Clever double-duty packaging inserts that you can make with postcards
Postcards are an effective and affordable way for small businesses to connect with customers on a personal level. This is true, especially if you are a one- or two-person operation. For one thing, custom postcards allow you to tailor your messages and designs. This is excellent for branding your business and creating marketing materials that resonate with your audience. Secondly, a smart design can work as a packaging insert and double as a handout or mailer. And finally, taking a DIY approach to designing business postcards is super affordable with the right tools.
Whether you choose custom printing or printing yourself, we have free tools to help you design DIY postcards that complement your business perfectly. In this article, we’ll show you five ways to use free designs for business postcards to create happy customers.
- DIY postcards to promote special offers & events
- Christmas postcards with discounts & shipping reminders
- Postcard design for customer loyalty cards
- Custom postcards to gather feedback for your business
- DIY postcards for business packaging inserts
How to create custom postcards
You can create custom postcards in two ways: 1) Have them custom printed, or 2) Print them yourself. Either way, it all starts with creating your custom design. One option is to use design software like Adobe Illustrator or Canva and upload a completed design to an Avery product template. This is a great option because Avery templates are perfectly formatted for printing on Avery products, so you get the most accurate preview of your finished project.
Another option is to create the design from scratch using Avery Design and Print Online (ADPO). ADPO is free online software with all the standard editing tools you need to create your own designs. ADPO is also the best tool to add your own complete designs to a blank Avery template, as mentioned above. Yet another option is to use predesigned Avery templates and add your own logo and text to fit your business. For example, in this article, we’ve provided five free business postcard templates that you can easily modify.
Custom printing vs. printing postcards yourself
Printable postcards offer several benefits for small businesses. The key benefits are the ability to produce small batches and fast, on-demand printing, making it easy to test multiple designs quickly. Avery printable postcards come in a variety of materials and finishes, including Kraft brown, glitter, metallic gold border, matte white, and glossy.
Avery WePrint® professional printing also has distinct advantages. The main advantage is that industrial digital printers can handle printing saturated colors, full-bleed designs, and photo images better, especially in large batches. As a result, when you order custom-printed business postcards through WePrint, it’s easier to scale up quantities. Our custom-printed postcards come in finishes including matte white, glossy, and pearlized.
5 ways to use business postcards to create happy customers
1) DIY postcards to promote special offers & events
Promotional postcards are fantastic to use as packaging inserts or simple handouts at in-person events. Coupon codes can help entice customers to attend events or give you repeat business.
Get this design custom-printed on 5″ x 7″ cardstock.
Looking to print yourself? Open the template and make your changes. Save the design to your Avery account, and then you can apply it to any Avery product.
2) Christmas postcards with discounts & shipping reminders
Create mail-ready reminder cards for the last day to order and receive items by Christmas. You can slip them into packages or mail them out if you have a customer address list. Using our mail merge tool in ADPO makes creating address labels for postcards extremely quick and easy.
Print this design on glossy white 4-1/4 x 5-1/2″ postcards (Avery 8383) that you can send in the mail.
To order this design on a custom-printed postcard, first save your edits, then apply the design to the WePrint product of your choice. Try a pearlized finish for a similarly elegant look.
3) Postcard design for customer loyalty cards
Including coupon codes in packages that are good for the next order is one of the best ways to encourage repeat business and customer loyalty. When you add a QR code and your business info, you can also use them as oversize business cards at events.
Print this design on 4″ x 6″ matte white postcards for laser printers (5389) or inkjet printers (8386).
To order this design on a custom-printed postcard, first save your edits, then apply the design to the WePrint product of your choice.
4) Custom postcards to gather feedback for your business
Listening to feedback is essential if you want to make your customers happy. Business postcards with a QR code link to customer surveys are amazing packaging inserts when it comes to increasing customer satisfaction.
Print this design on 4.25″ x 5.5″ matte white postcards for laser printers (5389) or inkjet printers (8386).
Or, choose “Let Us Print for You” to order custom-printed matte white, glossy white, or pearlized postcards.
5) DIY postcards for business packaging inserts
Thank-you cards are one of the most popular packaging inserts, especially for Etsy sellers. This design is fun and fresh, so it stands out, whether you use it inside your packages or as handouts at events.
Print this design on 3-1/2″ x 5″ matte white postcards with scalloped corners (5626). These cards are designed to work with both laser and inkjet printers.
To order this design on custom-printed postcards, save your edits, then apply the design to a WePrint product.
More custom & printable postcard templates
As mentioned above, every Avery product has a corresponding blank template, so you can make sure your design matches the product dimensions perfectly. To find templates on Avery.com, start by visiting the website and selecting the “Templates” tab at the top of the page. You can then use the search bar to enter your product number or browse by category. Once you find your product, click on it to see the available templates. You can choose to download the template in your preferred format (e.g., Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF) or open the template in ADPO to customize your template online. Once you open a template in ADPO, you can also browse a variety of customizable designs by using the left-hand category menu.
Printing tips for DIY postcards
The number one thing you can do to make sure your self-printed business postcards look good is to make sure that the type of postcards you use matches your printer. We wrote in depth about what kind of printer to use for labels, but the information also applies to other Avery products, like postcards. Use the table below to match up your printable postcards and printer using information on the product packaging or web page.
| Laser | Only print with laser printers, or your card product may melt. |
| Inkjet or Pigment Inkjet | Only print with an inkjet or pigment inkjet printer, or your ink will never dry properly. |
| Laser/Inkjet or Dual Compatible | The product is specially designed to be able to be printed on laser or inkjet printers. |
Additionally, when printing Avery products yourself, there are a few other things you can do to get the best results. First, ensure your printer is set to “heavyweight” or “cardstock” to handle thicker materials effectively. Next, make sure the scale is set to 100% to maintain accurate sizing. Lastly, always print a test sheet on regular paper first to check alignment and layout. Following these tips ensures professional-looking Avery business postcards and other printed materials.
Maximize happy-potential with versatile business postcards
In conclusion, using postcards as double-duty packaging inserts is a smart, cost-effective solution for small businesses aiming to connect with customers. Custom postcards not only enhance your branding and serve multiple functions, like promoting special offers or gathering feedback, but also create a personalized touch that resonates with customers. Connecting and building relationships with customers makes them happy by fostering a sense of loyalty and trust, ultimately leading to greater satisfaction and repeat business. With free Avery design tools and templates, designing high-quality business postcards is easy and affordable. Whether you choose to print them yourself or use our custom printing service, postcards can significantly boost your marketing efforts and help you build stronger, happier relationships with your customers.
Get more ideas for business postcards right here on the Avery blog, and check out our Pinterest board for small business ideas.
