Grow your business: Top trending postcard printing ideas for 2025

What are some of the top trending postcard printing ideas for 2025?

The real estate marketing industry is evolving rapidly, from the use of artificial intelligence (AI), to digitization using QR codes and Automated Seller Valuations (ASVs). Likewise, printing methods have evolved to incorporate even more personalized options such as Variable Data Printing (VDP).

Whether you’re announcing a big sale or inviting prospective clients to an open house, these postcard printing ideas can keep your designs modern, inviting and elegant:

1. Minimalist designs

Modern postcard designs feature clean layouts and formats with clear and easy-to-read information. Ensure your postcard designs utilize inviting, high-quality photos, elegant fonts and a clear, attention-grabbing call-to-action (CTA).

Impress your client base with contemporary designs, high-resolution images and a rich, glossy finish. See a range of options to attract clients and grow your farm.

Explore Luxury Real Estate Postcards

2. Sustainable designs

An eco-friendly, sustainably produced postcard design sends a clear message to prospective clients that your business is ethically responsible and committed to climate sustainability.

Gain the trust and support of your client base with sustainable designs made from recycled material.

Other sustainable options include using non-toxic inks, responsibly sourced materials and utilizing low-carbon shipping.

3. Digitization and personalization

Make technology work for you and streamline your real estate marketing strategy:

AI-generated layouts can help streamline the design process, from design ideas to image suggestions, spelling and grammar checking, address automation and more. However, be careful that your layout isn’t too generic or isn’t directly tailored to your needs.

Automated Seller Valuation postcards are a game-changer for your real estate marketing strategy – by inserting a QR code, homeowners can go online to get real-time valuations for their properties. Once they access the QR code, real estate agents also get notified, allowing them to follow up and track their progress.

Find out more about our subscription plans to make your mailing strategy more efficient while maximizing savings.

Subscribe and Save

Variable Data Printing (VDP) is another excellent tool to personalize your postcard designs. Whether you’re sending seasonal postcards, just listed postcards or market updates, customization allows you to target your prospective clientele by demographic, location or even by interest.

Don’t forget to implement URL tracking on your postcard designs – this handy feature will give you up-to-date information on your reach and conversion rates.

What are the top postcard printing formats for 2025?

1. 4×6 Standard

For real estate agents seeking a cost-effective marketing strategy, 4×6 standard postcard sizes can yield great results without breaking the bank, especially with bulk savings.

2. 6×9 Oversized

If you want your postcards to stand out, however, 6×9 is a great option, combined with high-resolution photos and a matte or glossy finish.

3. 6×11 Jumbo

We’re not saying bigger is better, but with more space for your postcard designs, 6×11 jumbo sized postcards are truly impressive when combined with a clean, contemporary design and easy-to-read information.

Target your client base with maximum reach and minimum hassle using Wise Pelican’s Direct Mail Campaign and take the guesswork out of your real estate marketing strategy.

Set it and Forget it

 

What are some of the most creative design ideas for postcards?

To make your postcards pop, consider fun shapes or die-cut designs, or for a more luxe feel, utilize matte or gloss finishes, foil stamping or heavier cardstock for a more upscale effect.

For visually-intensive postcards, utilize high-resolution images and a glossy finish to truly stand out from the rest.

 

1. Mix and Match: Postcard designs that combine a mix of print techniques and digital elements utilize the best of both worlds, for example, rich visuals and a clear CTA combined with a QR code to facilitate ASVs and URL tracking.
2. Bold typography: Don’t be afraid to utilize bold typography and creative fonts to make your postcard printing designs unique. Striking typography signals a creative approach and brings a personal touch to your postcard printing designs.
3. Duplex printing: Maximize your postcards with duplex printing to utilize both sides of your postcard.
4. Visual collage: Create a photo collage to create a visually stunning impression on your postcard designs.
5. Color blocking: Combining solid, contrasting blocks of color can create a visually stunning effect and help your postcards to grab the attention of your target market. Color blocking also works well with minimalist postcard designs – no wonder it’s a top trend for 2025.

What printing finishes can I use to make my postcards stand out?

1. Spot UV printing

Create a contrasting effect with Spot UV printing to make your designs shine. Spot UV printing is also environmentally friendly, smudge-resistant and creates a high-gloss effect, perfect for logos or other finishing touches on your postcard.

2. Foil stamping

Foil stamping adds a metallic finish to create a truly luxe effect, perfect for high-end real estate postcards.

3. Textured finishes

Adding textured effects, whether with embossed or raised lettering, can elevate your postcard designs. Contrasting textures on your postcards can add a luxurious finish to text, logos or other graphic elements that appeal to both sight and touch.

4. Soft-touch

Soft-touch postcards can draw a contrast to gloss, with a velvety effect that provides a contrast with regular postcards. For a special event such as an open house or other commemorative postcard, soft-touch printing can truly make your postcard design a special one.

