How to Print Postcards at Home With Word-Processing Software

How do you make a postcard with a word processor?

Although the project is easy to do at home, it may take a little time to get comfortable if you aren’t well acquainted with your word-processing software. These instructions will help you get started.

1. Create a document that’s 4 inches tall and 6 inches wide.

Average postcards are 4 inches by 6 inches. Size is an important consideration because the bigger the postcard is, the more it weighs. The weight determines whether you can use a postcard stamp or a regular stamp. If you want to use regular stamps, feel free to make your cards bigger. 

Kelly Dee Williams, executive creative director of Superbase, cautioned that bigger isn’t necessarily better with direct mail pieces. 

“With so many businesses trying to maximize their print space by choosing the largest possible postcard with the largest possible font, I always think that a smaller postcard can feel more personal and less like an overbearing advertisement,” Williams said.

2. Add clip art, photos and text.

Use your word-processing software’s Insert option to add clip art and photos, and then enter your text. Most postcards have one image that covers the entire surface of one side with a simple message at the bottom. Try to fill the full card space with an image or message. You can do so by clicking and dragging the small squares at the corners of your image to enlarge it.

3. Print the postcard onto card stock.

You may need to adjust your printer settings to accommodate card stock, which is thicker than typical computer paper. To do it, open your software’s printing options and select Properties and Paper Type. Choose the Card Stock option from the menu and click OK.

4. Cut the printed card stock.

Cut the document to fit the envelope you’re using. If you’re not using an envelope, cut the card stock into a 4-by-6-inch rectangle using scissors or a paper cutter.

5. Fill out your postcard.

Write a message and an address on the blank side of the postcard. With a pen or pencil, draw a line down the center of the card, placing your message on the left and the address on the right. This is the standard postcard layout.

What supplies do you need to print postcards at home?

The supplies you need to create your own postcards for a direct mail marketing campaign are easy to find and inexpensive. You’ll need:

• Scissors
• Card stock
• A printer
• Software
• Clip art, stock photos or images
• Pens or pencils

If you’re feeling fancy, add other supplies to dress up your postcards. Colored envelopes, stickers, markers or an embossing stamp can add a personal touch.

What postcard specifications must be followed?

Assuming you plan to send your postcards via the United States Postal Service (USPS), you must ensure that they meet certain specifications. The USPS often charges postage rates based on your item’s size, weight and other key attributes. Tacking a single stamp onto an oversized item may result in returned mail.

The good news is that the problem is easy to avoid: Send only postcards that meet standard specifications. 

Small businesses may also need to include barcodes on their postcards to meet USPS automation requirements. The barcode — typically an Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) — contains routing and tracking information that allows USPS machines to quickly scan, sort and direct the mail to its destination with greater accuracy and efficiency. That helps ensure accurate processing, reduces postage costs and speeds up delivery.

“Postcards also have to have a 1-by-1-inch space in the upper-right corner for postage, and the barcode area should not be blocked,” said Annie Burch, creative director at UpSwell. “Otherwise scanning machines won’t be able to read them.”

Other specifications are as follows:

In addition to size, thickness and shape, Burch emphasized the importance of image quality.

“You want at least 300 dpi for high-quality prints, and you’ll want to make sure that your document is set to have bleed lines if you want it to reach all the way to the edges of the postcard,” Burch said. “Bleed lines are often overlooked by small businesses.”

Other options for creating postcards at home

You don’t have to have a word-processing program like Microsoft Word to create postcards at home. Check out these alternatives that let you create postcards on your computer, tablet or smartphone.

Canva: built-in functions for drag-and-drop design

Canva is free, easy-to-use, cloud-based design software. It allows you to create social media marketing posts, flyers, brochures and various other documents, including postcards.

“Canva is great because they have lots of different templates, and they also have a drag-and-drop editor to make it really easy to create postcards,” Burch said. “We have many clients who create postcards in Canva and then upload the design for us to print and mail.”

Here are some of the benefits of Canva that your word-processing program doesn’t include:

• Numerous layouts: You can start with a professionally designed postcard and swap out elements such as pictures and text. The result is a high-quality design with little effort.
• Plenty of fun elements: Canva lets you add pictures, stock photos, clip art, shapes, text and fun backgrounds.
• A wide array of options: You can make many small changes that add up to a big result. Edits include changing the color of almost anything, making elements transparent and selecting from a vast library of fonts.

Canva is free, and so are its millions of design elements. If you want access to even more options, you can pay $15 a month for a Canva Pro subscription.

Once you design a postcard in Canva, you can download it for easy printing.

Adobe Express: quick postcards for home or business

Adobe offers an online program for making postcards with Adobe Express. The basics are more straightforward but less flexible than Canva, but Adobe Express is a quick and easy way to turn your smartphone photos into printed postcards.

“Adobe Express is good because it has premade templates, which makes it really easy to create quick designs,” Burch said.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Pick a size and orientation: You can choose landscape or portrait orientation, whichever best showcases your picture or message.
2. Choose a theme: Themes come with ready-made graphics and a selection of colors and text to make your postcard look professional.
3. Add your images and text: You may need to compress any JPEG images. 
4. Download the postcard: You can share it via social media, email it or print it.

“When it comes to the most ideal software to design your postcard, there are so many resources available that make this step a breeze,” Williams said. “But for this same reason, so many postcards are templatized and not composed specifically for your information. I recommend working with Adobe software or an experienced graphic designer or marketing studio to ensure your postcard is designed in the most attractive and appealing way.”

You can try Adobe Express for free, which lets you create and share content but doesn’t provide access to all features. If you want full access, you can subscribe to Adobe Express Premium, which costs $9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year when paid annually).

What if you don’t want to print postcards yourself?

Even if you don’t have a printer, you can still make your postcards at home or from anywhere in the world.

“Many direct mail companies have options for quick design via templates or drag-and-drop interfaces, and then you can order your postcards and have them sent out all in the same browser window,” Burch said.

Numerous apps allow you to quickly use pictures from your phone, Facebook or Instagram to create professional-looking postcards. You can type a message to be printed on the back of the card, along with the address for one or more recipients. You can have the postcard printed and mailed to the recipient for just a dollar or two.

That is an excellent option if you want to send cards during personal or business travel and don’t have access to a printer. You can even send cards while waiting at an airport.

Here are some apps that let you create and send printed postcards right from your phone:

• Postagram (Android and iOS)
• TouchNote (Android and iOS)
• MyPostcard (Android and iOS)

“You can design and order prints through many different services, including UpSwell Marketing, which is a direct mail company that specializes in postcards for small local businesses,” Burch said. “Of course, you can also go to a local print shop or a supply store like Staples or FedEx Office to get prints, but you’re going to get better quality from a direct mail company.”

Whether you stick with traditional print postcards or go digital, these services let you make your own postcards. Design, print and mail your postcard today to share a trip, memory or promotional message.

Amanda Hoffman contributed to this article.