How to Create a Postcard Mailer for Your Campaign

7/19/2025

Key Takeaways

• Postcard mailers are printed cards sent directly to recipients as a more personal way to share messages and promotions.
• Postcard mailers stand out with high visibility, achieve strong response rates, and create authentic connections that digital marketing alone often can’t replicate.
• Effective postcard mailers start with clear goals, thoughtful design, and compelling copy, then are printed and mailed efficiently using trusted services like Eventgroove.

There’s something uniquely effective about postcards as marketing tools. Because they arrive physically in the mailbox, postcards stand out in ways digital messages often can’t—making them more likely to be noticed and remembered. Their tactile nature creates a real, personal connection that cuts through the noise of emails and social media posts.

That’s why knowing how to create a postcard mailer can be a powerful asset for any event, fundraiser, or business campaign. Postcards make recipients feel acknowledged and valued without requiring hours of personalization. A well-designed postcard mailer does the work for you, delivering your message in a way that is both memorable and impactful.

Explore Eventgroove’s postcard mailer services to see how easy it is to integrate this proven marketing tool into your next campaign.

How to Create a Postcard Mailer

Postcard mailers can be a great way to reach people, but if not done correctly, they can end up feeling more like generic leaflets than a way to improve your campaign and message.

If you want your postcard to carry that sense of genuine connection—even though everyone is receiving the same design—you should lean into the steps below:

Choose the right size and format

First impressions always matter. Therefore, you should carefully choose the right size and format for your postcards. They affect the visual impact as well as the cost and mailing options.

Standard sizes like 4.25″ x 6″ are budget-friendly and great for simple messages, while larger formats like 5.5″ x 8.5″ or 6″ x 11″ offer more design space to highlight bold visuals or promotional offers.

Think about what will stand out in a stack of mail without exceeding your budget or complicating postage.

Define goals and audience

A postcard without a clear purpose is just another piece of paper. Thus, before you design anything, clarify what you want your postcard mailer to achieve. Are you promoting an upcoming event, offering a limited-time discount, or simply building brand awareness?

Once your goal is clear, define your audience. Knowing exactly who you’re speaking to helps you choose the right tone and messaging to make them feel like your postcard was meant just for them.

Design your postcard

Always aim for eye-catching visuals that reflect your brand and resonate with your audience. Keep layouts clean and easy to follow, ensuring key information like event dates, offers, or calls to action are visible at a glance.

Incorporate your logo and brand colors to build recognition, and don’t overcrowd your design. White space is your friend and will help make the postcard feel polished rather than cluttered.

Write a compelling copy

The design will help grab readers’ attention, but it’s the compelling copy that determines whether the card keeps it. So, write in a tone that matches your purpose and audience. Keep it concise yet meaningful, using language that creates urgency or curiosity where needed.

For example, instead of “Join us for our annual sale,” try “Discover exclusive offers waiting just for you.” Include a clear call to action so recipients know exactly what you want them to do next—visit your website, scan a QR code, or bring the postcard to an event.

Choose a printing and mailing service

All the hard work from the previous steps can go to waste if the print quality disappoints. The printing service you use will essentially determine whether your postcards look as professional in hand as they did on your screen.

Eventgroove offers custom postcard printing and direct mail services that take the hassle out of the entire process. With us, you can complete everything in just four simple steps:

• Design your mailer: Use our printable templates or upload your own design file.
• Add your mailing list: Simply upload your CSV file directly to the platform.
• Review your proof: Instantly check your proof and approve when ready.
• Sit back and relax: We’ll print and mail your postcards via USPS First-Class Mail—or, if you prefer, have them shipped directly to you so you can distribute them by hand, at events, or through local businesses.

This integrated process means you can focus on your campaign strategy while Eventgroove handles the details.

Prepare for mailing

If you’re handling mailing yourself, make sure your addresses are current and formatted correctly to avoid delays or returns. Double-check postage requirements for your chosen size and weight to prevent unexpected costs.

However, if you use Eventgroove’s direct mail service, you won’t need to worry about these logistics. We handle everything on that end, too.

Why Use a Postcard Mailer

Postcard mailers remain an effective marketing tool, even with so much communication happening online. This becomes clear in the many benefits they provide, including visibility and improved engagement.

