If your marketing budget has taken a hit lately, consider printing postcards to get your message out.

Because they’re smaller, and all in one simple unit with just two faces, postcard printing generally means less set up time and less ink used in print runs.

Given a decision in favor of postcards, you also have the option of going with black and white, rather than color. However, many postcard printing companies now print color for the same price as black and white, so this may no longer be an avenue of savings.

The cost of mailing a postcard in the U.S. beats the cost of mailing a letter; and that can make a significant difference if you do a major mailing. The pennies do add up once you get to mailings in the thousands or tens of thousands.

You also enjoy cost savings on processing costs, because the postcard is ready to travel as soon as it’s printed. You do not need to stuff mailers into envelopes, and that too represents a sizable saving. 

Where your time may increase slightly will be in writing. Because you have limited real estate for your message, you may need extra time to boil down the messages. This is especially true if you use an image and no text on the side opposite the mailing address. Crafting a concise postcard message will be good exercise in building your communication skills.

This brings us to one of the differences between postcards and mailers in envelopes – postcards generate leads, not sales. Most postcards should emphasize contact information, such as phone numbers and web addresses as the end point, not the sale. Sell when the prospect calls or visits your website, not on the card.

Summing up, postcards provide an opportunity to get your message to prospects for less than the cost of traditional print materials. But be strategic and aim for leads, not sales, and focus on a concise message before you begin the postcard printing process.