A community card is a shared postcard that is smaller than the classic 9x12 and mailed to a smaller area. Local businesses split the cost of one card, each takes a spot, and every home on the chosen routes gets it. In 9x12 CRM the community card is 6x11 inches.
Community card or 9x12: how they differ
- Size: 6x11 inches against 9x12 inches. The smaller card holds fewer or smaller ad spots.
- Reach: usually fewer homes, so you pick fewer USPS routes and work with one town or neighborhood.
- Price per spot: lower, which makes it an easier yes for a first-time advertiser.
- The model is the same: advertisers pay before you print, one business per category, and you keep what is left after print and postage.
Why start with a community card
A first card is mostly about proving to yourself, and to local businesses, that you deliver. A smaller card is a smaller commitment on both sides: fewer spots to sell, a lower price to ask, and a smaller print bill. Many people then move to the 9x12 once they have a few advertisers who want to come back.
See the numbers for your own market
Every town is different, so use your own quotes. The free postcard profit calculator has a community card option. Enter how many homes you will reach, how many spots the card has, the price per spot and your printer’s quote. It shows the spot where the card pays for itself and what is left after that. The numbers it starts with are examples, not promises.
Pick your routes first
The area decides how many homes you reach. The free EDDM route planner shows every USPS carrier route in a ZIP code with its homes, businesses and median income. Choose routes until the total fits your print run, then save the plan and carry it into campaign setup in 9x12 CRM.
What goes on the card
- One business per category, so no two roofers share a card.
- A clear offer and a way to respond on every spot: a phone number, and a QR code so you can show each advertiser how many people scanned.
- A mailing banner for the USPS Every Door Direct Mail indicia on the side that carries the address area.
Selling the spots
Sell warm first: people you know who own or work in a local business. Then use the leads finder in 9x12 CRM to find nearby businesses, send the first email from your own address, and let follow-ups go out for you. Each business pays online before its spot is confirmed, and the money goes to your own Stripe or PayPal account.
When to move up to 9x12
When your community card sells out quickly, or advertisers ask for a bigger ad, step up to the 9x12. The same routes, the same sales page and the same advertisers carry over. Compare the two in the calculator to see what changes.
Ready to try it? Start free with a 14-day trial, no card needed, or take the free 8-lesson course first.
