Getting started: Choosing the right style of four color post card printing
By Marlon D. Ludovice

There are a lot of ways to create and design your post card, whether in a black and white color or to the stunning four color print. You can also do it as simple as it is or make it as creative as possible. Nobody will stop you making your own style of post card because it is you who will decide for whatever idea you wanted to incorporate in your card…you’re free as a bird to do things the way you wanted it to be.

But most of the clientele would want to express their postcard in an eye-catching four color print. They believe that the more vibrant the postcard will be the more customers will pay attention to it and give cognizance to the postcard. However, the question is, if you’re just starting to use a four color postcard what will be the best design to apply? A common question of a beginner who wanted to bring out the best in his four color postcards.

Before developing the design of your postcard asks yourself what is this postcard intended for? Is it an order form, mini-news release, or a general statement of my products and/or services? Make your postcard in a way that will influence the reader to take action. Make sure that if your postcard is a form for ordering or surveying, keep it simple because too much text can be confusing which may cause the reader to lose interest.

When choosing a font make sure you use at least 10pt text. A sans-serif font (Arial, Tahoma, Verdana) is best suited for smaller type size because it has a cleaner sharper look. According to recent marketing research it is proven that full color postcards are more effective than postcards printed in one or two colors. The visual cues in full color printing capture the attention of the reader. Another consideration when designing your custom printed postcard is what type of card stock you will use: coated or uncoated. Coated card stock will express your message on your postcard more vividly since the stock offers a smooth glossy finish adding also its durability.

Choosing your own style of four color postcards is easy if you are going to consider the following tips suggested below:

• Prepaid return postage.
• Pre-addressed return address on card or a pre-addressed envelope.
• Color. Neon-bright paper, pre-printed paper, or photo-postcards attract attention.
• Plenty of room to fill in names and addresses, and easy-to-read large type.
• Check-boxes that allow the recipient to quickly fill out order forms or surveys.
• Incentives such as free gifts or drawings for prizes to entice recipients to return surveys or other types of reply cards.
Include your mailing address, phone number, or other alternate contact information on the card.
• Repeat any special marketing message that is found in accompanying marketing materials.  http://www.theprintguide.com/postcard-printing/
• Calls to action. Always tell the recipient what to do with the card — "Fill it out & drop it in the mail" may seem obvious, but say it anyway.
• I agree that a great looking card is always picked up, remembered and will stand out on any desk. Great postcard designs will always be noticed in the mail. http://www.andreoni.com/. So the next time you decided to make your own postcard, try to be very smart!