When it comes to design, form should follow function. Postcard design though is a stylish way of communicating your marketing message with your customers. Make sure that your primary function involves creating a strong impact with four color graphics and photographs. Follow this up with a strong offer, and you will get an increased response from your target market.

You can choose to have mailed without an envelope for faster and easier viewing, or you can place it inside an envelope to create more drama and intrigue. You can use postcards to send out information, give away coupons, or for a variety of your other marketing goals.

Here are few things you can do with your postcards:

1.Sale Announcements

These postcards are perfect to keep your important customers abreast with all the store sales and promotions. Sale announcements like posters and billboards can be shown effectively in a single page. And because you can pretty much predict the time the cards land in their doorstep, it’s easier to create a time-limit for these announcements and create urgency.

2.Increase Web Traffic

You can print out hundreds of these offline cards to increase your online traffic. These simple cards are easy to understand and are printed in full color so you can include illustrations that will guide your customers through your web navigation. This is perfect for businesses who want to convert their offline business into an online gold mine.

3.Trade Show Invitation

Many trade show invitations rely on the impact of their cards as a promise of what is to come. You can send these a few months in advance, and a few more times before the big event. Make sure you include teasers into your postcard to build up the buzz and excitement for your trade show or product launch.

4.Prepaid Return Postage

When you’re aiming for a high response rate, make it easier for your respondents to get your postcards back to you. If you’re sending out folded postcards with perforations that can be torn off for the reply, make sure it is printed with a prepaid return postage. You can use this as survey forms and order slips.

5.Seasons Greeting

Customers appreciate special attention given them by their vendors. Let your customers know they are remembered in these special occasions. Your postcards can go a long way in sending them your warm affections as you tell them how much you value their support and loyalty.

6.Variable Data Printing

You can make your postcard extra special and include the actual name of the recipient in the card. Seeing their name will make your customer pay better attention and increase the chances of a higher response rate. You can simply send your database to a printing company and they can print your customers’ names and your message using the variable data printing.

There are many postcard design strategies you can use to increase customer response rate depending on the project at hand. Always remember though that simple cards with direct and easy to understand message are always more successful than complicated ones. The postcard should follow a simple format that is easy to read and follow.