The Importance of Font: 6 Tips for Designing Direct Mail Postcards

Typography is an incredibly important part of creating an effective direct mail marketing campaign design. Whether your company is designing a customized letter, brochure, postcard, catalog, or magazine, you’ll want to take into consideration the fonts you use. Using the right fonts can make your direct mail stand out and draw in new customers whereas using the wrong fonts can end up making your company look bad.

When done properly, typography can be a smart marketing tool strategically used to increase the results of your advertising campaign. An aesthetically pleasing font can make a positive impression on the readers and encourage them to be more engaged which will in turn, significantly increase your return on investment.

Please continue reading to learn more about the importance of a well chosen font and 6 tips for designing direct mail postcards.

1. Understand the different types of fonts

The first thing you need to understand about fonts is that there are two different major types. The first are serif fonts, which can be identified by their short lines and small stand-out features that extend out from the edges of the letters. One of the most common types of serif fonts is called Times New Roman. By using more decorative strokes, serif fonts can emphasize each individual letter. This can make every letter easily recognizable and aesthetically quite pleasing.

The second major type of font is called sans serif. Sans serif doesn’t have decorative strokes, flourishes, or details which makes them more simple. One of the most common types of sans serif fonts is called Arial. By using more simple and plain text, the words themselves are more emphasized. The simple nature of sans serif fonts makes them best for websites and online platforms.

2. Choose two fonts

For your direct mail postcard marketing campaign, you’ll want to choose two different fonts in order to create a visually appealing contrast. If you have too few fonts, your postcard may not stand out; however, if you have too many fonts, your postcard may get overwhelmed and difficult to read.

When choosing the right font, you’ll want to choose one that emphasizes your current brand and design. Choose a font that focuses on readability, your target audience, and your type of company. For example, if you have a high-end clothing brand, your font may want to choose a font that evokes feelings of elegance and sophistication.

3. Avoid these fonts

There are three fonts that should be avoided for direct mail postcards: comic sans, impact, and segoe script.

Comic sans is difficult to read on paper and can make your postcard and company look too young and childish. Impact is bold and ultra-thick which can cause it to be very difficult to read. This font is commonly chosen as a headline font though we strongly advise against it. It is usually recognized as an amateur and unfocused font.

Segoe script is another font difficult to read for most people. It also isn’t complimentary to other fonts and can make it incredibly hard to read large amounts of information correctly. Other fonts to avoid for direct mail marketing postcards include papyrus, courier, and handwritten fonts.

4. Choose one of the best fonts

Now that you know what fonts to avoid, you may be wondering what fonts are best for postcard advertisement? Verdana is a good option for direct mail because it looks good on both paper and online formats. This is great for companies who would like their online and direct mail marketing to match.

Helvetica is another amazing choice due to its simple and clean look. It is easy to read, making it perfect for direct mail that contains a lot of information. Lastly, century gothic is another sans serif font perfect for printed materials and postcards. This type of font is neat and has great readability even from far away.

5. Pay attention to your headline font

Your headline font is one of the most important fonts to pay attention to. It is essential for your postcard to have an attention-grabbing hook and headline font to grab your target audience’s attention.

Narrow headline fonts can be difficult to read and cause your readers to put down the postcard whereas heavy-looking fonts can take up too much space and leave very little room for the rest of your important information. Finding a font such as Helvetica, Lucida, and Optima are great middle grounds for a headline.

6. Ask for professional help from a designer

Typography can be much more complicated than you initially think. Choosing fonts that are absolutely perfect for your branding and overall design can be a daunting task. There are hundreds of fonts and Troi Mailing Services can help you find the right fit.

Your fonts should complement each other, enhance other aspects of your design, and pull your consumers in. They should encourage your target audience to read the entire postcard. A professional marketing designer can guarantee your fonts, brand, and text goes together beautifully.

For further information about Troi Mailing services and how our postcard specialists can help you, please feel more than welcome to call our Toronto office at 1-866-486-0423 or contact us here.

We can assist you with finding the right designs and fonts to make your brand and company stand out. If you have any additional questions about the importance of fonts and how we can send out your highly customized postcards as soon as possible, contact our team!