Simple guide to letterhead printing. Learn about 20-28lb paper weights, 8.5x11 standard size, linen vs. smooth finishes. Real pricing from $0.15/sheet. Make your business look professional with custom letterheads that impress clients.
Why Letterheads Still Matter (Yes, Even in 2026)
Let's start with the obvious question: do you really need printed letterheads when you could just add your logo to a Word document?
The honest answer is-it depends on your business. If you're emailing clients, digital letterheads work fine. But if you're sending proposals, contracts, invoices, or any physical documents? Professionally printed letterheads make a difference.
Think about it: when you receive a package with a handwritten label versus professionally printed shipping, which one feels more legitimate? Same principle applies to business correspondence. Printed letterheads signal that you're an established business, not someone working from their kitchen table (even if you are).
Here's what letterheads do for your business:
Build trust instantly. Clients see professional letterhead and assume you're a real, established business.
Reinforce your brand. Every piece of mail becomes a marketing touchpoint.
Discover the best values in Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). Our bundled packages provide everything you need to target specific neighborhoods with high-quality oversized postcards at the lowest possible postage rates. Perfect for restaurants, hair salons, and local contractors.
Complete guide to Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) printing. Learn how to reach every mailbox in your target area for just $0.203 per piece. Step-by-step instructions, real examples, design tips, and ROI calculations for local businesses.
EDDM Retail vs. EDDM BMEU (Which One You Need)
EDDM Retail
For small businesses mailing fewer than 5,000 pieces per day per ZIP code. No postage permit required. You pay online or at the post office. Most local businesses use EDDM Retail.
Postage rate: $0.203 per piece (as of February 2026)
EDDM BMEU (Business Mail Entry Unit)
For larger businesses mailing more than 5,000 pieces per day per ZIP code. Requires a USPS mailing permit (one-time $325 fee plus annual renewal). Slightly lower postage rate.
Postage rate: $0.198 per piece
Unless you're a franchise, large retailer, or regularly mailing tens of thousands of pieces, stick with EDDM Retail. The permit fees aren't worth it for most small businesses.
Wide. Dramatic. Impossible to miss. The 17.5x5.5 panoramic postcard format works for skylines, before-and-afters, timelines, product lineups. EDDM-ready from $0.21/piece. Different is better.
17.5x5.5 Slim Postcards - Because Wide is Wonderful!
Panoramic. Dramatic. Impossible to ignore. 96.25 square inches stretched horizontally for skylines, before-and-afters, timelines & visuals that demand WIDTH. EDDM-ready, unforgettable format.
Why Wide Works (Hint: Your Eyes Already Know)
Quick experiment: think about your favorite movie scenes. The epic ones. The sweeping landscapes, the dramatic skylines, the side-by-side showdowns. What do they all have in common?
They're WIDE.
Movies aren't shot in portrait mode. Photographers don't capture sunsets in vertical rectangles. Instagram's panorama mode exists for a reason. Our eyes love width. Our brains are wired to process horizontal landscapes better than vertical ones. It's biology.
So why are 99% of postcards vertical?
Because that's what people are used to. Which is exactly why the 17.5x5.5 slim postcard format is genius. When everything in someone's mailbox is standing tall, the wide horizontal postcard immediately grabs attention. It's different. And different gets noticed.
With 96.25 square inches of horizontal real estate, you can show panoramic cityscapes, before-and-after transformations side by side, product lineups, timelines, wide property exteriors, or any visual that benefits from WIDTH over height. It's perfect for content that naturally runs wide.
And yes, it qualifies for USPS EDDM postage rates. Same low rate - approximately $0.203 per piece - as vertical formats. You're getting all that cinematic width for the exact same postage cost. That's a win.
Who Absolutely CRUSHES It with 17.5x5.5 Postcards
Real Estate Agents (Skyline & Waterfront Properties)
If you're selling properties with amazing views - skyline condos, waterfront homes, mountain properties, anything with a WIDE panoramic vista - the 17.5x5.5 is your secret weapon. Show the whole view, not a cropped slice of it. Let people see what they'd wake up to every morning. Front side: full panoramic view. Back side: interior photos, pricing, agent info, QR code. Done.
Photographers & Visual Artists
Wedding photographers. Landscape photographers. Anyone whose work looks better in panoramic format. The 17.5x5.5 is basically a portfolio piece you can mail. Show your best wide-angle work in all its glory. Include your contact info and a CTA. Watch the inquiries roll in.
Before-and-After Businesses
Remodelers. Landscapers. Dentists (before-and-after smile transformations). Car detailers. Anyone whose whole pitch is "look what we did." The wide format lets you put before-and-after side by side with enough space that both images are impactful. No cramming. No squinting. Just pure transformation on display.
Car Dealerships
Line up your inventory horizontally. Show 3-4 vehicles in one shot. Or use the width to display a single car from multiple angles. The wide format screams "selection" and "choices" - which is exactly what car shoppers want to see.
Timeline-Based Content
Event schedules running chronologically. Historical progressions. Step-by-step processes. Anything that flows left-to-right benefits from the panoramic format. People's eyes naturally scan left to right when reading. Use that.
Cardstock & Coating (Let's Keep It Simple)
14pt Cardstock - The Smart Choice
This is what most people order for 17.5x5.5 postcards. It's thick enough to feel quality - not flimsy or cheap - but not so heavy that you're adding unnecessary cost or weight. The wide format already makes a visual statement. You don't necessarily need extra thickness to stand out.
14pt cardstock is durable, rigid, and substantial. It survives the mail system without bending or tearing. It sits flat on a table or fridge. Perfect for EDDM campaigns.
16pt Cardstock - When You Want Extra Wow
Go with 16pt if you're marketing high-end services or if you want your postcard to last. Luxury real estate. High-ticket services. Premium products. The 16pt is noticeably thicker and heavier. It feels expensive. Which subconsciously tells recipients that whatever you're selling is also premium quality.
Coating: Gloss, Matte, or UV?
Gloss Coating: Makes colors POP. Perfect for panoramic photos - skylines, sunsets, landscapes, property views. The shiny finish catches light and draws the eye. If you're showcasing visuals, gloss is your best bet.
Matte Coating: Sophisticated, no glare, easier to read in bright light. Great if your postcard is text-heavy or if you're marketing professional services. Also good if you want a more refined, upscale feel without the flashiness.
UV Coating: The premium option. Glass-like shine, maximum durability, scratch-resistant. Use UV when you're targeting upscale audiences or when you want your postcard to be a showpiece that lasts.
Design Tips for Maximum Impact
1. Think Like a Cinematographer
Use the entire width. Don't try to adapt a vertical design - START with horizontal in mind. Panoramic photo stretching across the front. Side-by-side comparisons. Visual timeline from left to right. Embrace the widescreen format.
2. Use Big, High-Res Images
If you're going wide, go BIG. Use professional photos shot in landscape mode. Panoramic stitches. Drone shots of properties. Wide-angle architecture. Don't waste this format on tiny images or stock photos.
3. Create Visual Flow Left-to-Right
People read left to right. Use that. Start with attention-grabbing visual on the left, flow to your offer or message in the middle, end with CTA on the right. Guide their eyes across the postcard.
4. Don't Overfill the Space
Just because you have 17.5 inches of width doesn't mean you should cram it full of text and graphics. White space is your friend. Let the panoramic image breathe. Add your headline, your offer, your CTA. That's it. Less is more.
