What to put on an EDDM postcard so people call

You get about the time it takes to walk to the trash

Most cards get looked at on the walk from the mailbox to the kitchen. In that short trip, a person decides if your card is for them or for the recycling bin.

So the card has to answer two questions fast. What is this, and why should I call today? Everything else on the card is there to back those two answers up.

Designers call the second answer the call to action. On a local service card, it is almost always a phone call.

Lead with one offer, written like a price tag

Pick a single offer and make it the biggest words on the front. "$49 furnace tune-up" beats "Quality heating and cooling services since 1998" every time, because one is a reason to call and the other is a slogan.

Keep it to one offer per card. When a card lists six deals, readers have to choose, and most of them choose to do nothing.

If you sell many things, pick the one with the best margin or the most demand this season. Save the rest for the next mailing.

Make the phone number impossible to miss

The phone number is the second biggest thing on the card. Put it on both sides, in a size you can read with the card held at arm's length.

Write it out in full with the area code. Then say when you answer, such as "We pick up 7 days a week," so nobody waits for Monday to call.

A website or QR code is fine as a backup. Most people who are ready to buy a local service still pick up the phone, so give the call the best spot.

Give the offer a date

An offer with no end date turns into a "some day" decision. Print a real date three to five weeks after the cards land in mailboxes.

That window gives people time to find the card again on the fridge. It also tells you which calls came from this mailing, because callers mention the deadline.

Show one reason to trust you

Strangers need a quick reason to pick you over the name they already know. One real photo of your work or your team does more than a stock image of a smiling family.

If you have real reviews, quote one short line with the customer's first name and town. Your license number, years in the trade or a guarantee you honor every time also count. Pick one or two, not all of them.

Leave room for the post office

The back of an EDDM postcard is also the mail side, and part of it belongs to USPS. The EDDM Retail indicia goes in the upper right corner, and the address line reads "Postal Customer" instead of a name.

Keep your artwork and text clear of that panel, and keep the rest of the back simple. Our design team sets the mail panel for you when you add design, so the card is ready for the post office counter.

Pick the size by what you need to show

Every EDDM card has to be a flat: longer than 10.5″ or taller than 6.125″. Within that rule, the size should follow the content, not the other way round.

• The 4.25″ × 11″ postcard at $349 for 2,500 fits one offer, a phone number and a short list of services.
• The 6.5″ × 9″ at $379 for 2,500 adds room for one good photo.
• The 6″ × 11″ at $399 for 2,500 gives a wide front for a before-and-after pair.
• The 8.5″ × 11″ at $549 for 2,500 fits a small menu or a full price list.

A bigger card stands out in a stack of mail. It should not turn into a brochure.

Not sure your size qualifies? The EDDM size checker tells you in seconds, and the EDDM cost calculator prices the run for your number of homes.

What to leave off

Cut the mission statement, the full list of every service you offer and the paragraph about your history. Nobody reads them on the walk to the kitchen.

Skip tiny fine print that hides the real price, because people notice when they call. And drop the social media icons unless you post often, since an empty page does more harm than no link.

If you would rather not design it yourself

Our designers lay out the card for $69 on sizes up to 4.25″ × 11″ and $89 on 6.5″ × 9″ and larger. Send your offer, phone number, logo and a photo, and you get a proof to approve before anything prints.

If you are not sure which offer to lead with, call 512-573-1977. Corey has seen thousands of these cards and will tell you plainly which one he would mail.

Questions

What should be on the front of an EDDM postcard?

One offer in large type, your phone number, a deadline and one photo or line that shows why to trust you.

Where does the EDDM indicia go?

In the upper right corner of the address side, above the "Postal Customer" line. Keep artwork clear of that panel.

What is the cheapest EDDM postcard size?

Our 4.25″ × 11″ postcard, at $349 for 2,500. It is the slimmest card that still counts as a flat for EDDM.

Do you design EDDM postcards?

Yes. Design is $69 for sizes up to 4.25″ × 11″ and $89 for 6.5″ × 9″ and larger, with a proof before printing.