They stand out in a stack of mail without even needing to be opened. Their cost-effectiveness delivers strong returns for a relatively low investment. Beyond this, postcard mailers create tangible engagement by giving recipients something physical to hold and connect with, building a sense of familiarity and trust.

What the research shows

University studies reveal why postcards consistently outperform digital marketing. Research found that our brains process physical mail 21% faster than digital advertisements, requiring less cognitive effort to understand the message.

Canada Post’s neuromarketing research demonstrated that brand recall was 70% higher for physical mail (75%) compared to digital ads (44%). Meanwhile, a ScienceDirect study of postcard campaigns achieved a 2.7% response rate, exceeding typical digital marketing benchmarks.

The Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science also confirms that direct mail offers superior ease of processing by consumers, greater brand recall, and higher response rates than digital communication.

Their ability to combine physical design with digital elements like QR codes and personalized URLs creates countless opportunities to track ROI and enhance your marketing impact, all while making customers feel valued.

When to Use Postcard Mailers in Your Marketing Strategy

There’s a time and place for every marketing tool. Postcard mailers, in particular, are ideal for seasonal promotions, like holiday sales or summer specials, where you want to capture attention quickly. They’re also effective for announcing grand openings, promoting local events, or sending appointment reminders in service-based industries. 

For event organizers and nonprofits, postcard mailers are especially useful for promoting fundraisers, inspiring ticket or raffle sales, or driving participation in events like walk-a-thons, online raffles, auctions, or ticketed performances. Their physical format makes them stand out while delivering clear calls to action that encourage involvement.

You can also use postcard mailers for exclusive offers or promotions—a strategy that’s particularly effective in real estate, retail, or local services. The tangible nature of a postcard makes discounts feel more personalized and credible than those sent via email.

Postcards are also a thoughtful way to thank donors, show appreciation to loyal supporters, or remind past participants about upcoming opportunities. In nonprofit and fundraising campaigns, this kind of gesture helps maintain relationships and build long-term engagement.

The key is to align your postcard strategy with your campaign goals, whether that’s raising awareness, increasing attendance, or deepening community ties, and deliver messages that feel timely and relevant.

Pro Tips for Maximum Impact

One of the simplest ways to boost engagement when using postcard mailers is by adding QR codes or unique URLs to your design. This lets recipients respond instantly while giving you an easy way to track results and measure campaign effectiveness. Knowing how many people scanned your code or visited your link helps you refine future mailers for even better performance.

You should also consider combining your postcards with other Eventgroove products. Pairing them with matching event tickets can help reinforce your message and elevate the professionalism of your campaign. 

Looking for a branded giveaway or fundraiser add-on? You can incorporate your postcard designs with custom merchandise to leave a lasting impression—whether it’s T-shirts, mugs, or stickers.

Remember that digital marketing is too important to ignore these days. In fact, print can work even better when it complements digital. Therefore, to reach your audience in a variety of ways, combine your postcard mailers with emails, social media posts, and other online channels. Combining print and digital marketing will guarantee that your message reaches all intended audiences.

Conclusion

It’s only natural to keep up with the times. Today, technology shapes almost every part of how we connect and promote. Yet, classic pieces like postcard mailers still hold a special charm that resonates deeply.

With the right partner, you don’t have to choose between old and new. Eventgroove offers flexible postcard printing services to fit your needs—whether you want to design your own postcards from scratch, customize one of our professionally crafted templates, or work with our creative team to develop a unique design tailored to your campaign.

Beyond printing, we handle mailing logistics too, making it simple to reach your audience effectively and helping you create campaigns that leave a memorable and authentic impression.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most efficient way to send thousands of marketing postcards?

Using a direct mail service like Eventgroove streamlines printing, addressing, and mailing to handle large volumes quickly and accurately.

What’s the average response rate for postcard mailers?

According to the Data & Marketing Association’s Response Rate Report, postcard mailers typically achieve 4.25-9% engagement, depending on your audience, with higher performance for existing customers compared to new prospects.

How do I measure the success of my postcard mail campaign?

Track results using unique URLs, QR codes, or specific promo codes to see engagement and conversions directly tied to your mailers.