BHP Printing Blog

After you have decided on the layout of your direct mail piece, you then need to decide what kind of paper you want. When it comes to direct mail, the paper you choose can have an impact on the mailing’s cost and effectiveness.

In order to make the right decision, you need to understand the basics of paper. Here are 4 key paper qualities to consider for direct mail pieces:

• Finish is the paper’s surface texture. The finish affects the appearance of the printed piece. Paper is usually either uncoated- dull and unreflective - or coated for a shiny or matte finish.
• Weight refers to the paper’s thickness. Thickness or weight has an impact on the appearance of the printed piece, your mailing’s postage, and the printer’s presses.
• Opacity identifies how much printing will show through on the other side of the sheet. A lighter opacity is preferred for direct mail.
• Brightness refers to the ability to reflect blue light and affects the paper’s readability.

But there are some other factors to consider when deciding on paper. There’s much more to paper selection, and the other things to consider include:

• The paper needs to coincide with your brand, image and personality. You don’t want cheap paper for an upscale product.
• Ask to see printed paper samples to determine if you’ll be satisfied with the quality of your project.
• Sometimes small changes can save you money either on paper or postage. For example, a slightly smaller size direct mail postcard may save you a lot of money in postage.

You should always discuss with your printing company the purpose of your mailer. At Blue Hill Press, we can give you the best advice possible about your direct mail, we have been doing this for a long time.