The format you choose can shape how your message is received and how well it performs. Postcards, letters, self-mailers, and booklets each serve a different purpose. Picking the right one depends on your message, audience, and goals.
Let’s break down the most common formats – and when to use each.
1. Postcards
Best for: Retail, real estate, financial services
Easy to automate, fast to print and deliver
Postcards are ideal for high-volume campaigns that need speed and impact. Retailers use them to announce sales, banks and credit cards use them to send special offers, and real estate agents use them to stay top of mind in local markets. Postcards are also easy to automate, making them a go-to for triggered sends.
2. Letters (with envelopes)
Best for: Financial services, insurance, healthcare
Protect recipient data, easy to personalize
Letters are the standard format for any communication that needs to convey trust, privacy, or detail. Financial services brands often use them for account updates or compliance notices, while insurance providers and healthcare organizations rely on them for onboarding, billing, and service changes. In fact, healthcare consumers say this is their preferred form of communication.
3. Self-mailers
Best for: Financial services, telecom, healthcare
More space than a postcard, no envelope required
Self-mailers are great for storytelling, bundling multiple offers, or walking a customer through steps, like how to activate a new service, while providing some privacy. Telecom brands and healthcare companies often use them for acquisition, upgrades, and loyalty programs.
4. Booklets
Best for: Financial services, healthcare, retail
Supports high-value or information-dense messaging
When your message is complex or your offer is premium, booklets give you the space to educate, persuade, and convert. They're used in financial services for annual reports, in healthcare for benefit guides or wellness programs, and in retail for product catalogs.
Looking to streamline your operations and pick the right format for every campaign?
Explore our Template Gallery for real examples across industries – built for teams that send at scale.
Answered by:
Eamon Barisone,
Principal Solutions Engineer
