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 a 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 put an expiry date to drive urgency
- Contact: Make sure you have your website or phone number
- Call-out Benefit: Gets attention and intrigues the recipeint
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 s/he pauses and gives 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
Successful Client Examples
Direct-to-Consumer Mailing Example
Taking advantage of products and offers
Laurie, the CEO of Blue Canoe, uses her high-impact photography, a strong offer, and a compelling storyline about why her retail apparel connects with her audience. She incorporates testimonials, reviews, and a special note from her.
A template used to create the Blue Canoe design example.
Invite to Event or Introduce New Products
A strong brand makes for a powerful invitation
D. Porthault has a very strong brand affinity and beautiful products. They invite their customers to semi-annual events to showcase new products and get new customers in for their first “gateway” purchase.
A template used to create the D. Porthault design example.
Design Templates
Invite to Event or Introduce New Products #1
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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