What do you use when you make postcards? Cardstock or something else? Or do you just have them done by someone else?

I do my own since I don't have a lot of $$ to spend right now on these items. I also make my own brochures and business cards. I go to my local office supply store and buy card stock. You can find some really nice paper now at local office supply stores for making your own stuff. You can also find it online. I found HP brochure stock paper that is heavier paper and pre-folded for brochures. Of course, if you have the bucks you can get high quality stuff made for you.

Blessings,

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Lisa007
http://www.a1officepro.com

You can print your own on cardstock - they usually print two to a sheet. I do that for small quantities or customized postcards, but otherwise I use OverNightPrints to do the bulk of them. VistaPrint does them as well as a bunch of other places like printforless. Local print shops can be great too - especially for proofing them first.

I haven't used postcards yet but as with anything, quality counts. Get the best quality for your budget. If your postcard is the first impression your prospects get of your business, you want it to be the best.

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Shari Sultana
Online Business Manager (marketing for retail ecommerce)

I buy cardstock and print my own. I usually get 4 to a sheet. My new all-in-one machine prints them beautifully.

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~Christina|BD Mag|VOSTeam

I agree with Shari - get the best quality as you can afford. First impression is very important.

If my budget only allows me to spend 10 dollars on post cards and I had 2 choices:

Choice #1 - $10 dollars for 10 high quality cards
Choice #2 - $10 for 30 semi-quality cards ailty cards.

I certainly would pick choice #1. Its the quality that matters, not the quantity. Then again, its only my opinion. Do what you feel is best.

Vistaprint.com offers some professional-looking basic choices. I had some printed when I first started out and they're quite nice for what you'll pay.

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Brianna Young, VA and Graphic Artist
www.virtualsolutionsadmin.com
"It's not the piano that makes beautiful music. It's the person sitting AT the piano!"

Hi,

I agree with Shari and White Rose, when it comes to introducing your business to prospective clients I would go with quality over quanity all the time.

If you have a good printer and design software, there is nothing to say that your own postcards cannot be as good as that of a printers.

Good luck with which ever you decide.

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Vicky
www.c-vas.eu

I have used Vistaprint before and have been completely satisfied with them.

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Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

Originally Posted by wahm3blessings

What do you use when you make postcards? Cardstock or something else? Or do you just have them done by someone else?

If you do decide to do them yourself, make sure you check with the post office about the size requirements. The advantage to doing a postcard mailing is that it's less expensive than sending something first class. Alot of the design softwares have templates for postcards that include smaller and bigger sizes. It would be terrible to go through the time and expense of making the postcard only to have them all sent back for insufficient postage, or finding out to finish your project that the postage expense will be alot higher than what you thought.

Also, if you use a printer and a mailing house (sometimes these are one and the same), alot of times they will have a bulk mail permit. Depending on the number of postcards you are sending out, it will cost you alot less to send something out as bulk mail. You may be able to get a professionally designed and printed postcard and save some money on postage for the same amount you would pay to design and print it yourself and send it out at a higher rate.

Another little tip - if you are buying a mailing list, or you don't know every single person on the list, when you do your address labels do the first line with the persons name. For the second line, put "Or Current Resident". That way if anyone moved it will get delivered to whoever is currently in that space, rather than being sent back (and things will only be sent back if you send them first class mail - bulk mail will not get returned if you have a bad address).

Anyway, just some helpful hints. You guys can benefit from the mistakes I made! And I made ALOT learning how to do all this stuff! Have a good night, all!

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Yvone M. Kon
M.Y. Marketing & Design
Your Virtual Marketing Assistant - At Your Service!
www.mymarketingdesign.com