On The Postcard Collector Project
Postcards have been around as early as the 1800s. It is perhaps the cheapest form of communication between countries. From experience, it is faster too! Postcards tend to arrive faster than regular mail sent to the same international destination when mailed at the same time. To this day, it is still widely popular because it is convenient- easily available in stores. One isn’t obliged to write a long letter either given that the regular size postcard only measures 3in x 5in. After writing a quick note, placing a stamp on it, you’re done!
The Postcard Collector project is an idea I’ve had for quite some time. I just wasn’t sure how I will go about it until I came across a website where people from all around the world exchange postcards for free by signing up. By means of the postcard, one would write the other, and the person writes back! Some have created blogs showing all the postcards they have received from strangers who eventually become their friends. It’s amazing how many number of people responded from north to south, east to west across the globe. That inspired me.
Postcards paved way for people to reveal their darkest secrets anonymously in another highly-successful ongoing project at postsecret. So I’ve thought, great vision! However, I want to have my own modest idea realized not just follow what others have started. I want to ‘see’ the world through others. I want to meet a diverse group of people online but at the same time I want to have something tangible to know that they actually exist! I want to exchange links with them but how? I am a postcard collector, that should settle the profound idea! What can I do to get people to send me a postcard?
The Concept
My idea is fairly simple and easy to accomplish. It will be the old snail mail way meeting the new world of the internet. Link to this blog by sending me an actual postcard showing me your blog. Once I receive your postcard, I will feature it along with your own blog. Then, we’re linked! The more people participating, the more your blog gets exposure and gets spread out.
for my own sample postcard, i used an ad campaign distributed here in the US for raising awareness on HPV and the importance of Pap tests in detecting cervical cancer early. (Please click the photos to get a better view of the postcards.)
The nitty-gritty
Postcard size: You may send any size, any which way you want as long as it is acceptable with your post office. Regular sized postcards are 3×5 inches and then there’s 4×6 and 5×7 both in inches. The bigger the size is, the higher the postage so I’ll settle for the small regular size. 🙂
Postcard content: Your postcard must contain your blog name and the URL address. You can be as creative as you want to be how you want to present your blog in your postcard. You may or may not put a return address. When you place a return address, you will get a postcard back from me! I will NOT display your return address once featured online on my blog. You don’t have to give me your real name, if that helps cover anonymity too.
Postcard material: You can buy or you can make your own; the latter would be greatly appreciated and encouraged! Remember, we are showing this to the world! And since I am a collector, the postcards sent will be neatly placed in an album for safekeeping.
Stamp or metered postage: I would like to request stamps for postage on the postcards, not the metered ones. Stamps are another thing of beauty that makes a nice postcard!
Blog link accepted: thepostcardcollector.us is open for link exchange from all bloggers of all ages. With that said, it shall maintain a wholesome image to cater for the general public especially young bloggers. Hence, blogs relating to or containing gambing, pornography, hate, foul and explicit languages, discrimination or racism will not be accepted. Any blogs promoting drugs, guns, alcohol and tobacco use will not be accepted as well. Please do not send a postcard if your blog falls in any of the category.
The author would also like to maintain a nonsectarian atmosphere to cater to everyone, so will not be able to accept blogs or website with religious content not limited to or associated with a particular denomination. The author has the right to accept or deny any link exchange as it deem necessary for questionable blogs or otherwise not explicitly mentioned above.
Mutual agreement: By sending a postcard, you are agreeing to let me scan that postcard with your blog name and URL for the sole purpose of featuring it on my blog. People will see the postcard you sent and they will be able to visit your blog online by clicking the link provided.
NO BLOG? If you’re only a postcard collector without a blog and would want to exchange postcards with me, you are most welcome to send me a postcard and I will send one back! With your permission, I will also feature the said postcard on my blog.
© 2007
November 17th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Do we use the address we see in your example?
Love the idea, now let’s see if I can find a postoffice…snailmail really something I must admit quite never did 🙂
Feel free to sign up in our toplist directory at http://www.linkylove.net/addyourlink/ to become blog of the weekend.
Thanks for joining us!
November 18th, 2007 at 3:15 am
yes, tha address on the example should get to me here in MA! really appreciate you stopping by and would love to get that postcard! I’ll look into the toplist directory and will visit your blog soon- gotta put my act together here first- thanksgiving and the black friday coming…! sure glad i stumbled on your great site! 🙂
November 18th, 2007 at 9:33 am
i love those PostCard thingys*
the Art is Amazing*
;))
Peace*
November 18th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Hi Mae,
Oops, some miscommunication: you can sign up for free at http://www.linkylove.net/addyourlink/ Many thanks to sign up on my frontpage as well! For sure you will be blog of the weekend between now and Chinese newyear (begin of February!).
Feel free to write your own blog promotion post and add anywhere on my blog as a comment (I need to make a real contact form…)
Now I have no more excuses to write my first snail mail post card 🙂
Happy blogging and let me know if the 10$ tip pays off please!
November 18th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
hi billywarhol: nice of you to drop by! thanks for the note… 🙂
November 18th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
hi linky love: it wasn’t a miscommunication at all- i figured this site being about a week old needs any form of ads to drive traffic. it was a happy decision on my part! 😉
on the add your link thing, i did try it but i got frustrated because at the bottom where it asks to write what you see and add 2 numbers, i couldn’t see the text at all! i tried 3 browsers and there is no image text. i could only see the numbers, so i gave up! will try again soon. will be in touch. thanks! 🙂
November 19th, 2007 at 8:19 am
wow, nice and interesting hobby site here.
sorry, i cant send you one postcard, i’m somewhere down and deep in the middle of the isolated dessert, but keep up the nice blogging!
cheers
November 19th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
many thanks for the visit my blog.
yes, i will send a postcard from my collection.
igor
http://webmastermarkt.blogspot.com
November 20th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
hi Vertito! Well, when you go back to civilization, drop me a postcard! 🙂
Thank you for checking out the site! I wish you safe and well wherever you may be… -mae
November 20th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
hello igor: I appreciate your coming over here at my site. I look forward to the postcard you are sending!
Cheers,
mae 🙂