flyers, catalogs, booklets, calendars, postcards, posters, greeting cards, rack cards, banners, logo design, and professional graphic design service.

Print Lizard: Printing Evolved
Whatever your needs or experience with the printing process, this site can help your small business find the right solution for postcard printing.

Best Sites to Learn More

48 Hour Print: Postcard Marketing
Get an overview of using postcards as a marketing tool. Receive some tips and reasons why marketing with postcard is a good business strategy.

Rush Postcard Printing: Postcard Printing
An in-depth look into many aspects of postcard printing.

Best Blogs and Forums

The Print Guide: Printing Forum
This forum provides a place for you to ask questions about postcard printing and share and learn from others experiences with custom printing and graphic design.

Small Business Brief: Postcard Printing Forum
Read this ongoing discussion about postcard printing options.



FEATURED LISTINGS
Custom Postcards Starting at $19.99
Market Your Business with Custom Color Postcards. Use Your Own Graphics or Choose From Hundreds of Free Downloads. We Also Offer Mailing Services!
www.PrintsMadeEasy.com
Full Color Postcards
High Quality PostCards Fast and Easy. 5,000 for $129! Choose a design or upload for free. Variable Data and mailing service available!
www.printsmadeeasy.com
Blank Postcards
Four-of-a-Kind Postcards are a great way to get your message out at postcard rate!
pcforms.com
One Stop Shop for Gift Packaging
Paper gift boxes, bags, greeting cards, pop-up books & more. One stop shop for gift packaging & printing in China. Fast delivery, low prices.
www.discturnkey.net

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Daniel Kehrer

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 By Daniel Kehrer, Editor, Business.com & Work.com
For small business, postcards are the prince of low-tech marketing
Want a low-cost, easy-to-implement sales tool without getting mired in all of the latest high-tech marketing methods? Think postcards. Plain and simple. These princely little pieces pack a powerful promotional punch for many small businesses. Even big tech companies love postcards. When it wanted to reach a broad audience of small business owners, for example, Yahoo! turned to a postcard campaign. So can you. You can create, print ... Read more

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