Amaze Your Target Audience With Folded Postcard Mailers

Can I mail a piece of paper without an envelope? We all have had this doubt at least once in our lives. And the answer to it is yes. Mail items that do not need envelopes are known as folded self-mailers. Instead of the envelope, you can print the mailing address and postage directly on the mailpiece.

Self-mailers are a very affordable and effective type of direct mail collateral. They are also attention-grabbing and impressive. 

All you have to do is print out your self-mailers and secure them with wafer seals or glue strips. Since there are no envelopes in the picture, a recipient can read your message instantly. As a result, it can significantly increase your open rates. 

So, what exactly is a self-mailer? It is a sheet of paper that is folded into two or more panels. The first or top panel usually has the address and postage. Your messaging should begin from the second panel. It is why self-mailers are also known as folded self-mailers. 

There are several types of self-mailers like self-mailer booklets, postcards, etc. Since there are no folds in a postcard, it is often not categorized as a self-mailer. But, when you fold postcards and send them without envelopes, they are known as folded postcard mailers.

You can also differentiate between the types of self-mailers depending on the number of folds. For example, there are bi-fold, trifold, and four-panel self-mailers. But, again, choose according to your design and message.

Please read below to know more about folded postcards and how to use them in your marketing strategies. 

Folded postcard mailers play a lot of roles in your marketing strategies. Find below some of the benefits that can help you understand them:

Creative and Eye-Catching

Self-mailers offer you a wide range of creative options, and there are no limits to your imagination. For example, you can use exciting graphics and bold headlines to grab the attention of your audience instantly.

Try using relevant imagery and colours to make your message pop. These visual effects can help you boost responses and engagement levels. 

Use folded postcard templates as a reference to design your self-mailers in the right way. 

Send Coupons and Discount Vouchers

Fold-out postcards are an excellent way to send discount vouchers and coupons to your prospects. Try using perforated coupons that the recipients can tear off and use. 

This way, you can present your offer to your target audience in an exciting way pushing them to complete the CTA. 

Invite People to Events

Want to invite prospects and customers to your product launch? Have a list of people to invite to your booth at a trade fair? No problem! 

Companies can send out folded postcard invitations to their audience with ease. Take care to mention all the essential details like the event date, place, and time. 

A Cost-Saving Option

Self-mailers are a very cost-effective direct mail option. Also, while using reply cards and perforated reply forms, you can integrate them into the mailer to save additional costs. 

You can send high-quality self-mailers at a relatively lower cost than letters. It is because letters need you to print multiple pieces like address labels, envelopes, etc. 

Moreover, it takes a lot of effort to print and mail letters. You may have to ask your staff to fold letters, stuff them into envelopes, and seal them. Not to forget the time needed to complete these tasks. 

Again, you have to spend extra if you hire additional human resources to do such menial jobs. So, it’s clear that sending out letters is way more exhausting and expensive than self-mailers.

Perfect for Bulk Mailing

As discussed above, self-mailers are pretty affordable and can still make the necessary impact on your audience. Hence, they are the perfect direct mail collateral for bulk mailing. 

Furthermore, companies can get bulk postal discounts enabling you to save additional costs. 

You can put together a list of 100 or 10,000 people and start sending your self-mailers to them. It is practically effortless to print, handle, and ship folded postcards.

Create an Impact

Self-mailers allow you to talk about your upcoming season sales, offers, etc. You can print your message right on the upper panel. 

A catchy tagline like “End of the Year Sale” or “50% Your First Purchase” can help turn many heads. Your headings should summarize your offer in the least words possible and also intrigue the reader’s interest. 

Fast turnaround postcards help brands impact their prospects and help them move ahead in their customer journey. Such offers or proposals can aid your purpose.

More Real Estate

Folded postcard mailers have way more space than regular postcards. It is because they are like a combination of two or more postcards. 

Self-mailers in Canada are mostly 9” x 12” with a folded size of 9” x 6”. But, these are just half-fold postcards. There are various other dimensions that you can use. 

If you have a lot of content to add, go for a bigger size or multiple panels. You can divide your content into several parts and add each of them to a separate sheet.

Find below some things to add to your foldable postcards:

• Contact information
• Brand vision and mission
• Reply cards
• Coupons
• Calendar
• Business schedule
• Mini product catalogue
• New product or service details
• Customer reviews

Good Alternative for B2C Companies

Are you tired of sending the same letters and postcards to households? Try folded postcard mailers instead!

