Frequently Asked Questions

Overview

  • What is the general order process?

    For a one-off project, you would click to create a one-off project, then select the timing, create your design, and add recipients in the editor.

    For a recurring campaign, it is essentially the same process, but the timing options are different, and you would create a list in the Contacts section to which the campaign will be sent.

    Drip campaigns are like multiple one-off projects strung together that you send to a dynamic list.

    Advanced orders can be either integration orders or API orders. Both of those require a template. 

Order Types

  • What are Campaigns?

    Campaigns are orders that repeat automatically. They can repeat on the same day every year (like birthdays or anniversaries), month, day, etc. This is selected in the timing step. To add a recipient to your campaign, you select a list.

    See pricing for recurring order plans.

    Watch video guide here .

  • What are One-Off Projects?

    These are projects that are sent one time, either immediately after completion or scheduled for a later date. They consist of a design (which can be saved as a template) and recipients, whom you can import or add one at a time. While you can copy them for later use, it's important to note that they are not automatically recurring like campaign orders or API orders.

    See pricing for one-off projects. Watch video guide here. 

  • What is a Drip Campaign?

    A Thankster drip campaign is a series of mailings that you set up beforehand by creating a sequence of templates and specifying when they will be sent. It is mailed to the recipients on a Thankster list that you select. 

    You can watch a video about Drip Campaigns here

  • What are Integration orders?

    Thankster can integrate with (connect to) various applications, allowing you to automate sending via that application and utilize the recipient information stored there. Some current integrations include Shopify, Infusionsoft, NationBuilder, and Zapier. Contact us to get more information. 

  • Tell me about Thankster and Zapier.

    Using a Zapier integration, you can connect Thankster to thousands of applications without writing any computer code. An example would be to send cards whenever you add a new lead in Salesforce. Another option would be to trigger sending via a Google Sheet.

    Contact us for more information. 

  • Can I order using Google Sheets?

    Yes, you can use Google Sheets as a trigger with our Zapier integration. You can manually trigger orders by adding a row to a sheet or use a special sheet to automate sending, for example, for birthdays and anniversaries.

    Contact us for more information.

      

  • What are API orders?

    Thankster's API allows you to incorporate our functionality into your own application or website. Using the API lets you customize this access in any way you would like. An API order uses a Thankster API template project that you create the same way you would create a one-of project or campaign, except it does not have recipients attached to it. The API requires custom coding by a developer. Contact us to get the API documentation. You can also access it with no code via one of our integrations.

  • What is Quick Send for plan users?

    With Quick Send, you simply choose one of your One-off Project templates, add recipients, and submit. There's no need to pay at the time; you'll be billed later, along with any of your automated orders for the month. Click here for video .

Other Order Related

  • What are My Templates?

    These are templates you create using the card editor that you can save and re-use in any projects (One-off, Campaign, drip, or Quick Send) going forward.  They also serve as the basis of custom API and integration orders, which grab their design from them and can optionally pass data into them.

    Templates allow you to avoid building a design from scratch that you may use repeatedly.  Another approach could be to duplicate an existing project and delete any recipients not being mailed to, but that requires extra steps.

    As implied above, templates have additional tools in the design editor to add ‘API text’ or ‘API images,’ which your custom API application or your integration (for example, Zapier or keep) can dynamically pass content into when your application triggers that template for a mailing.

    When passing data into a template, you can use up to four API text boxes (“text one” to “text four”) and four API image boxes (“image one” to “image four”).  We color code the borders of these (a box with the color mapping will appear next to the page in the editor), so at a later time you can visually detect which box on the page is receiving which data from your application.

    Here is a video further explaining this.

  • What are public folder templates?

    These are templates that are available to use as the basis for your folder card mailers. They are available in the "Templates" > "Public Folder". You can have your own private templates
    as well. 

    Watch video guide here .

  • How do I cancel an order?

    You can cancel an order by finding it in the 'One-off Projects' list or the 'Campaigns' list and clicking the trash can icon in the 'Actions' column. You can cancel an immediate one-off project by midnight on the day it was placed. For scheduled orders and campaigns, you should cancel by midnight the day before the scheduled delivery. If it's after midnight, you can try contacting us to cancel it.

    Watch video guide here .

  • How do I clone a sent order?

    Follow these steps to copy an order that has been sent:

    1. Navigate to the "One Off Projects" section.
    2. Select the "Sent" tab.
    3. Locate the order you want to duplicate and click on the copy icon.
    4. A prompt will appear, asking you to duplicate the order as a draft project.
    5. Now, proceed to your "Drafts" folder.
    6. You will find the duplicated order listed as a draft project.

     
    Follow these same steps to duplicate other types of orders or projects. 

    Watch video guide here .

Using the Editor

  • Types of mailers – availability, volume requirements

    Thankster offers four types of mailers:  Folder cards, flat cards, postcards, and letters.

