How to Create a Postcard in 30 Minutes

Postcard printing can easily be done in 30 minutes. Whether you need to send an "emergency greeting" to Mom, or you need several marketing postcards produced for some chance customers, there are ways to print postcards in a hurry.

It will only involve some creative thinking in your part, an image, and a postcard template and of course your printer. So, if you want to know how to do postcard printing in 30 minutes, follow the five steps below.

1. Get your image - The first step to creating any postcard is to get or create the main postcard image. If you are creating a marketing postcard, hopefully you already have a few stock photos of your products in their most awe-inspiring states.

If not, they you may need to take a couple of quick shots using your digital camera. If you are creating a personal custom postcard, then you might need to take a few artful photos of the place or subject that you want to emphasize. You may even want to take a photo of yourself along with them for that more personal effect. It is best to do all this using a digital camera so that you can immediately see how your images look, and edit or retake shots if necessary. (10 minutes)

2. Get a postcard template - Once you have your primary image secure, it is time to get that postcard template. Postcard templates make the whole postcard printing process easier and faster. All you need to do once you get a postcard template is to just insert all the other custom details that you may need in the postcard. This includes the images, text and other supporting details that will turn the postcard template into your own unique design.

There are many ways to get a postcard template. The simplest and easiest way is to download a few free custom postcard templates over the Internet. Many online postcard printing companies offer free template downloads for postcards. These can be in the form of a few common file formats that you should be able to open and edit. Make sure you choose a postcard template that is perfect for your chosen image so that you will not have discrepancies in the layout and design. (8 minutes)

3. Add your custom image - Once you get your template, open it up and enter some pertinent details. If your template is a simple image file or a more complicated graphics file format, the best software for this job may be a graphics editing program like Adobe Photoshop, Indesign or CorelDraw.

Of course, this all depends on what kind of template you downloaded, but in most cases those software can be all that you need. As a backup, you can try opening them in Microsoft Paint, or Open Office's Draw software. Now, Of course the most important thing you need to enter is your postcard image. Most templates mark where you need to add your image. Simply insert or copy-paste your image into the template itself. Resize your image if needed so that it fits the dimensions of the template. (2 minutes)

4. Add your personal message - After that, you may want to add a personal or custom message in the form of text. If you were making a marketing postcard, this would probably be your sales message or company tag line. If it is a personal postcard on the other hand then you can write your personal message to Mom, or of course to any other loved one. Depending on the software you are using, you might be able to enter these texts with a variety of different font styles. Just mix and match the fonts so that they compliment your postcard image. (5 minutes)

5. Print them out - Once everything is done, all that is left is to print them out. If you have those picture papers in stock with the glossy, coat then that will be a perfect medium for your postcards. If not, then any kind of thick paper that will fit into your printer should do. Once printed then you are done! Congratulations! (5 minutes)

If you have a day or so before you need to give them out however, you can also have an online postcard printing company to deliver your postcards overnight. You can simply send them your full color postcard design to have it printed. Typically, the websites you visited with postcard templates will have this kind of service too. Having your postcard prints outsourced to printing companies makes your postcard look nicer and of course more professional.

Those are the five simple steps in making a postcard design in 30 minutes. If you include the optional "6th" step, you might need to wait overnight, but you will have a more professional finish to the postcards. Of course, it is your decision if you want to go through with that or not. The important thing is that you can now print postcards with relative ease and quickness.

Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of the developments in the postcard printing industry and updates about postcard templates ideas.

How to Use an Audio Postcard in an Online Information Business

In this article, you'll learn how to use an audio postcard in an online information business. Let's define our terms. First, what is an audio postcard?

An audio postcard is simply an email that has an audio file embedded in it. So instead of sending a text message, what we think of as an ordinary email message, an audio postcard has an audio file in it that plays when you open the message.

I'm sure that you already know what an online information business is or you wouldn't be reading this article. But, how can you use an audio postcard to the benefit of your business?

