Postcards vs. Letters: Which One Should You Choose for Your Business?

Both postcards and letters are powerful forms of direct mail. However, they have different strengths.

This article will examine the benefits of postcards and how they can help your business. We will also look at letters, their advantages, and when you should use them.

4 Benefits of Postcards

1. Postcards are impactful.

Personalized Mail postcards are the most direct form of direct mail because they do not require an envelope. Recipients don’t have to tear open the envelope to see your message—all they have to do is open their mailbox. As a result, all postcards have a 100% open rate.

Since there’s no envelope, catching your customers’ eyes and grabbing their attention requires less effort. There’s nothing between you and your message. A well-designed postcard that utilizes colour, strong headlines, and high-quality paper immediately draws attention to your brand.

Postcards offer limited real estate, forcing you to distil your message to its most potent and effective form.

2. Postcards are concise.

As mentioned, postcards have limited space for your message. Out of all the types of direct mail, postcards often have the smallest dimensions. Although this may seem like a hindrance at first, it’s actually a strength. After all, people are busy (and attention spans are short).

Brevity is a significant advantage of postcards. You have to be thoughtful, intentional, and intelligent; what you choose to include (and exclude) matters. Honing in on your message allows you to create more compelling copy that will likely motivate consumers.

Vast swathes of information can bore and overwhelm readers. But no one gets bored reading a postcard–as long as you keep it short and sweet!

3. Postcards are customizable.

It’s easy to customize postcards to speak to your target audience. With variable image printing, elements like text, images, and graphics can be changed from one postcard batch to the next without interrupting the printing process.

This allows you to personalize your message so it has the most impact. Personalization can be added to multiple spots on both sides of a postcard.

Customization is increasingly vital in today’s marketing landscape. It plays a significant role in recipient receptiveness and differentiating your brand from its competition. A customized direct mail piece makes your customers feel special, valued, and seen.

4. Postcards are affordable.

Lastly, postcards are incredibly inexpensive. Since they’re only one piece of paper and do not require an envelope, they’re smaller, lighter, easy to print, and quick to process. As a result, the printing and postage rates can be kept as low as possible.

You can print postcards at a fraction of the cost of other forms of direct mail. These savings can be considerable when running large or frequent direct mail campaigns. Saving a few cents per mail piece does add up.

Personalized Mail postcards are more affordable, so you can run additional campaigns or perform further testing. When it comes to direct mail, consistency is vital. The more presence you can have in your customer’s lives, the better.

4 Benefits of Letters

1. Letters have more space.

Some messages require more space. If your direct mailer’s content is more formal or requires more in-depth information, don’t try to fit it all onto a postcard. In fact, significantly shortening your copy could detract from your message and call your professionalism into question.

Letters give you ample room to provide the information recipients require. The larger page area allows you to convey a more comprehensive message, use brand storytelling, address customer emotions, and add a personal touch to your marketing.

2. Letters feel trustworthy.

A letter, sealed in an envelope, feels more professional and trustworthy. It changes how recipients interact with your direct mailer. You can include different information and ask for more personal details within the context of a letter, which you can’t do with postcards. Consequently, letters are highly effective for businesses, non-profits, political candidates, and government organizations.

The size, envelope, and associations surrounding letters create a more official, formal experience and convey a sense of importance.

Letters also feel trustworthy because they provide the space to include more in-depth information and explanations. Recipients are more likely to trust (and respond to) your message if they fully understand it.

3. Letters are highly personalizable.

Additionally, letters are easy to personalize. Personalization makes your message more relevant and engaging to the recipient, which helps increase brand awareness and sales conversions. Increasingly, personalization is becoming a requirement for all forms of marketing.

You increase the likelihood of a response by addressing the recipient and referencing their previous interactions with your brand, tailoring your message to their needs.

At Troi Mailing Services, letters with variables and a high level of customization can be printed and personalized simultaneously through our digital laser printers.

4. Letters can evoke an emotional response.

Letters are highly effective at storytelling. The extra space means bringing the reader into the bigger picture and eliciting an emotional response. You have the room to explain why the reader should care about your message.

Getting recipients invested in your business is better for the company. It’s how you nurture customer loyalty over the long term. Letters are a fantastic way to connect with your customers more deeply and make them care about supporting your brand.

Should you use postcards or letters for your business?

Since postcards don’t use envelopes, they are ideal for immediate impact. Postcards are unparalleled if you want to make an impression right away with a concise, powerful message. However, their space limitations mean they are better suited for showcasing a single product, service, program, or event.

On the other hand, use letters for lengthy, informative, or formal content. Because of their format, letters can create a sense of credibility and trust.

Postcard Printing in Toronto with Troi Mailing Services

Troi Mailing Services offers high-quality, customizable, and cost-effective direct mail postcard and letter printing services to businesses in Toronto–and Canada-wide.

We also provide mail fulfillment services for Canadian and American addresses. Contact us today to plan your next letter or postcard direct mailing campaign.

To learn more about postcard printing and letter printing in Toronto, call Troi Mailing Services at 1-866-486-0423 or contact us here.