


That lets you take advantage of lower automation or bulk rates. My recommendations in this article will, for the most part, result in a postcard back readable by the Post Office’s scanners. Whichever side holds the ship-to address is Design Postcards to Connect considered the mailing panel (more commonly, the “back”) and has the most restrictions for positioning of graphic elements. These strictures vary across the world in this article, I’ll focus on United States postal regulations, but two tables do include information on postcard sizes and rates around the world. However, the back side and the card’s overall dimensions must adhere to several layout rules and ink and paper choices if the cards are to be delivered as quickly as possible for the lowest possible cost. You can let your imagination run wild on the front of a postcard (as long as nothing can be mistaken for an address or indicia).

By following a few design strategies and production criteria when creating postcard layouts, you can offer your clients an effective, lower-cost vehicle to get their messages across. Even if you just pick up the postcard on the way to the recycling bin, chances are you’ll see something on it.Īs designers, our job is to use our skills to use that brief encounter to convey real information and, hopefully, prompt an action. But with so many modern options for flashy digital interactive messaging, how does the humble printed postcard survive? The reason is simple: You can’t avoid physical mail. Since the mid-1800s, postcards have been a comparatively inexpensive way to send a short message.