5. High-gloss

Glossy finishes can truly do justice to a beautiful high-resolution image, creating eye-catching postcards that draw attention, widening your geographic farm. Focus on high-quality images and a clean, modern design and allow your photos to do the talking.

How can I personalize my postcards?

Personalized postcard printing is key in helping real estate agents to effectively reach their target markets, and can be achieved in several ways:

1. Variable Data Printing (VDP)

VDP allows real estate agents to personalize their postcards during the printing process to reach homeowners by various categories, for example geographic location, by name, group, or by the type of product on offer.

VDP allows real estate agents to apply a more granular approach to their marketing strategies, making them even more effective.

2. QR codes and Automated Seller Valuations (ASVs)

QR codes can give both real estate agents and their prospective clients quantifiable data in a symbiotic exchange of information. Using QR codes on postcard designs can enable digital features such as Automated Seller Valuations (ASVs) that show homeowners what their homes are valued at, while giving the real estate agent information on the efficacy of their mail strategy. Knowing more about their target markets will in turn enable real estate agents to improve their mailing strategies, creating postcards that draw in more interested sellers that convert into sales.

3. URL tracking

Implementing URL tracking via postcard printing designs enables real estate agents to monitor the results of their marketing strategies as well as provide data that they can incorporate into future strategies.

See exactly how many sellers click through to your website, sign up for subscriptions or utilize other digital features when they scan your QR code and visit the URL linked from your postcard.

How can I track the performance of my postcards?

Utilizing digital postcard features can enable real estate agents to gather data and widen their geographic farms.

1. QR codes and subscription services

QR codes can enable prospective clients to visit your website where they can subscribe and/or share more information about themselves and their interests, for example whether they’re a buyer or seller, their approximate location, age range, property value or any other relevant information.

Having other digital features such as virtual tours, subscriptions for upcoming events, photo galleries, business card information and other information can also be accessible via QR codes, driving traffic directly from a direct mail environment to a digital one.

2. QR codes and omnichannel marketing

Dynamic QR codes can lead to any digital platform, whether you have a TikTok, YouTube or other social media platform, giving a wide digital reach for your target market. Analyzing click-through rates from your audience can give comparative information on high-performing digital tools and platforms.

3. Dynamic QR codes and analytics

Dynamic QR codes allow for data tracking and analytics which can provide priceless information on the success of your postcard marketing campaigns. QR codes can enable a more streamlined CRM system and more accurate marketing strategy.

What should I avoid when designing my postcards?

Postcard printing designs should be eye-catching, clear, visually appealing, informative and/or helpful. Avoid these mistakes when designing your postcards:

1. Busy, distracting designs

Avoid layouts with jumbled information or not enough white space. Ensure fonts are legible and consistent across the entire layout, of a readable size, and not too close together.

2. Low-resolution images

Ensure photos used for your postcard designs are at least 600 dpi (dots per inch) to ensure high-quality prints. Choose photos that can maximize the space provided on your postcard, with beautiful images to entice prospective clients.

3. No CTA (Call to Action)

Don’t forget about your Call to Action (CTA)! Ensure your CTAs are clearly visible and easy to access, whether you’ve included QR codes, contact information or both. Ensure your CTAs also include relevant contact information such as your telephone and/or WhatsApp contact, social media handles, and other relevant contact information.

Which industries can benefit most from direct mail and postcard products?

Many businesses can benefit from direct mail strategies, however these industries would especially benefit:

1. Real estate

Direct mail strategies are a great way to reach residents in a particular geographic area. Combined with repeated messaging, real estate agents can grow their geographic farm and become a trusted agent within their target areas.

2. Retail/e-Commerce

Direct mail products are a great way to inform prospective customers of special or seasonal offers. Including dynamic QR codes for special offers in app or in-store can help businesses grow their online and/or mobile client base.

3. Healthcare

Direct mail products can reach prospective clients at their homes with useful offers or deals within the healthcare industry.

4. Events

Direct mail products such as postcards or flyers are perfect for upcoming and/or seasonal events. Combine your marketing strategy with digital elements such as QR codes to keep customers engaged via social media platforms.

5. Political campaigns and NGOs

Political rallies and events relevant to the communities where they occur can benefit from direct mail products such as flyers and postcards. Including a Call to Action (CTA) can create a more impactful effect and help to mobilize nearby communities.

Final Thought

Postcard printing ideas continue to evolve, offering more than just eye-catching designs—they’re now powerful tools for targeting, personalization, and performance. By combining proven direct mail tactics with digital features like dynamic QR codes, AI, ASV, and Variable Data Printing (VDP), your marketing becomes more relevant, trackable, and effective. Explore new postcard printing ideas to stay ahead of the curve and connect with the right audience at the right time.