Postcards, envelopes and mailing, understood.
This topic covers anything that goes through the mail: postcards, letters, envelopes and the stationery inside them. The postcard guides compare 4 × 6, 5 × 7 and 6 × 9 in, set up the address side and plan a campaign from the offer to the budget.
The mailing guides cover the USPS rules that change the postage, such as machinable letter limits, square envelopes, window positions and paper weight. Direct mail postcards come in 4.25 × 11, 6.5 × 9, 6 × 11 and 8.5 × 11 in; postage is not included, and you mail them yourself. Start with postcard sizes for mailing, then the campaign planning guide.
Start here: Postcard sizes for mailing: USPS limits and file dimensions.
All postcards, envelopes and mailing guides
START HEREPostcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
Postcard sizes for mailing: USPS limits and file dimensions
USPS postcard pricing covers cards from 3.5 x 5 to 4.25 x 6 inches. See which sizes mail as letters or flats, the ratio rule, thickness and file sizes.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 7 MIN READ
Invitation and event printing: sizes, paper and timing
The 15 Voqado invitation and event products: sizes, matching envelopes, paper and foil choices, and a timeline built on real delivery estimates.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
4x6 vs 5x7 postcards: size, postage and which to choose
A 5x7 postcard has 35 square inches, 46% more than a 4x6, but with stamps it pays letter prices. Compare space, USPS rules, cost and uses before you choose.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
6 × 9 postcard printing: size, postage rules and file setup
Plan 6 × 9 postcard printing: current USPS card dimensions and thickness, why 6 × 9 is not an EDDM flat, bleed and pixel sizes, and where the address goes.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Best cardstock for postcards: thickness, weight and finish
The best postcard cardstock feels sturdy but stays under 0.016 inch thick for USPS postcard rates. Compare thickness, finishes and writing surfaces.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Can you write on glossy postcards? Choosing a writable surface
Why ballpoint ink skips on glossy postcards, which pens work on gloss, matte and uncoated stock, and how to order a card with a writable back.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
Postcard bleed template: file sizes, safe area and setup
Postcard bleed explained: add 0.125 inch per side, so a 4 x 6 card is built at 4.25 x 6.25 inches. File sizes, safe areas and pixels for eight sizes.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Postcard address layout: where the address and postage go
Lay out the address side of a postcard with the USPS read area, barcode clear zone and postage space reserved, then design the message area around them.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
EDDM postcards: USPS requirements and a print checklist
USPS requirements for EDDM postcards: flat size rules, the 3.3 ounce limit, 200 to 5,000 pieces a day, indicia placement, bundling and a print checklist.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Double sided postcard proof: how to check the front and back
How to proof a double sided postcard: flip direction, page order, trim, safe area, the USPS address side and every date, price and link on both sides.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Direct mail postcard campaign: a step by step planning guide
Plan a direct mail postcard campaign from audience and offer to budget, timeline and measurement, with the USPS limits and formulas you need before printing.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Postcard marketing examples: how to write an offer that works
See postcard marketing examples by business type and learn to write the headline, benefit, action and conditions so readers know how to claim the offer.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Track postcard QR codes without confusing scans and sales
Track postcard QR codes with a tagged link on a domain you control, then report visits, inquiries and sales separately against the number mailed.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Postcard A/B testing: change one decision at a time
A fair postcard A/B test sends two versions that differ in one element to comparable groups at the same time, then compares responses per card mailed.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Postcard campaign budgets: calculate break even honestly
Postcard break even equals total campaign cost divided by contribution per incremental order. Price printing, postage and shipping, then round up.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Restaurant postcard marketing: ideas and a planning guide
Restaurant postcard marketing works best for one occasion and one audience. See card ideas, sizes, offer rules, tracking and a timeline to plan around.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
Service reminder postcards: what to print and when to mail
How to design a service reminder postcard: one clear action, a due window, a reply method, what to keep off an open card and when to send it.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
Letterhead design: layout, specs and what to include
Letterhead design guide: what to include, where to place it, margins that work with printers and Word, paper choices, and a digital version to match.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
Envelope sizes chart: No. 10, a7, 6 × 9 and more explained
A clear envelope sizes chart for business and invitations: No. 10, No. 9, A2, A7, 6 × 9, 9 × 12, what fits in each, and USPS rules that affect postage.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Presentation folders: sizes, pockets, card slits and uses
Plan presentation folders: 9 × 12 in specs, pocket and card slit options, paper and coatings, and what to put inside for sales and onboarding.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
Business stationery set: what to include and how to match it
Plan a business stationery set that looks like one family: letterhead, envelopes, cards, note cards and folders, with sizes, paper pairings and layout rules.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Nonmachinable letters: the rules that change what you pay
USPS letters must fall inside set length, height and thickness limits and an aspect ratio between 1.3 and 2.5. Learn what makes a letter nonmachinable and how to avoid it.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Window envelope address position: aligning the letter to the window
Every character of the address must stay visible through the window across the insert's full range of movement, with 1/8 in clearance. How to align a letter template.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Where to put the address on an envelope, and how to format it
Delivery address centered and parallel to the longest edge, return address top left, postage top right. Formatting rules from the USPS postal addressing standards.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Paper weight for mailing: what survives the post and the printer
Bond, text and cover weights explained for mail: which run in office printers, which stay flexible enough to be machinable, and how thickness affects your postage.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Square envelope postage: why squares always cost more
A square envelope has an aspect ratio of 1, below the 1.3 minimum for a machinable letter, so it is always surcharged. Alternatives that keep the look and the rate.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Colored envelopes: making dark stock work in the mail
Colored envelopes get opened, but the address still has to be readable. How to keep contrast on navy, ruby and kraft stock, plus labels, panels and seal choices.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Letterhead second sheet: what page two should actually look like
Page two of a letter needs the same paper and a much quieter header. What to put on a second sheet, when plain paper is fine, and how to set it up in a template.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Note card sizes: flat, folded and the envelope that fits
Note cards come flat or folded at 5.5 x 4 in and 5 x 7 in. How much writing space each gives, which envelope each needs, and how folded cards ship flat and scored.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Presentation folder flat size: why the printed sheet is so much bigger
A 9 x 12 in folder prints on a much larger flat sheet that includes the pockets, spine and glue areas. How to read the template and what mails as a flat.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
Return address label vs stamp: which one to use and when
Labels work on any stock and in any color; pre inked stamps are cheaper per use and faster in volume. Compare durability, surfaces, cost per piece and where each fails.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 5 MIN READ
Can you mail a wax seal? What happens in the machinery
A wax seal makes an envelope nonmachinable because it creates uneven thickness, and machine pressure cracks wax. Hand canceling, flat alternatives and how to plan.
Read the guide
Postcards, envelopes and mailing · 6 MIN READ
When to send save the dates, and when to order them
Mail save the dates 6 to 8 months ahead for a local wedding and 8 to 12 for a destination. Plan the order date, guest list, wording and postage.
Read the guide