How to write a postcard

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two postcards on a desk

Okay. So you gave up snail mail for email. Then you gave up email for texting. But you may still have a favorite aunt or grandfather who expects to hear from you. You’ve forgotten how to write in complete paragraphs. What to do? Try a postcard.

They’re short. They’re cheap. And the results you get can be as effective as the old-fashioned letter. Postcards are fun to receive and collect. There’s even a field of study related to history and collection of postcards. It’s called “deltiology.” You may start a new trend among your friend if you begin sending postcards. Learn how to write a postcard and you can take care of your writing obligations in a jiffy.

Start with the basics

A postcard is rectangular, with the long side parallel to the address. The card should be between 3 x 5 and 4 1/4 x 6 inches in size. The postal regulations determine “legal” dimensions, including thickness (between 0.007 and 0.016). Index cards meet the thickness requirement.

If you plan on printing your own cards, check your cardstock weight with the post office before beginning. Your card must conform to the allowed sizes. If it does not, it will be charged standard letter rates, or worse yet, it will not be mailable.

The front of the postcard usually contains a picture, artwork, or an advertising message. The reverse side is where the personal message, postage, and the address are placed. The message is on the left. Sometimes, a description of the front will be preprinted at the extreme top left in small font.

The right and left sides are usually separated by a vertical line. The postage stamp is placed in the far top right corner. Postage stamps cost less than for first class mail. You can also purchase postcards with pre-printed postage from the post office. The recipient’s address is written on the right-hand side.

Postcards are not sent in envelopes, so your message is public. Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want someone else to see.

Uses of postcards

Postcards can be used when you have a brief message to get out. It could be a thank you, an invitation, or a greeting from a vacation spot. Businesses also make use of postcards as an inexpensive way to advertise products and/or services.

The “wish-you-were-here” message is probably the most common use of postcards. It’s almost considered mandatory to send a message to friends, coworkers, and family when you’re vacationing in an exotic locale.

Start by writing the date at the top right of the message section (on the left side). You may want to write the name of the city you are in, unless the postcard makes that obvious. Write your greeting (Dear . . .,), then write your message. If you haven’t run out of room, sign your name.

Here are some tips to move beyond the worn out sentiments:

  • Tell about your visit to the site pictured on the front
  • Describe an interesting outing
  • Talk about a new food you tried
  • Mention something out of the ordinary that you saw or experienced
  • Tell about people you met
  • Share an embarrassing cultural or language use mistake
  • Explain the transportation options

Here’s a tip to streamline your postcard obligations on a trip. Before leaving home, print a sheet of address labels for people who will expect a card from you. If you will be traveling abroad, include the country in the address. As you send cards, use the address labels on the postcards. You can see at a glance who still needs to receive a card.

If traveling abroad, don’t forget you have to use postage from your host country. Buy only as many stamps as you expect to mail before moving on to the next country. Leftover stamps make nice souvenirs, but are a waste of money. You might want to take your postcards with you when you go to the post office. Show and tell is a lot easier than trying to explain what you want in a foreign language.

Marketing with postcards

Effective marketing can be done with postcards. You can create your own on your computer or have them printed at your local printer or office supply store. You can even use a mailing service that will help you choose a design, write ad copy, and maintain your mailing list. Writing your message on a card can be good practice for presenting your selling points in a concise, convincing manner.

Whichever method you use, postcards are still a viable way to promote your business. Contrary to popular opinion, there are still people who are not accessible online.

eCards

For an even more economical use of postcards, head to online sites. Many are available that allow you to send a “postcard” through email.

Still not sure what a postcard should look like? Head over to ReadWriteThink.org. They have a step-by-step interactive tutorial on writing a postcard. When you finish, you can actually print out a copy. This is an excellent way to teach your children about postcards.

Something to write home about

Once you get the hang of it, you may decide that writing postcards is fun. You may even get into collecting them. But the first step is to learn how to write a postcard. Warning: it could become addictive. You may find yourself planning trips just so you’ll have an excuse to write home about it.