    Folder Cards:  These are our most popular.  They come on heavyweight stock and provide four pages for your content (images, text, QR codes, signatures).  They are mailed in matching envelopes.

    Flat Cards:  These come on the same stock as folders, but are comprised of two pages - the front and back.

    Postcards:  These are standard postcards - they are the same as flats but do not have an envelope.  The address goes on one side, leaving about a page and half for content.

    Letters:  These are standard 8.5 x 11 inch, plain paper letters.

    Availability:  For integration plans - small plans can send folders, medium plans can send folders and flats, large plans can send folders, flats, and postcards, and XL plans can send all types.  Non-plan users can send all types as well, but at higher price per card.

    Minimum volume requirements:  Folders have no minimum volume.  Currently, the other types have a minimum volume of 150 pieces per one-off project and 150 per month of automated orders. 

  • Can I use AI to add a image to my mailer?

    In addition to the the 'Public Image Library' and 'My Image Library', you can use the AI Image tool to add AI images into your mailers.

    Just click on the Image tool and select 'AI Image'. Type a prompt into the prompt image box to describe what you want for your image. You can be as detailed or general as you like. Click the 'Generate' button in the modal and the AI will generate image options for you to choose from. Add the preferred one to your page by selecting it and clicking the 'Use' button.  Note that the AI can make mistakes when it does words as part of the image (for example, if you prompt it to add "Happy Holidays"), so check those carefully.  You can always add your own words via a text box.

    See related video to here

  • Can I use AI to add a message to my mailer?

    You can use the AI Message tool to easily create AI generated text to your mailer.

    Just click on the Message tool and select ‘AI Message’. Type a prompt into the prompt text box to describe what you want for your message. You can be as detailed or general as you like.  It's a good idea to add something like "keep it to 100 words or less" so the resulting message is not too long. Click the 'Generate' button to create the message, and then click the 'Use' button to apply the generated message to the page.  You will likely want to edit it further to suit your needs.

    See related video here .

  • What do the red and yellow borders in Step 2 of the editor mean?

    If you add an image that you want to bleed to the edge, be sure to drag it into the red area so that it does not leave any unintended spacing between your image and the edge. Also be sure you don’t have any text or other important content that is near the edge, so it does not get cut off or print too close to the edge.

    The inner yellow border indicates the margin that you should keep text within. If you put text into the yellow border it will either get cut off or will be too close to the edge. 

    See this video

  • Can I add a signature to my mail piece?

    Yes, you can add a signature by drawing one using the signature tool and your mouse or touch screen.

    You can also add a signature by inserting an image in the design editor using the image tool in the left-hand side toolbar. It is a good idea to use images with high resolution (at least 300 DPI). 

    Watch video guide here .

  • What are public images?

    These images are available for anyone to add to their mailers. They can be found in the 'Image Library' under 'Public Image Library.' You can also use your own images in the 'My Image Library. 

    Watch video guide here .

  • Can I add a QR code to my mailer?

    Yes, you can accomplish this by clicking on a page of your Mailer and then selecting the QR code tool from the toolbar on the left-hand side. Afterward, you can input the URL associated with that QR code, and adjust its position and size as needed. If you already have a pre-existing QR code, you can add it just like any other image. 

    Watch video guide here .

  • What is meant by grouping text or image boxes in the editor?

    Grouping items is useful when you have two or more content boxes, and one might grow as a result of merged data or API data of different lengths. For example, you may have an API text box or a text box with merged data (perhaps containing your message text), followed by a signature box. If the message is very long, it might otherwise overlap the signature box. When you group the two boxes, it will keep them together, but they will not overlap.

    To create the grouping, click the first box, then hold down the Shift key and left-click on the second box. Finally, click the Group icon in the upper left. You can ungroup them by clicking Ungroup. When two boxes are grouped, their content cannot be edited until they are ungrouped. 

    Watch video guide here .

  • What is ‘My Image Library’ ?

    You can save images in your Image Library for easy future access within projects. To add an image to your library, follow these steps:

    1. Go to Image Library > My Image Library.
    2. Locate and click the upload button in the image library.
    3. Set a name and description.
    4. Browse and choose the image file.
    5. Ensure it meets the required file format (JPG or PNG) and size.
    6. Click the upload button. 

    Watch video guide here .

  • How do I add an image to my mailer?

    Follow these steps to add an image to your mailer piece: 

    1. Open the Design Editor.
    2. Click on the Image tool in the left-hand side toolbar.
    3. Choose the source of the image:

      If you want to add an image from your PC, click on the "Upload from PC" option and select the desired image from your computer.

      If you have images saved in the Library, click on the "Library" option and choose the image you want to use.

      If you want to use an AI-generated image, click on the "AI-generated image" option and select the image that suits your needs. 
    4. Once you have selected the image, click on the "Use" button.
    5. You can now move or resize the added image as per your requirements. 

    Watch video guide here

  • Merge Fields

    You can use merge fields to add variable data to your cards and notes. This makes it easy to personalize multi-recipient or automated card projects.

