This article is excerpted from the February/March 2010 issue of InDesign Magazine, #34. Subscribe to InDesign Magazine.

Since the mid-1800s, postcards have been a comparatively inexpensive way to send a short message. But with so many modern options for flashy digital interactive messaging, how does the humble printed postcard survive? The reason is simple: You can’t avoid physical mail. Even if you just pick up the postcard on the way to the recycling bin, chances are you’ll see something on it.

As designers, our job is to use our skills to use that brief encounter to convey real information and, hopefully, prompt an action. By following a few design strategies and production criteria when creating postcard layouts, you can offer your clients an effective, lower-cost vehicle to get their messages across.

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