Design Templates
Follow these examples showing Direct Mail best practices.
Our Designs and Templates can help you get started.
Direct Mail postcards are an ideal marketing touch: they get attention, have a strong shelf life, and use physical, visual cues to drive response. Yet many marketers have never designed for Direct Mail, and make mistakes that dampen the response rate.
These customer examples and design templates help you apply key elements of successful Direct Mail when building your postcard layout.
Example of an effective frontside layout
Postcards are visual, so make sure the image is strong, with good stopping power.
- Headline: Use a compelling, active-voice statement of no more than 7 words (like an email subject line)
- Clear & Strong Offer: Make sure that you have something valuable, and use an expiration date to drive urgency
- Contact: Make sure you include your website or phone number
- Call-out Benefit: Get attention and intrigue the recipient
Example of an effective backside layout
Because mail is often delivered address-side up in the mailbox, your prospect could see this side first. Write and design a strong headline and compelling offer so they pause and give your message a look.
- Backside Subheadline: Reiterate the benefit for the customer
- Backside Copy: Tell the story of your business. Don’t just have an image and an offer, and instead make sure your reader knows that you’re speaking to what’s important to them
- Call-to-Action: Make sure you’re telling the reader exactly what they should do next when they read the card
- Contact Information: Add a phone number, website, etc. so they know how to reach you
- Offer: Make sure this is highlighted on the piece and is simple to understand
- Testimonial or Social Proof: More people buy because of good reviews, so include them in the design
- ADDED ITEMS: Think about QR codes, opt-in Text Codes, and other interactive elements
Design Templates
Invite to Event or Introduce New Products #1
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Design Features: Multiple photos and a promotional banner for visibility. And, gives open space for high brand recall or recognition.
Best Uses: Products and special sales events. The banner helps to draw attention to the offer, and the surrounding photos give context.
Layout built for response
- Deluxe Postcard – 6″ x 8.5″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Invite to Event or Introduce New Products #2
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Design Features: Big hero image with a spot-pop offer. High contrast design to show off the offer, and also gives visibility for your company name.
Best Uses: For brands with a strong photo, and a useable testimonial for the backside. Perfect for consumer services (plumbing, solar, etc.)
Layout built for response
- Deluxe Postcard – 6″ x 8.5″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Template #1
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Design Features: Multiple photos, big offer on the front. Uses a strip for a real customer testimonial and space for more text.
Best Uses: Brands with multiple photos or images and a concise, clear, unique story with a strong customer quote.
Layout built for response
- Standard Postcard – 4.25″ x 6″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Template #2
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Design Features: Big image and open space for more text and reviews. The circled offer draws attention in contrast to the image.
Best Uses: Great for specific products that have reviews and unique features. Bullet points highlight how the product helps their lives.
Layout built for response
- Deluxe Postcard – 6″ x 8.5″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Template #3
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Design Features: Full bleed image with a ‘badge’ offer that makes a very simple, impactful presence. Backside is clean and high contrast to the frontside.
Best Uses: Great for services like real estate, car dealerships, home improvement, etc., where the business is selling one kind of item.
Layout built for response
- Deluxe Postcard – 6″ x 8.5″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Template #4
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Design Features: The big direct-response offer card, where you have a dollar or percentage off, and a strong call-to-action for the user to respond.
Best Uses: For brands or services that are in a price-competitive space, where there is high brand recognition and a special sale or offer is important.
Layout built for response
- Sumo Size Postcard – 6″ x 11″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Template #5
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Design Features: Multiple, equally-sized images and plenty of room for features, benefits, and a strong testimonial on the backside.
Best Uses: Promoting a line of products, and featuring a seasonal sale. Ideal for apparel or accessories, and for images that can be easily framed.
Layout built for response
- Deluxe Postcard – 6″ x 8.5″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Template #6
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Design Features: Two larger photos to tell a story of your business, and big blocks for text and an offer. Note the QR code (we can help), too.
Best Uses: Consumer services like home improvement, or summer camps, classes, and events for organizations.
Layout built for response
- Sumo Size Postcard – 6″ x 11″
- Sizing and postal regulations are correct
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Template #7
Roll over image to see Design Template
Design Features: Large attention grabbing image with headline. Dedicated areas to show off special pricing.
Best Uses: Consumer services like HVAC, home repair, and other local businesses.
Layout built for response
- Standard Size Postcard – 4.25″ x 6″ and
- Deluxe Size Postcard – 6″ x 8.5″
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
Business-to-Business Mailing Template #1
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Design Features: A dedicated block of text on the frontside makes a spot to tell a clear and compelling story of benefits.
Best Uses: Business services like consulting, accounting, and IT management, where it takes longer to consider, respond, and buy.
Layout built for response
- Standard Size Postcard – 4.25″ x 6″ and
- Deluxe Size Postcard – 6″ x 8.5″
- Elements of success built into the layout
- InDesign and PDF templates available
