101: Direct Mail Design Basics

101: Direct Mail Design Basics

Hey there, ready to jazz up your mailing campaign for ultimate deliverability? Fear not! Follow these groovy USPS (United States Post Office) tips and you'll be rockin' that mailbox in no time.

Fonts:

Keep it sleek and sans-serif, baby! The USPS digs those clean lines without any fancy footwork. Go for a font size of eight-point or higher, and let those caps lock run wild. Say goodbye to those serif fonts with their little feet – sans-serif is where it's at for easy reading by USPS gear.

Envelopes:

Choosing the right envelope size is key to avoid postal pitfalls. Are you mailing letters or flats? Keep it under 6.125” x 11.5” for letters or a folded self-mailer, and 6” x 10.5” for booklets. Anything bigger and you're hitting flat rate territory, baby! And watch out – postage rates can vary, so size matters.

And what about windows? Will you go for that peek-a-boo window style or keep it sealed up tight? It's your call, but remember, windows are for business, while closed-face envelopes add that personal touch.

Color:

When it comes to envelope hues, think light and breezy. Stick to white, neutrals, or pastels to keep those barcodes and addresses poppin'. Dark, bright, or fluorescent colors? Not cool, man – they mess with USPS scanners and can lead to a groovy surcharge.

And if you're splashing out on color, make sure to knock out that address block. Just follow the standard #10 window size – 1.125” x 4.5” – and you'll be golden.

So there you have it, folks! Follow these tips and your next mailing campaign will be smooth sailing. Say hello to higher response rates and goodbye to those pesky undeliverable mails.

XOXO

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