tips for self printing promo codes onto pre printed marketing postcards

[aaronm]

Hi gang,

I'd like to be able to flexibly distribute postcards with different promo codes to track different sales reps, locations clients pick up postcards, etc and ordering many small batches from online printers looks cost prohibitive.

I'm going to order a mass amount of pre printed postcards, then print promo codes with my own printer. Has anyone done this before and do you have advice.

For instance, I took a long time to find a printer with a rear tray so the postcards could go straight through my printer instead of getting zig zagged through. BUT, when I tested on some pre-printed postcard, the inc in my printer showed up very light on the postcard and smeared off easily even after a minute for drying. Maybe I need Matt not glossy postcards?

Anyway, any advice from someone who's tried this before would be great.

[billbenson]

My wife frequently runs birthday cards etc taped to a regular piece of paper to customize them through my color laserjet. I don't think an ink jet would work as well. She doesn't use the rear door so it goes through the same paper path. Ink gets expensive though and you are going to have to do them one by one.

[nealrm]

You might want to relook at having them printed. Instead of working with a standard printer, look for one that does digital printing. If you still want to print on the cards at home, use a laser printer.

[aaronm]

thanks for the tips,

having them printed, then delivered to me won't be feasible because I'm going to have dozens of different promo codes to track lots of sales reps' effectiveness as well as locations where I'll be leaving flyers, as well as flash promotions, etc. Just the shipping alone on all those different orders would be very very high, compared to ordering several thousand of the same flyer, then adding promo codes on how ever many I want for each location, sales rep, flash sale, etc.

Having said that, is a "digital printer" something I use at home or is that what a professional printing facility would use.

Anyone have experience using a lazer printer to add promo codes to a pre printed postcard?

[Wozcreative]

You would be looking at "imprinting" services.
Regarding being able to print on a postcard on your own office printer, you would need to make the paper thinner and not coated with anything.

[KristineS]

Could you just use a label? You can get clear labels that would be very unobtrusive and would be designed to run through your printer. I'd assume you've left a bare space where the code is meant to go, so just get a label that is about that size and you're set.

[patrickprecisione]

Could you just use a label?

Labels would be much cheaper than imprinting. Have you thought about getting some quotes for professional printers. For a small batch it really wouldn't be that expensive.

[snooder]

Hi gang,

I'd like to be able to flexibly distribute postcards with different promo codes to track different sales reps, locations clients pick up postcards, etc and ordering many small batches from online printers looks cost prohibitive.

I'm going to order a mass amount of pre printed postcards, then print promo codes with my own printer. Has anyone done this before and do you have advice.

For instance, I took a long time to find a printer with a rear tray so the postcards could go straight through my printer instead of getting zig zagged through. BUT, when I tested on some pre-printed postcard, the inc in my printer showed up very light on the postcard and smeared off easily even after a minute for drying. Maybe I need Matt not glossy postcards?

Anyway, any advice from someone who's tried this before would be great.

you can also do a cross promotion. approach a local business and ask them if the want to share postcard service, one side you and the other side them. this will help reduced the cost.