Postcard Printing Specifications

Choose the specifications suited to your marketing concept, the message you want delivered, and the budget at hand; this will make your recipients see that you are offering something of value. Start with the specifications of your printed materials.

The size, stock, color and quantity are the things that you need to understand when printing postcards. High-quality promotional materials lend credibility to a company and the products being offered. The design and message included in your cards should not just promote your products or services. These are crucial factors in gaining the trust of your potential customers.

• Sizes: There are various sizes of postcards to choose from. Choosing a size depends on factors such as your purpose, the amount of text and images to be included, and your budget. Small-sized cards are great for sending short and simple greetings to customers or friends. They are also inexpensive to print and mail. Large-sized cards can be as big as 6”x11” and are more likely to get people's attention.

• Stock: The paper you use for your promotional materials affects people's ideas of your company. Postcards printed on cheap paper won't reflect well on you or your products. Conversely, using good quality paper will leave a positive impression. Go for the sturdy 14 pt. coated or the 13 pt. uncoated card stock. The 14 pt. cardstock is available with either matte or gloss coating. Matte coating gives a postcard an elegant look and smooth feel. Gloss coating, on the other hand, provides a slight sheen and more vibrant colors. Choose the 13 pt. uncoated cardstock if you want deep, rich colors. It has the highest opacity among the three options.

• Color: No one wants bland and ugly postcards, so it is best to choose the right colors for your printed materials. Understand the color swatch chart and check which CMYK values will look right on your designs. Printing companies use the CMYK color printing process to produce full color prints. This is the combination of the colors Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key color black. When combined and mixed, these give a wide range of colors to the prints. You should also choose whether to have your cards printed in full color on both sides or on the front side only.

• Quantities: Modern printing technology has made it possible to choose between short run and commercial printing quantites. For rush postcard orders in smaller quantities, options range from 50 to 200 prints. These are printed using digital inkjet or laser printers. The printing turnaround for short run orders is 1 to 2 business days. Advanced offset printers are used for commercial quantities ranging from 500 to 100,000 prints. Offset prints have consistent color quality and are cheaper for large orders.