Quite simply, no. Postcards are a relevant way to contact potential clients.
Think for a moment about how it feels to open your mailbox and see something inside, something that isn’t a bill. How does it feel to receive a postcard with a handwritten note on the back? Or a colorful greeting card? Do you have more of a connection to the card, than the email you received on your phone? Does one feel more authentic or special than the other? Art directors, editors, agents and designers are swamped with emails. They are cautious about what reaches their inbox, (with reason). Do you open messages from senders you don't know (especially with an attachment) - do you hesitate? Or do you delete the message without a second thought?
Email is convenient - it makes communicating with clients easy. For promotion and marketing though, it is not always effective or preferred. I reach out to clients by email if we have already established a relationship, or it’s their favored method of submission. Otherwise, I market my work by mailing postcards 2-3x a year. This consistent practice has helped build my freelance career through a variety of contract work and illustration assignments.
Sending direct mail (like a postcard) makes an impact, especially in this digital age. They are a physical connection to your art that can be pinned to a bulletin board or shared with a co-worker. Postcards ensure a real engagement with the recipient that an email does not.
What will your postcard promote? Do you have a new book coming out or a redesigned website? A gallery show or artist event? Or is this a seasonal promotion, to put you and your work in front of a chosen audience? Always, always, always, choose your best work to share. Showcase what you enjoy drawing in a medium you are comfortable in. A postcard should be an accurate reflection of your style and technique so that clients see what you have to offer. Whether your postcard is digital or physical, the time spent creating the illustration is the same.
Quick tip: Double check your contact information and spelling before sending out any promotional piece.
Distributing your promotion means knowing the market. It takes time to research and build a good mailing list. Often, it's harder to find an art director's email (unless that person gave it to you) than a company mailing address. Proper research guarantees that your work is appropriate for the agency, publisher or company you wish to contact. Don't waste your time (or theirs) sending a whimsical illustration to an art director who handles romance novels.
Quick tip: Two great resources for submission information in publishing are SCBWI’s “the Book” (for members only) and “Children’s Writers and Illustrator’s Market”.
I recommend creating a spreadsheet for your mailing list with the contact information of agents, art directors, designers and editors who work with creatives like you. Plan to update your list regularly, as people move around frequently in publishing.
A sampling of the illustration postcard promotions i have mailed out over the years
Yes, emails are cheaper, (ahem free). Still, investing in an effective postcard mailing is worth the money when it leads to a project. To date, over 70% of my clients have hired me because of a postcard illustration. I have had requests within a matter of weeks of mailing and one assignment from a postcard that had been sent to the art director 18 months prior. Receiving a postcard through the mail shows the work behind the item. The time, effort and money to create, print, stamp, write and mail that lovely illustration. And postcards, don't get caught up in spam filters.
To keep postcard mailings budget-friendly:
Send out a 4 x 6" postcard that adheres to USPS standards. Regular postcards only cost .35 to mail.
Don’t spend money on envelopes. It’s a postcard, don’t make it complicated.
Sign up for sales and discounts. I love Moo.com - they are my go-to resource for postcards. They have great sales several times a year, so I print during those events to save on costs.
Send a smaller mailing. Curate your mailing list to select companies within an industry. Address each card to a specific person you wish to work with. It is better to send out 100 quality, postcards then 500 generic ones.
Quick tip: I prefer matte over gloss coating to reduce glare and fingerprints. Choose a special coating for the side with artwork only. It is easier to write on uncoated paper. Print on a premium paper to reduce bends, rips or folds during shipping.
Postcards are a cost-effective way to get your work in front of the right people. Create a budget so you can send out a postcard promotion 2-4x a year. Planning ahead and being consistent will help keep you in mind when an assignment comes up. Stay positive and send your postcards out into the world.
An amazing assignment could be one postcard away!
“I have a running list of illustrators that I have either always wanted to work with or am dying to work with again. Sometimes, it can take YEARS to find just the right (or another) book to work on. Patience is a virtue on all sides.”
