File this under “why didn’t I think of this?”
I recently read about Postcardly, a cool new online service that allows you to send postcards through the snail mail to friends and family with your own photos. Through email.
Basically, you set up “fake” email addresses to align with snail mail addresses on the Postcardly website. (So, the email could be RANDOMNAME@postcardly.com.) When you send an email (from your personal email) to that email address with a photo attached, Postcardly generates a postcard and mails it to the address on file. Seamlessly.
Friends, I couldn’t sign up quick enough. Postcardly offers a free trial of three cards, and I chose to purchase the package of 20 cards for $19.99. This includes the printing and shipping, which I think is a really reasonable deal.
I’ve tested it out and I can safely say that I love this service. I sent a test email to our in-laws with a Lola photo and a goofy message from Lola on the back. It turned out so well. It took about 5 days, including a postal holiday.
The photo turned out much better than I anticipated. It’s perfect for the fridge, or even to pop in a frame. For the back, it’s postmarked from Seattle and it has a real stamp. I don’t know why I think that’s so cool.
I have tons of ideas of how to use Postcardly.
- Thank yous. (I’ve already sent out a few thank-you cards with the service. It’s fun to pick out a complementary photo. I like to handwrite thank-yous, but I really like the speed of this option, along with the photo.)
- Birthdays. (Pick out your favorite photo of the two of you and include your fun birthday wishes.)
- Thinking of yous. (There’s nothing better than getting a random piece of mail. This is a really simple way to do it for others. Did you get a great photo of a friend, send it to her as a postcard.)
- Kiddos. (If you have children, I think that Postcardly would be a fabulous way to send kids’ photos and updates, funny quotes or stories, and more. This is what I tried to do with the Lola photo above.)
- Trips. (I like to upload vacation photos while we’re on vacation to save myself time when I get home. Postcardly would be perfect to send ourselves a postcard with some of our photos and notes of our trip.)
(I wasn’t compensated for this post. Nor does Postcardly know who the heck I am. I just really like the service and think it could be really fun for a lot of different purposes.)
(Edited to add – apparantly, Postcardly now knows who I am. Color me famous! They also alerted me about their referral program. So, if you do decide to sign up, feel free to use my referral link and I’ll get free postards – Kim’s referral link.)
Of course, proper grammer helps in sales pitches, but…I’m still learning! 🙂
(alert: shameless plug)
starting in Nov. the conXt.com address book will let you send physical Holiday Cards directly from it, and in Dec we will allowing people to send physical letters, postcards, and more. We will print, stuff, stamp, and mail them for you.
Thanks!
Eric Greenberg (founder of conXt)
How fun! I could use it to send post cards over the summer to my kids. And has much as I value writing thank you notes….this would be much easier. Plus thank you notes just get trashed, this people might keep.
I love this! I also love that you have 2 pugs, …and the same colors! A black and a fawn! How fun. This postcard idea is adorable and I can’t wait to use it! So glad I found your blog.
-Jenna
wilsonsandpugs.blogspot.com
I’ve never heard of this! That’s so cool! I used to do Postcrossing, but it was so annoying to always have to get international stamps (because it seemed like those were the ONLY addresses I was ever given!)
I’m going to have to check this out!
Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this! I love it.
So neat! I would love to get a pug postcard in the mail!
Super cool! I will definitely use your link and use Postcardly to send some love to my grandparents! What a cute idea!!
what a great idea!
damn … this is totally one of those ‘why didn’t i think of that first’ moments!
That’s pretty cool! No hassle of hand writing all those notes either. 🙂
That’s really neat! I’ll have to try it, Kim-thanks!
Thanks. This is a great idea. This would be a great way for my kiddos to keep their grandparents and great-grandparents in the loop.
Neat idea! I was debating on sending birth announcements and this could be a fun alternative.
This sounds amazing. I have never heard of this and the possibilities are endless!!
Very cool, I’d never heard of this! And the Lola pic is priceless.
Wow that is really cool!
Brilliant!
First and foremost they totally need to hire you as their spokes person… I’m going to sign up because you’ve sold me on it :o) what a wonderful idea thanks so much for sharing.
XO, Rach
You should see if they have a referral program, because after that review I am DEFINITELY signing up. I LOVE that I can send the photo to an email address instead of trying to remember someone’s real address.