Your post office is already a trusted community hub—but most customers think of it as a one-stop for stamps and parcels only. Cross-selling printing services taps into existing foot traffic and increases transaction value without requiring new infrastructure you don't already own.
Why Printing Fits Your Post Office
Customers coming in to mail packages often need printed materials for those shipments. Business owners need letterheads, invoices, and promotional mailers. Regular customers want holiday cards, flyers, or small banners. Printing services create natural upsell moments at checkout and justify higher margins—typically 40–60% gross profit on printing work versus 5–15% on postage.
The equipment investment is modest if you partner with a local print vendor (drop-ship model) rather than buying a full in-house press. A simple scanning station, order tablet, and sample display cost under $2,000 to set up.
Setting Up a Basic Printing Menu
Start lean. Offer four to six core services rather than overwhelming customers:
- Business cards (500–1,000 count, 3–5 day turnaround, $25–75)
- Postcards (for direct mail campaigns, 100–500 count, $15–50)
- Flyers & brochures (8.5×11" single-fold or tri-fold, $20–100 for 100–500 copies)
- Shipping labels & stickers (custom printed, $30–80 per 100)
- Envelopes (window or custom return address, $40–120 per 500)
- Large format prints (posters, banners up to 36"×48", $10–30 each, outsourced)
You don't need to stock all materials. Use a print-on-demand partner (like Vistaprint, Deluxe, or a local printer) and quote orders in real time. Markup 35–50% above their wholesale cost and build a 3–5 business day lead time into quotes.
Making It Visible to Customers
Place printed samples near the counter in a branded holder. A laminated one-page menu with pricing and turnaround times sits next to the register. Train staff to mention printing during mailing transactions: "While we process your parcel, would custom postcards help promote your business locally?"
Run a small promotional offer—"Free design consultation on orders over $50"—to test demand. Social media posts showing sample business cards or flyers cost nothing and signal new offerings.
Training Your Team
Staff need to understand the profit margins and the ordering process. Spend one hour walking them through how to take a customer's specifications, verify file format (PDF is standard), confirm turnaround and pricing, and collect payment upfront (standard for custom printing).
Create a one-page quick-reference guide listing turnaround times, price ranges, and the vendor's contact info. Empower your team to say "yes" to reasonable requests on the spot rather than creating friction.
Managing Vendor Relationships
Choose a print partner based on reliability, local proximity, and your ability to markup. Negotiate net-30 terms so you're not fronting cash for every order. Confirm their quality standards and turnaround times align with your promises to customers—a 3-day delay reflects poorly on your post office.
Check samples monthly. A misprinted batch damages trust faster than it builds profit.
Tracking Revenue and Adjusting
Record printing orders separately in your POS system. After 30 days, review which services sold most and which didn't move. If nobody orders envelopes but flyers fly off the shelf, adjust your menu and sample display. Target printing revenue at 2–5% of total post office sales within the first quarter.
Leveraging Online Visibility
List your printing services on business directories and local platforms so customers find you before contacting a generic print shop. Listing your offerings on Mercoly helps you get discovered by local business owners looking for quick printing turnarounds combined with mailing services—giving you an edge over standalone print shops that don't ship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need to buy a physical printer? No. Partner with a local or national print vendor and operate as an order taker. You collect the order, payment, and specifications; they print and deliver to you or the customer. This eliminates capital spend and storage headaches.
Q: What file formats should customers submit? PDF, high-resolution JPG, or native files (Illustrator, InDesign). Provide a simple upload link or USB drop-off option, and clearly state your DPI requirement (300 DPI minimum for quality printing).
Q: How do I price printing if costs vary by vendor? Quote based on vendor pricing plus a fixed markup percentage (typically 40–50%). Use a spreadsheet template so staff can quote quickly and consistently without guessing.
Start with two high-demand services and one trusted vendor this month—measure results before expanding your menu.