Online Postcard Printing - A Process Overview

I receive a lot of questions related to web-based postcard printing companies. How does the process work? What do I need to do on my end? Is it as easy as they make it sound? Et cetera.

So I thought I would dip into my past, when I worked for a couple of online postcard printing companies, and offer this overview. Of course, all postcard printing companies operate in slightly different ways, but most adhere to the process outlined below in some way. At the very least, this will help you better understand the process of online postcard printing and how it might benefit you.

Postcard Printing Companies Online

Postcard printing services are nothing new. These companies have been around as long as postcards have been around. (We are talking decades here.) But in recent years, there has been a new trend among postcard printing services, and that is the web-based approach. Today, dozens of companies offer online postcard printing services.

Printing Postcards Online?

So how does one print postcards online? Well, as in the past, the postcard printing itself is still done through a digital printer or an offset printing press. What's different here is the creation and submission of the design and the mailing list, the ordering process, etc.

In the past, you had to create your postcard design and then bring it to the printer, who would either scan the artwork (for digital printing) or convert the design into a printing plate (for offset printing). But the Internet has changed all of that. Today you can submit your design through the printing company's website and have them print it for you. Some online postcard printing services even allow you to create your design through their website, as described below. This is referred to, appropriately, as "online design."

Here is the basic process of online postcard printing. For the sake of simplicity, we will assume that the printing company in this scenario uses digital printers, and that the customer will design her postcard online through the printing company's website.

Step 1 - Design Selection - This customer wants to choose a basic postcard design and customize it with her message, photos, etc. So she browses through the postcard company's website to find a "design template" that will suit her needs. Eventually, she finds a basic postcard template that will allow her to customize the headline, upload a photo, and create a message for the front and back. So she selects the template and begins to customize it.

Step 2 - Postcard Customization - Obviously, the customer does not want to print and mail the postcard template as-is. So she uses the postcard company's online design tools to add her headline, main image, and supporting message. She does the same for the address-side of the postcard, leaving the address area blank as instructed by the template.

Step 3 - Design Proof and Approval - Once the postcard's design has been finalized, the customer will usually be presented with some form of proof. In the case of online postcard printers, this is often done through an online PDF or JPEG image of the final design, to show how it will look when printed out. So our customer reviews her design proof, likes what she sees, and moves on with the process.

Step 4 - List Upload - Online postcard printing companies usually offer more than one way to apply a mailing list. In most cases, you can either upload your own mailing list (in an approved format) or you can obtain a list online through the postcard printing company's website. Many postcard companies partner with data services like InfoUSA for this very reason. So for our scenario, let's say this customer has uploaded a list previously and has saved it to her account on the company's website. In this case, she simply selects the mailing list she wants to use and moves on with the process.

Step 5 - Select Postcard Printing Options - Printing options vary from one online postcard company to the next. But most of them offer some form of upgrade with regard to color, paper / card stock, glossy coatings, etc. So our hypothetical customer chooses 100# glossy card stock with full-color on both sides. This will give the postcard a more professional appearance and help it "pop" upon being removed from the mailbox.

Step 6 - Select Postcard Mailing Option - Most postcard printing companies offer more than one mailing option. For instance, you can mail by Standard Mail for a lower rate, or you can upgrade to First Class for quicker delivery with return service. Other postcard mailing options exist as well. As you would expect, the price goes up accordingly.

Step 7 - Review and Submit the Order - Now our customer has created her postcard design online, approved the proof, selected a mailing list, and chosen a few printing upgrades. Now she's ready to review the order. As with any online ordering process, this usually involves a review page that will show the quantity of postcards to be mailed, printing options, postage / mailing options, and a total cost for the order. Our customer reviews the page, agrees with the total amount, and clicks a "Submit" button. Now the order has been placed.

From the customer's standpoint, this is all there is to the process. On the postcard printing company's end, they will now merge the design with the mailing list (using variable data technology), send the merged artwork / address file to the printer, produce the postcards on the chosen paper, cut them, sort them, and take them to the post office for delivery.

Convenience of Online Postcard Printing - From the example scenario above, you can see that the number-one benefit of using an online postcard services is Convenience, with a capital 'C.' The customer only has to interact with the printing company's website. And if the website is well-designed and easy to use, the process can be even more enjoyable. All of the "heavy lifting" (printing, cutting, sorting and mailing) is done by the postcard printer.

I hope this guide to online postcard printing has helped you better understand the process. By understanding the process, you'll have a much easier time choosing a postcard printing company that meets your needs.