How Much To Charge For Postcard Design: With Expert Tips! 

The first mistake that many designers make while charging for their postcard design is that they don’t research and consider the required factors. 

It is important to understand your skills and the market; that is why you need to come up with the price for postcard design. The price per designer for a postcard design can be from $50-$200 based on the skill of the designer and the design itself. 

You may charge lower rates if you are working on a simple design. But that’s not all that you should keep in mind. So, how much to charge for postcard design? Let’s get a hold of it! 

The Brief History Of Postcards

Postcards have been in use since the 1800s. The first proposal for a postcard was made by a company in France in the 1770s, but it was not well received. 

It was in the decade of the 1840s that the postcards began to become accepted. One of the earliest known picture postcards, hand painted, was sent by English writer Theodore Hook. 

On the other hand, this invention sparked a worldwide postcard craze. In addition, they became rather important people, especially after realizing that it is an easy and quick medium of reaching out to people insiders. 

Postcards, which came with beautiful, much-tucked letters and were pocket-sized, remained a preferred means of communication for the next one and a half centuries. 

An increase in the availability of faster means of communication saw a downturn in postcard sales during most of the 20th century. Postcard lovers have, on the other hand, experienced a certain rejoicing disappointment, souvenirs postcard lovers have over the last 15 years of the century. 

How To Design A Postcard?

The postcard design is a great way to let your creativity out while also marketing yourself or a certain message. When creating a design, it is important to ensure that the design captures the target audience. Therefore, here are the steps to design a postcard: 

Step 1: Identify Your Audience 

Identifying the intended audience comes first in the process of postcard design. Consider their age, what they like doing, and their interests. 

If you would like them to find your postcard appealing, this is a good place to start when designing it. Invitation cards for parties are normally filled with more color, while those for business-related activities are more formal. 

When you know who you are addressing, your postcard’s tone and style can be adjusted to whom you are targeting. Find out what would excite them and touch on them.

Step 2: Choose The Appropriate Size And Format

By definition, the size and format are critical elements in developing a postcard design that works. Postcards may also be available in sizes like 4’’x 6″, 5’’x7″, and 6’’x9″ etc. 

Each size works for different reasons, and some even seem off as they don’t match the content you have in mind. Shipping a bigger postcard might seem quite pricey, but in designs, it could be an added advantage. 

You need to consider a format that will improve your design and message. When it comes to orientation, consider the best angle of your audience when arranging your content in either landscape or portrait format. 

Sticking to the right size and format of your postcard increases its professionalism and helps it fit inside the mailbox.

Step 3: Select Appropriate Colors And Images

The graphics and colors incorporated in your postcard contribute significantly towards making it more appealing. Make sure that you select colors that serve a purpose as well as those that will seek the attention of your target audience. 

As an illustration, muted colors could denote sophistication, while bright colors may catch the eye and give the feeling of excitement. Use only high-definition images that pertain to the message. 

In order to incorporate some visual elements into your design and make it more appealing, add pictures, illustrations, or graphics, and make sure that the images and colors that you use blend well together and fit your corporate ethos.

Step 4: Create The Appropriate Message

The meat and potatoes of your postcard are its message; hence, ensure it is at its best. Be concise, attention-grabbing, and clear about your point. 

Set it straight; start with a good heading. After that, follow up with a compelling text body that will maintain the attention of the reader. 

The message could be for an invitation, a business proposal, or a personal proposal, but in the end, your message must resonate with that of the postcard. 

If necessary, end with a sentence calling on any activity you would want your readers to perform at this point. The impression in terms of communication that your postcard will enhance will rest solely on the kind of message you capture in writing.

Step 5: Compilation Of The Material With Postal Guidelines

Now, the time has come to start putting your design together after you have decided on content, colors, and format. 

Arrange your typed text, photo, and other elements into an interesting design. Keep in mind the postal requirements, especially the adequate space left for address and postage. 

To find out if there are any size restrictions or specific requirements, contact your local postal office. Follow these instructions above, and your card will be in the mail without any problem. Your design is now ready to go to print and be used after you have completed it.

Step 6: Choosing The Best Postcard Printing Company

The printing company should be chosen to make the ideas or designs come out of the postcards. Look for a company that not only provides superior printing but also provides additional services. 

Compare prices and read reviews about the product before you purchase in order to maximize the value of your money. 

Engaging a professional printing company will help make sure that your postcards are charming and impressive and will capture the attention of your target audience.

How Much To Charge For Postcard Design?

The costs associated with the postcard design depend both on your requirements and preferences. For your understanding, we have attached the clarification of the different types of pricing schemes.

Average Design 

Charging $50 to $200 is on the good side when you are designing a minimalist design with professionalism. However, in the case of minimalist design for big businesses or formal situations, you might need to charge more. 