There are x ways:

1. To separate the way that you deliver content from the way the most other businesses deliver theirs.

Let me ask you something: How many emails do you get that are in audio format? That's what I thought. I don't receive them like that either. And I'm not sure why. It could be that the autoresponders have caught up to the technology yet, or it could be that text still has more impact that audio.

Even so, an audio message can be very powerful.

2. To deliver content.

You could communicate all or some of your content through audio. Some people prefer to read the information that you send; but imagine how much those who prefer to listen would look forward to the messages you sent if they were in audio.

3. To deliver a sales message.

Any email campaign worth its salt will contain sales messages. It's the way that we give prospects the opportunity to solve their problems with our products.

But we all know that our voices can be used effectively to persuade people to buy from us. Think of the struggle that car dealers would have if they tried to sell us their wares without saying anything.

4. To deliver both content and a sales message simultaneously.

The best email campaigns mix their sales messages with good content. For some, it's easier to be persuasive by speaking than it is by writing. This is probably because putting emotion into one's voice is less difficult than creating the same feeling by describing it in writing.

5. To give your prospects the opportunity to hear your voice.

This may be the most important reason why you'd want to use an audio postcard, especially if your voice is soothing and reassuring.

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Guide To Creating Your Own Postcards

Postcard printing on your own is actually easy. The main element of postcard printing is its image. Just arm yourself with archives of pictures and you are ready to create your own personalized postcards. As for the format, you can find a wide selection of postcard templates which can be printed in different sizes such as 4x6 postcards.

Picture Files

If you want to use your own pictures in the postcard, store them in one file so that it will be a lot easier for you to upload them when you are creating them. For those pictures that you find on magazines, newspapers or other forms of print materials, just scan them and save them in the same file with the rest of your own pictures.

Design

If you have advanced knowledge of designing, you can use Adobe, Corel and others. Design software provides you with all the liberty and creativity to produce great looking postcards.

However, if you have limited knowledge when it comes to computers and software, worry not. Word processors such as Microsoft Word and OpenOffice have their own options to create postcards using postcard templates.

Printing

There are two ways to do this: at home with your own printer or online printing. Printing at home is cost effective but with limited choices. Postcard size, paper, quantity and quality of printing will depend on your printer and ink. For small quantities of 4x6 postcards or small to medium sizes, you may have them printed at home.

The process for printing at home is the following:

1. Download Free Postcard Templates from any source you find online.

2. Open the postcard template in Microsoft Office or OpenOffice.

3. On the first box on the screen, click "Add Image" and add your picture.

4. For resizing it to a 4x6 postcard (for example) and the image is too big or too small, position your cursor on the corners of the picture. You can then adjust the size.

5. Add your text or message.

6. The screen will show several boxes (or same postcard template) so just copy the content of the first postcard and paste them on each box until they are all filled.

7. Go to "Print" to produce your postcards.

The process for online printing is the following:

1. Choose an online printing and navigate your way on its site. Find the "Postcard" or "Order/Purchase" link.

2. If there is a Postcard link, click on it. This should lead you to their postcard templates. Click on preferred postcard template.

3. Click "Add Your Design" or "Upload Image" and choose your preferred picture.

4. There should be instructions as well as to how to resize your image and add your texts. Just follow them and you will be okay. If you want to use 4x6 postcards, just find the "postcard size" option.

5. The more you order the better price. Online printing companies offer discounts for bulk orders. Type the number of postcards and click "Add to Cart" or "Submit Order."

6. Make your payment and complete the rest of the purchase process.

This guide should let you produce gorgeous postcards even with the use of postcard templates. If you want to experiment (first), try printing 4x6 postcards and see the results.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Postcard Templates

Janice Jenkins is a writer for a marketing company in Chicago, IL. Mostly into marketing research, Janice started writing articles early 2007 to impart her knowledge to individuals new to the marketing industry.