Creating any type of graphic that will see a mass audience is intimidating even when you have done it a million times. Creating content that will be sent out to your audience can be overwhelming and an experience that you do not look forward to. The good news? There are platforms like Canva and Vistaprint that make creating your first, or millionth, postcard and mailer easier than ever.
You do not have to take classes or have a degree in design to use Canva or Vistaprint. Both platforms are user friendly and allow you create custom designs for your business within minutes. So what platform is the right one for you?
Canva
Canva has three different price points; free, pro and enterprise. So starting with Canva is essentially risk free, because it costs you absolutely nothing.
You simply create a login from Canva, hit create a design, type in what format you want (example: real estate postcard), and Canva will take care of the rest. It will automatically resize the image to the appropriate size you will need and provide you with a bunch of different templates to choose from. You can work directly from a template that Canva provides for you, or you can create your own.
After you have created your image all you need to do is click ‘download’ on the upper right hand corner. You have a variety of options to choose from when downloading; PDF, JPEG, PNG, so choose what is appropriate for you and the download will start. The best part of Canva is that you can login to any computer and access your designs.
You can also create brand kits in Canva that showcase your logo, color scheme, font choices, and any other important design information that people may need access too. Different people can access the same account and create cohesive content.
You can download your materials and print them out yourself or you now have the option to order prints directly off of Canva.
Vistaprint
Just like Canva you will have to create an account and login in to access Vistaprint. Once your account is created, and you are logged in, you simply search the item that you want to create (example: mailing postcards), from there the site will show you different options of postcards.
Then, you simply select which design you want to work with and how many you will be ordering; they will give you a price point before you continue to your design. Using their template you will then add in any graphics that you would like and type in your information. Just like Canva, it is intuitive, and allows you to create a basic design in a short amount of time.
The best part about Vistaprint is that you can upload your mailing list directly into the site and they will send out the mailers themselves, instead of you having to put in the work to do it yourself. Through this process Vistaprint also advertises that you get discounted postage, which is a nice plus.
You can potentially save hours, depending on how big that mailing list is, by ordering off of Vistaprint and having them do all the work for you; but if you need a more cost effective way then Canva is the route for you. You can do all the work yourself and only have to pay for printing and postage costs.
Basically if you have a mailing list a thousand names long then Vistaprint might be the better option for you. It takes the stress out of having to print, fold, stuff in envelopes, and stamp hundreds and hundreds of letters. But, if you have a smaller mailing list or you want to be cost effective, then Canva is for you. You can design and print off your mailers for free (minus ink cost).
Does creating a postcard or mailer seem like something way out of your realm? Reach out to Monkey VA today and we can help turn those design dreams of yours into reality!
