Automate Print & Mail: How to Send a Postcard Internationally

Sending Postcards Abroad is Easy: Connect to The World Successfully

Most companies are now running to implement direct mail for efficiently delivering their marketing message. Unfortunately, most businesses do not know how to send a postcard internationally as modern businesses never use direct mail as a communication or marketing channel. But, the rising popularity of direct mail is undeniable, and postcards are the most effective direct mail for business communication.

Postcards often connect with people like no other communications channel. Furthermore, personalised postcards are more likely to strike an emotional chord in the recipients. Despite all the advantages of postcards, marketers still can’t employ them to the fullest extent.

Hence, we have created a quick guide to help you understand how to send an international postcard for your business. The guide takes you through the essential aspects of international postcards, including the address format, its cost, and delivery duration. You will also learn about a new and advanced way of conveniently sending international postcards with zero error.

Sending A Card Internationally

Sending international postcards is always confusing for individuals as well as business organisations. For example, the address format is one of the things that is confusing about international postcards. Do you use the address format defined by the Royal Mail or the postal service provider of the recipient’s country?

Similarly, many more questions come to the sender’s mind when sending a postcard internationally. Yet, when sending postal mail for businesses internationally, postcards are preferred over any other postal mail format.

Most companies send postal mail in bulk, which can be somewhat expensive, especially to international addresses. Using postcards instead of any other postal mail format enables businesses to minimise their net expenditure. Furthermore, it is easier to print, store, and transport in bulk than other formats.

Letter vs Postcard

One of the biggest questions about sending international mail for business organisations is whether to use letters or postcards. As you may already know, a standard letter includes an envelope. But, when it comes to postcards, you don’t need an envelope.

Hence sending postcards is less expensive than letters as it does not require envelopes. However, on the other hand, letters offer a certain amount of privacy to the mail’s content. Another note about letters is that their postage is based on weight and size.

Even though postcards come in different sizes, most businesses use the standard postcard format for their direct mail communications. Hence, the cost of sending a card internationally remains relatively low.

Don’t know how to create a business postcard? Take a look at our previous blog, “Business Postcard Ideas & Examples,” to learn how you can use Postcards for your business.

Universal Postal Union's Standard Postcard

The Universal Postal Union specifies a standard size for postcards so that the sender can qualify for the standard rate. The following table shows the standard size specified for international postcards.

Postcard Shape	Minimum Length	Maximum Length	Minimum Height	Maximum Height
Rectangle	140mm	235mm	90mm	120mm

Additionally, the Universal Postal Union also suggests that you ensure the material used for the postcard is stiff. The stiffness will help the postcard survive the long journey to its destination. Businesses should also be careful not to make their postcards too small, minimising the net cost.

If the postcard is too small, the postal service providers, including the Royal Mail, will not mail it. On the other hand, if the postcard is too large, it usually gets classified as a letter, and your business will end up paying higher postage.

How To Address An International Postcard?

Addressing an international Postcard is relatively easy. You can start by writing the address on the right side of the postcard. It should be easy to locate the position of the address because there are usually three or four horizontal lines provided on the postcards.

You can either write the address by hand or print them. The only thing is that the address must be easily readable. When sending postcards abroad, it is usually preferred to use the standard address format of the recipient’s country. So, if you are sending a postcard to the USA, use the standard address format specified by the USPS.

Use The Left Side For Correspondence

We know that the right side of the postcard is reserved for the address. But the left side of the postcard is for you to write the correspondence. The correspondence can be anything from pitching a new product/offer to inviting the recipient to an exclusive event when it comes to business mail.

Include The Return Mailing Address

You may also include your business’s return mailing address on the left side of the postcard. However, make sure to position the return mailing address to the upper left corner of the postcard. Businesses also write the return mail address vertically To get more space for their message. Apart from providing the return address, it also serves as the separation between the address part and the correspondence part of the postcard.

Keep The Bottom Edge Of The Postcard Clean

Although it is not always the case, many postal service providers, including USPS of the US, use the bottom edge for affixing labels. There is also the chance that postal service providers use the bottom edge for printing when they process the mailer. Hence, it is best to avoid writing or printing anything on the postcard’s bottom edge.

Address Format For Sending International Postcards To The US

Many businesses in the UK have international clients from all over the world. Hence, US addresses are common for the bulk international mail companies send. Furthermore, it will give you a broad idea of how to send a postcard from UK to USA. The address format for sending international postcards to the USA is as follows.

Recipient Name
Street Address (With the apartment/suite number)
City, State, ZIP code
USA (country name)

For US addresses, the postal code is called the ZIP code. Instead of an alphanumeric one we use in the UK, the US uses a numeric code. The ZIP code is often prone to more error than any other part of the postal mail address. Even getting a single digit wrong can cause your postcard to get returned.

Hence, most businesses prefer to use an advanced direct mail system like PostGrid for printing and delivering their international bulk mail. PostGrid uses an automated system for printing and delivering direct mail, ensuring no error in the postal code or the address.

What Is The Cost Of Sending An International Postcard?

The cost of sending postcards abroad via Royal Mail is the same as sending letters internationally. However, the rate of sending international mail changes depending on the mailing service your business uses.

Some popular Royal Mail postal services companies send their business postcards as 1st and 2nd class mail. The postal service each company needs depends upon how fast they want the mail delivered and how much they are willing to pay for it.

How Long Does It Take To Send A Postcard Internationally?

The delivery period for international postcards can vary depending on the mailer’s destination. For most European countries, it takes only three to five working days.

However, sending postcards anywhere else in the world can take anywhere from six to seven days. It is also worth noting that the Royal Mail provides a compensation cover-up worth up to £20 and free returns for undelivered items.

Why Use PostGrid To Automate Postcard Delivery?

Most businesses use an automated direct mail solution like PostGrid for sending a card internationally. There are numerous advantages of using an automated system like PostGrid for sending postcards. One of the most significant advantages of an automated system like PostGrid is its accuracy.

PostGrid ensures that all your international addresses are standardised and there is zero chance for an error. Hence, you can ensure that your postcards are printed with the correct address down to the numeric/alphanumeric postal code.

Additionally, service providers like PostGrid use quality printers and papers for your postcards. It ensures that the postal service can quickly sort and deliver your postcards. Hence, you can minimise the return rate of your direct mail and get maximum reach for your direct mail communications.

Perhaps the best thing about postcards is that they can be used by pretty much any industry vertical. For example, in the real estate industry, they can use postcards to pitch listed homes to their target audience, along with pictures of the property. PostGrid even offers specialised direct mail services for the real estate industry.

Conclusion

Sending postcards abroad, especially in bulk, is not easy, and there are a lot of challenges that modern marketers can’t overcome. Using an automated direct mail tool like PostGrid for sending international postcards can take the burden off businesses.

PostGrid is a holistic direct mail solution that takes care of everything related to international postcards. You can personalise your business postcards, print them as per the standards of postal authorities and deliver them.

The automated system ensures zero error and maximum convenience for companies that send postcards internationally to their customers. Furthermore, PostGrid even gives you access to its template gallery to easily create postcards for your company.