Medium-level Design

Most freelancers and professionals charge around $300 – $1000 for medium-level designs with minimal complex requirements. The degree of your talent will affect the price at the end of the project. 

For instance, the charge for the services of the offshore designer can be estimated at $150 to $250, while a beginner freelancer will charge $250 to $1000. 

If a company needs a seriously professional crew of designers, their budget may hit the $5000 mark, but one may be assured the gains will be worth it. 

Advanced Design 

Advanced, complex, and more professional postcard designs require more effort, so you may need to charge around $2500 to design a striking postcard. Most agencies charge this much as a part of their complete brand development offerings. 

They will use a team of professionals to create a cohesive appearance of the brand. With this service, the end product looks and feels professional. However, this all-embracing approach has its drawbacks. 

For local agencies, the cost stands between $2500 to 3500. For small agencies, the average cost is around $3500 to $5000, while the average price range for medium-sized agencies is around $5000 to $10,000. 

More substantial agencies might demand as much as $10,000. However, Oyolloo charges a very reasonable amount for postcard designs that don’t break the bank. 

Factors To Consider While Setting Up The Charge For Your Postcard

Costing a postcard is a detailed process and has various factors to consider. Now, let’s see what you need to consider! 

Design’s Complexity

Pricing is directly affected by the design complexity. Simple, straightforward designs normally will be where less time and effort is needed and hence appear cheaper. 

The use of design also contributes to the amount charged. Higher total cost means more detailed work since more changes are introduced and undertaken. 

The Background Of The Designer

Experience becomes a significant factor when determining a designer’s rate. More experienced designers with great portfolios and relevant years of experience in the field have better rates. 

The expertise helps to meet the requirements of complex premium quality design quickly. 

Conversely, as they have developed a portfolio and built experience, inexperienced designers may be able to charge less. Decide how much you will charge based on how much expertise you have, as this will affect the finished product quality. 

Required Time

Whether it is right or wrong, the cost will bear the timeframe of the postcard. There are higher price tags for such projects, which are likely to consume more man-hours in the planning, designing, and revising phases. 

Along the lines of investment, with time and energy, the consumers can be assured that projects that span time and thus take longer will always have a higher charge. Discuss the aim of the design comprehensively and how long the whole work will take, and price yourselves appropriately.

Personalization 

As far as the prices are concerned, postcard prices are greatly influenced by the degree of personalization that is required for the particular design. 

Using significant pre-designed templates is, as a rule, cheaper than crafting individual graphics, brand elements, and texts, which requires a custom-made design. 

As the degree of personalization increases, the work processes become more complicated, and the client’s proximity increases. 

Thus, consider how the degree of personalization will impact the policy regarding the fee that you want to charge and the pleasure that it will take to create or install the design.

Which Formats Should You Use For Postcard Designs? 

To make sure that the final design files will be usable in the place of work, you should provide the design in several formats. 

PDF, AI, EPS, PNG, or other file styles can be anticipated. It is important to have a variety of formats as each serves a particular purpose. 

For instance, PNG files are useful for digital media like presentations as well as image watermarks. These are simple images with transparent backgrounds and are very small in size. However, they can lose quality when scaled.

Get vector files (such as EPS or AI) if you want them printed out and looking good. Logos and DVD or DL postcards are ideal ones that cross on both concise media benefits in the inherent tractor. 

One of the major advantages of vector files is the fact that it is easy to resize them with complete preservation of quality. Accessing and editing vector files may, however, involve the use of graphic design software that is not generally standard. 

One of the most ideal formats is the PDF because it preserves the content and the layout of the document when printed and shared.

Consider getting the SVG, AI, or EPS files if you require the design to be changed in the future. These formats allow for easy editing and such modifications. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How much does it cost to make a postcard?

The pricing is approximately around $0.90 to $1.00 per postcard if you order 100 (6″ x 9″). Each postcard price drops down to roughly $0.20 to $0.30 if 1,000 pieces of the same design are bought. It is cheaper to order in bulk because the cost per item is considerably lowered.

Can postcards be worth money?

Yes, there is a profit to be made from selling postcards. The price for postcards is always within the average price of $20 to 100, but some can be overpriced to a hundred thousand. Their worth is determined by their historical value, their condition, and their scarcity.

What is the size of a postcard design?

The most widely used postcard is either 4″ x 6″ or 5″ x 7″. Due to its economic value and mail-fitting capability, the 4″ x 6″ sizing is often preferred in advertising. Most printing companies will say that they can print your postcards to whatever size you want.

Is a postcard A5 or A6?

The standard postcard size is  A6, which is 105 x 148mm. This size is the most cost-effective and saves a lot of money for campaigns. 

Bottom Line 

Knowing the basic things for how much to charge for postcard design can help you come up with a straight price that considers everything. Thus, you will always be in a win-win situation for your valuable postcard designs. Therefore, such detail, if remembered, will give you the best and the most economical outcome.