Online Postcard Printing A Procedure Summary

By Author: Ned Shaffer
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I receive a lot of questions related to web-based postcard publishing companies. How does the process work? What do I have to do on my end? Is it as easy as they make it sound? Et cetera.

So I thought I'd dip into my past, when I worked for a couple of online postcard printing companies, and offer this guide. Of course, all postcard printing companies operate in slightly different ways, but most follow the process outlined below in some way. At the very least, this will help you better understand the procedure for online postcard printing and how it might benefit you.

Postcard Printing Companies Online

Postcard printing services are nothing brand new. These companies have been around as long as postcards have been around. (We are talking decades right here.) But in recent years, there has been a new trend amongst postcard printing services, and that's the web-based approach. These days, dozens of companies provide online postcard printing providers.

Printing Postcards Online?

So how does one printing postcards online? Well, as in the past, the actual postcard printing itself is still done through ...
... a digital inkjet printer or an offset printing press. What's various here is the creation along with submission of the design and the mailing list, the actual ordering process, and so on.

In the past, you had to create your postcard design and then bring it to the printer, who would either check out the artwork (for digital printing) or even convert the design into a printing plate (for offset printing). However the Internet has changed all that. Today you can submit your design through the printing company's website and also have them print it for you. Some on the internet postcard printing services even allow you to create your design through their website, because described below. This really is referred to, appropriately, because "online design."

Here is the basic process of online postcard printing. For the sake of simplicity, we will assume that the actual printing company in this scenario uses digital ink jet printers, and that the customer will design her postcard online through the printing corporation's website.

Step 1 - Design Selection - This customer really wants to choose a basic postcard style and customize it with her message, photos, etc. So she browses through the postcard company's website to find a "design template" that will suit her needs. Eventually, she finds a basic postcard theme that will allow her a customized headline, upload a photograph, and create a message for the front and back. So she selects the template and begins to customize it.

Step 2 - Postcard Customization - Obviously, the customer doesn't want to print along with mail the postcard theme as-is. So she utilizes the postcard company's on the internet design tools to include her headline, primary image, and supporting message. She will the same for the address-side from the postcard, leaving the address area blank because instructed by the template.

Step 3 - Style Proof and Authorization - Once the postcard's design has been finalized, the client will usually be presented with some form of proof. In the case of online postcard printers, this is often done through an online Pdf file or JPEG image of the final design, to show the way it will look when reproduced. So our testimonials her design proof, likes what your woman sees, and moves on with the process.

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