Creating a Template

Open Letter Connect provides flexible options for creating high-impact mailer templates. Whether you start from scratch, customize one of over 450+ pre-built templates, or work with a designer, our drag-and-drop editor makes the process intuitive.

This guide walks you through building a template within the OLC editor, including personalization with merge fields and design best practices.

Step-by-Step Guide: Creating Your Mailer Template

1. Access the Template Editor

• Navigate to the Templates section from your OLC dashboard.

• Click Create.

• Select your mailer format:

  • Postcard

  • Letters

  • Snap Pack

  • Self-Mailer

  • Real Penned

2. Choose a Starting Point

• Option A: Use a Pre-Built Template

  • Browse through 450+ templates.

  • Filter by mailer type or industry.

  • Click EDIT TEMPLATE to personalize fonts, colors, images, and copy.

    
• Option B: Start from Scratch

  • Select Blank Template.

  • Use the drag-and-drop editor to add:

    • Text blocks

    • Images (logos, product photos)

    • Merge fields (personalized data)

3. Personalize with Merge Fields

Merge fields insert contact-specific information into your mailer, ensuring each piece feels personal.

Available Merge Fields:

Category	Fields
Contact Fields	First Name, Last Name, Full Name, Company Name, Mailing Address 1 & 2, City, State, Zip Code, Phone, Email
Property Fields	Property Address, City, State, Zip Code, Offer, Written Offer
Sender Fields	Sender First Name, Last Name, Company Name, Phone, Email, Website
Miscellaneous	Mailing Date, Custom Fields (user-defined)

How to Insert:

• Click Merge Fields from the right-hand panel.

• Select the desired field (e.g., First Name).

• It will appear as a placeholder in your design (e.g., {{first_name}}).

Merge Field Best Practices (No Fallbacks):

• Use fields you know are populated: Since fallback values aren’t supported, only insert fields where your contact list has complete data.

• Keep personalization minimal: Focus on key elements like first_name or property_address.

• Preview with test data: Always preview your template in the editor with sample data to ensure merge fields appear correctly.

4. Design Best Practices

Design Element	Specification
Resolution	300 DPI for images and graphics
Bleed Area	0.125" beyond edges
Safe Zone	Keep critical elements 0.25" inside the edges
Fonts	Easy-to-read fonts (Open Sans, Lato, Montserrat); minimum 10pt (postcards) or 11pt (letters)
File Types for Uploads	JPEG, PNG for images; SVG for logos

5. Save Your Template

• Click Save in the upper-right corner.

• Name your template for easy future use.

• Templates can be duplicated and modified for different campaigns.