What are triggered postcards?
Triggered postcards are physical mailpieces created from source-system events, such as a new lead, cart event, customer milestone, renewal reminder, or reactivation rule.
The trigger should not skip operational review. The workflow still needs address readiness, suppression, proofing, retry safety, duplicate prevention, batch state, tracking joins, and measurement boundaries.
What fields should the trigger record include?
A trigger record should explain why the postcard was considered and which checks must pass before release.
| Layer | Record to keep | Related guide |
|---|---|---|
| Event payload | Event ID, source record, recipient key, trigger reason, event time. | Event payload |
| Send rule | Eligibility result, hold reason, review owner, release decision. | Send rule |
| Retry safety | Idempotency key, payload fingerprint, first request state. | Idempotency key |
| Duplicate control | Recipient match key, household key, recent-send window, exception state. | Duplicate-send rule |
| Mail release | Proof version, campaign ID, batch ID, mailpiece ID, tracking join. | Mail batch |
How should address readiness work?
A triggered postcard should pause when address data is incomplete, conflicting, or not ready for release. The source event should remain saved while the mailing address is reviewed.
Use address standardization, mailable address, NCOA, and suppression-list checks before the record reaches proof approval.
How should proofing work for triggered mail?
A triggered postcard proof should show the final layout, address block, variable fields, fallback values, QR or response path, and the exact creative version tied to the trigger.
For production review, connect the trigger to the postcard template hub and print proof guide. The proof should be approved before the trigger can release volume.
How should measurement work after the trigger fires?
Triggered postcard measurement should be declared before outcomes are reviewed. The workflow should record campaign ID, batch ID, mailpiece ID, response source, holdout state when used, and measurement window.
Tracking helps review mailstream state, while measurement reviews responses. Read the USPS tracking guide and measurement-window guide for that boundary.
What should a Sendvo-style trigger workflow keep visible?
A Sendvo-style trigger workflow should keep source events, audience data, address checks, proof state, send rules, idempotency, duplicate checks, USPS tracking context, and audit records visible together.
Sendvo is in beta as a self-service direct-mail platform. The practical evaluation question is whether a team can explain each triggered postcard from event to review.
FAQ
What should a triggered postcard workflow include?
It should include event payload, send rule, idempotency key, duplicate-send check, address readiness, suppression result, proof version, campaign ID, batch ID, tracking join, exception state, and measurement window.
Should every software event send a postcard?
No. A source event should create a reviewable record. Send rules, address checks, suppression, duplicate controls, and proof state should decide whether the record moves forward.
Sources
Make triggered mail explainable.
Sendvo is a beta direct-mail platform for teams connecting audience records, postcard design, triggered sends, USPS tracking, and audit records.