Postcards vs. Envelopes

Key Takeaways

• There are several pros and cons when comparing postcards vs envelopes.
• Whether you choose to go with an envelope or a postcard should be decided on a campaign-by-campaign basis.

Introduction

We have all received advertisements in the mail that come in an envelope or on a postcard. In fact, there is a good chance that you have both envelopes and postcards in your mailbox at this very moment. For your mailing campaign, should you choose to put your offer on a postcard, or should you choose to go with a traditional envelope?

Choosing postcards vs envelopes isn’t as simple as saying that one format is always better than the other. There are pros and cons to both postcards and envelopes and knowing the what the differences are between one and the other could help boost engagement and save money. So, how are you supposed to choose between using envelopes or postcards?

What Are the Biggest Differences When Comparing Between Envelopes vs Postcards?

The biggest difference when analyzing postcards vs envelopes is how much information they can communicate. Because postcards are limited to a single sheet of card stock, they are only able to hold a limited amount of information, whereas envelopes are able to hold more content, due to the envelopes being able to hold content. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing for postcards, as postcards have the upside of being able to be more visually appealing than an envelope can. With a postcard, the recipient can see fun designs, pictures of upcoming products, and your offer, without the mailer needing to gamble on whether the recipient would open an envelope. Postcards usually tend to work best for simple offers with a clear call to action.

As mentioned, envelopes have the ability to hold more information within them than a postcard. This information could be personalized to try to build more of a connection to the reader, it could be in-depth information on a product or offer, like a term of service, legal documents, or it could be a more complex piece of information, such as a pamphlet or a brochure.

When Would I Use Postcards vs Envelopes for My Campaign?

Making the choice between postcards vs envelopes for your mail piece should be made on a campaign-by-campaign basis. Depending on what the offer is that is on the mail piece, it could be worth using a postcard over an envelope, and vice versa. For example, if the mail piece has an image of a new, upcoming product, and the only piece of information on the mail piece is what the product is, when it’s releasing, and how much it’s going to cost, it could be worth utilizing a postcard for that, as the postcard significantly increases the likelihood that the recipient will have your headline, offer, and imagery immediately jump out to them. Another example could be if a company sends out information about an investment opportunity, which could come with terms and conditions attached to it, which could require several sheets of paper that go along with every offer. For that reason, an envelope could be the better choice in that scenario.

Another one of the big deciding factors for choosing between a postcards vs envelopes is the budget of the campaign. If the campaign has a lower budget, it could be worth choosing to use a postcard for the campaign, as postcards usually have a lower cost to mail, due to them requiring less materials and processing when compared to envelopes. Another budgetary concern that mailers should keep in the back of their mind is whether they should choose to use USPS Marketing Mail vs. First-Class Mail, which you can learn more about here.

Are Postcards or Envelopes Better for Direct Mail Campaigns?

As mentioned, choosing between postcards vs envelopes for your direct mail campaign is going to be on a campaign-by-campaign basis. It is going to be up to the mailer’s choice, the mail piece’s offer and design, and whether a mail piece has a postcard or an envelope. Instead of asking which of the two formats is better, campaign managers should be asking which format allows them to communicate their specific offer in a clearer manner.

FAQ

• Q: Could I use both a postcard and an envelope for my mailing campaign?
  • A: Yes, you can. However, you might be missing out on some of the draws of what differentiate postcards and envelopes if you do choose to use both, rather than one or the other.
• Q: Are postcards always going to be cheaper to use than envelopes?
  • A: No, not necessarily. Most are, due to the fact that they require fewer materials and don’t use envelopes. However, if a mailer were to use expensive postage, paper stock, and/or special printing options, the cost of a postcard could overtake an envelope.
• Q: When looking at postcards vs. envelopes, will one format typically get more engagement?
  • A: There isn’t a guaranteed winner when looking at engagement. Postcards are usually more likely to be seen, due to the fact they don’t need a plain-looking envelope, but envelopes could be seen invoke an air of curiosity, which encourages the recipients to open them to learn what’s inside. The best choice is going to vary from one campaign to another.

Conclusion

Choosing between postcards vs envelopes is much more than just a design decision, as it impacts how your audience experiences your message. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each format, campaign managers can select the option that best supports their offer, budget, and campaign goals.