Postcards are still a great way to get your message out! Whether it’s a sale, a new product, or an important event or announcement, postcards can generate sales and get results quickly, without having to pay a fortune for layout and design, or production costs.

Postcard Types: There are several sizes of postcards, but the most common are the 4 x 6 and 5.5 x 8.5. Postal Business Mail Unit.People usually mail the standard 4×6 postcard first class with a stamp. However, when mailing several cards, businesses typically address and print them with an indicia and mail them first class through the U.S. Postal Business Mail Unit

The Standard 5.5 x 8.5 or half sheet postcard is really popular because of it’s size, which enables the customer to place additional information on the card. Furthermore, mail recipients can’t easily miss this card in the mailbox. Since enabling the mail recipient to easily see the mail piece and read its message is so vital, we strongly urge most of our customers to mail AT LEAST this size. When customers mail this card through Action Litho, we usually mail it at Standard Rate (bulk mail), which allows the customer to save on postage. Action Litho incorporates the latest “intelligent bar code” software from the postal service, which can expedite delivery and offers greater discounts by qualifying the mail piece for “automation rate”.

Action Litho goes beyond two postcard sizes. We can print and mail any card between the sizes of 4 x 6 to 6 x 11″. Other standard sizes are 5×7, 5.5 x 8.5, 6×9, 6×11 and double panel 12×11 which folds and tabs to 6×11. Please ask for samples and see how affordable a postcard campaign can be.

Q: How does Action Litho handles direct mailing?

A. 1. We verify the mail piece first!! A poorly designed mail piece can sink a campaign before it leaves the post office. There are many new postal regulations. Let us see the mail piece before it’s designed, or have our graphic design team work with you to create a card that gets the right message to your recipients. 2. Check the list for errors. 3. Perform NCOA (verify the addresses are accurate according to postal records online). 4. Presort and address mail piece. 5. Complete postal mail form 3602 or 3600 to accompany the mailing to the post office. Action Litho doesn’t charge you for filling out this form.

Q: Are stamps applied to all mail pieces?

A: Well that depends. Unless specified by the customer, mail quantities over 400 are normally printed with an indicia on it. This process reduces the labor cost of physically addressing the mail piece with a stamp. However, there are situations where a customer intentionally wants a stamp on a postcard or letter instead of an indicia. We’ll discuss that concept on our upcoming blog, called “Letter Mailers.” All postcard sizes above 4 x 6″ print with an indicia.

Mailing Lists: An up to date mail list is very important. The post office now requires mail lists to be certified that they have been updated through a National Change of Address (NCOA). Action Litho updates all mailing lists at no additional charges for our mailing customers. However, it’s always a good idea to purchase a new list if the old list is more than 6 months old. We can also provide mailing list for your mailing, please call for details.

Get results from your postcard campaign through Action Litho today. Also follow us on Facebook or Twitter to get the latest news on postcard specials and other print and mailing specials we’re offering. Ask about free addressing (Direct Mail Service) for non profit organizations, and free delivery! Quality printing doesn’t have to be expensive, it should only look that way!