Self-mailers are a combination of a postcard’s design and a letter’s size. Their layout is compact and small, like postcards, but they have ample space like letters. This combination can help you excite your audience about your brand and increase visibility. 

But, it is a good option only for B2C companies. For B2B marketing, you need something more professional, like a letter package. Yet, you can send self-mailers to your B2B clients too by using full-colour graphics and professional fonts.

Greater Privacy

Many people don’t see folded postcard mailers as safe or private. But, you need not worry about privacy as their edges are sealed. So, feel free to add personalized information to your self-mailers. 

Also, you can attach coupons without fearing if they will fall out. Self-mailers offer the same privacy as envelopes but refrain from sending confidential documents like tax forms as self-mailers.

Response or reply cards are one of the most crucial aspects of folded postcards. They offer a way for your recipients to respond while also making your self-mailers look good.

Alternatively, you can also use business reply mail to send a prepaid envelope to recipients to help them reply.

Before using such reply envelopes, consult your folded postcard printing vendor.

Apart from these envelopes, there are many other ways to track your mail campaign responses. The most common ones are:

• PURLs: PURLs can grab anyone’s attention easily and convince them to visit your landing page. You can make them more special by adding the reader’s name to them—for example, www.keith-judy.postgrid.ca.
• QR codes: They are popularly used in almost all marketing campaigns, both online and offline. Companies can add a QR code on the opening panel or let users spot them with a meaningful tagline on the inside.

Coupon codes: You can add a coupon code to your foldable postcards with a tagline, like “Enter this code on checkout to get a flat 20% cashback.” However, make sure that every person uses this code only once. Also, you can send a unique code to everyone to track all your respondents easily.

There are three popular folding options for self-mailers. Each of them is unique and has its benefits. Find these options below:

• Gatefold: Gate-fold mailers typically have two panels. When you gatefold a mailer, it appears like two gates opened by either the left or right side. 
• Barrel fold: Barrel fold is a technique of folding one section of your mailer inwards and continuing the process. Keep rolling and folding until you fold the entire mailpiece. It is known as barrel fold as it rolls out like a barrel when opened. 
• Double fold: In this method, you fold the postcard mailer in half and then half again. It is a prevalent way of folding self-mailers. But, the more folds you make, the more the inner panel gets buried deep inside. 

No matter what folding technique you use, your main message should be easy to spot by the recipients. Also, use a method that justifies the flow of your message and suits your campaign.

Following are some tips to help you conduct successful mail campaigns with a high ROI:

Follow Canada Post Guidelines

It is crucial to follow the Canada Post guidelines regarding folded postcards. They can help you send your mailers without any delays and other issues. 

Also, seal your open edges with tabbing or other methods. If you are not sure about how to seal your self-mailers, contact your nearest post office before you proceed with anything.

Furthermore, remember that your self-mailers will probably be mailed at letter rates. So, your folded size should fit in with your mailing service’s letter sizes. 

Connect the Panels

Always try to create a flow between all your panels to make sure that everything aspect of your message is highlighted in the desired manner. For example, every second panel should take ahead the message conveyed in the earlier sheet.

Let your words flow throughout these panels in a way that can help your audience read your whole mailer and also take action.

Pay Special Attention to Your Layout

Self-mailers are known for their striking visuals. Hence, pay attention to which layout you select.

Your layout should bring together the purpose of your mailing. So, instead of using a different artwork for every panel, maintain consistency.

Include Exciting Offers

It would help if you offered something to your prospects in exchange for completing your CTA. Also, take care to include the offer in a spot that the readers notice; don’t let it get lost in a pool of graphics. Some examples of the exciting offers include:

• Buy 1 Get 1 Free.
• Get a 20% discount on your next purchase.
• Carry this self-mailer to your nearest store and redeem your credit points.

Folded postcard mailers are one of the most creative direct mail items to connect with your audience. Also, the folded postcard postage rate is significantly less than that of letter packages—making it one of the most budget-friendly options.

You can use various tracking systems to measure campaign performance and maximize your ROI. 

Are you still wondering whether you can pull of a mail campaign successfully? Think no more! Try PostGrid’s direct mail API to make the entire process of designing, printing, and mailing a breeze for you.