    Just go to the place in a text box where you want to add variable data, such as a first name, and select the merge field you want to use from the Merge Fields dropdown in the horizontal toolbar at the top of the editor. This will insert a merge field there (delimited on both sides by square brackets), and when you order a project or it is automatically triggered, the corresponding data will be pulled from your data source and will replace the merge field. 

    Watch video guide here

Contacts

  • What is the difference between the Address Book and Lists?

    Your address book includes all the contacts you add, whether imported or added individually, whereas lists are individual groupings of contacts that you name and create. Lists are used for campaigns. 

    Watch video guide here

  • What is a list?

    A list is a saved compilation of contacts that you assign a name to. It helps in keeping things organized and is essential for automated campaigns. Lists serve as the basis for recurring campaigns. Lists are dynamic. For instance, if you have a list of recipients for birthday cards, editing the list will determine who receives future cards.

  • How do I enter recipients using the grid?

    The grid functions largely like an Excel spreadsheet. You can type directly into the grid or paste information into it. The grid is recommended for use with 100 or fewer recipients. For larger lists, it is best to import a spreadsheet.

    Here's how to do it using the grid. Watch video guide here .

  • How do I import a spreadsheet?

    First, save a .CSV file using the format provided in this file: Thankster Sample File (use headers). Ensure that all headers are present exactly as they appear in the file. Then follow these steps:

    1. Go to the Recipients tab.
    2. Click on the Import button.
    3. Next, click on the Upload from CSV button.
    4. Click on the Choose File button and select the CSV file from your computer.
    5. Click on the Submit button.

    Upon clicking Submit, the spreadsheet will be displayed. Finally, click on the Import button to import the recipients.

    Watch the video guide here .

  • How do I import contacts?

    You can add one contact at time, import a spreadsheet, or submit a grid of recipients.  See how to import a single contact in the video below.  There are other articles and FAQs for the other methods. 

    Watch video guide here .

Plans Pricing

  • When am I billed?

    In most cases, bills are rendered monthly for orders placed during the prior month. During the first few months or if your amount owed is over $50, we may issue interim billings, which will be credited against the normal monthly bill.

  • Explain pricing for recurring order plans.

    This is the type of plan you need for integrating orders, Thankster automations, and API orders. It also offers the benefit of low per-card prices and API orders. With these plans, you pay a small amount at the beginning of the month (the prepay amount), which is credited back at the end of the month. For example, if your prepay amount is $5 and you send $20 worth of orders in a month, you pay $5 at the beginning of the month, and at the end of the month, you are billed for the remaining $15.

  • Do I get a monthly invoice or statement?

    Yes, each month, you will receive a statement summarizing the orders and charges. You can also access these in the Account section.

  • What is this pricing for?

    This is pricing for orders sent via a Thankster campaign, one of our integrations, or an API application. It has lower per-card pricing than one-off projects. Because it is unknown how many orders will be triggered beforehand, you are billed after they are sent, generally monthly. If you have a high number of orders, you may incur partial mid-month charges. Prices include first-class postage.

  • How am I billed? Is there a large monthly commitment?

    There is no commitment. You pay at the end of the month for the number of cards you send, minus the pre-pay amount. The pre-pay amount is billed at the beginning of the month and is credited back at the end of the month against orders sent.

Other Pricing

  • Can I mail to non-U.S. locations, and how are these billed for?

    Yes, for these, we use an international first-class stamp to ensure timely and reliable delivery.

  • Explain pricing for One-off Projects, and credit packs.

    Check out this page for pricing on one-off projects. The top row displays pricing for individual orders placed at the time of purchase. Volume discounts are available through the purchase of credit packs, as illustrated in the rest of the table. 

    Credits are like dollars, but discounted.  So 1000 credits would be like $1000 that you can use on any of our products, but they are discounted 25% so you pay only $750 for them. 

Create Handwriting Font

  • How do I create my own handwriting font?

    You should fill out the attached form, scan it, and submit it to us via our contact page.

    To achieve the best results, it is important to fill in the form(s) carefully, following the tips listed in the creation tips question. For variation in characters, it’s advisable to fill out multiple forms (up to five). Integration plans include at least one free custom font, and they are available at a low price for non-plan users.

    Alternatively, we can help you choose one of our existing fonts that approximates your desired look. This is often the easiest and best route since our fonts are generally well-tested.

    Download Form 

  • What are some handwriting creation tips?

    To achieve good results when creating your own font, it is important to fill in the form(s) carefully and follow these tips:

    • A thin felt-tip or ballpoint pen is recommended.
    • Leave a margin around each character (extend up to the hash marks); don't draw up to the edge of each cell.
    • Try to be consistent with character placement in the boxes.
    • Scan in color mode at 300 dpi for the best results.
    • Please save as a JPG. 

General

  • Can you do inserts, like gift cards or business cards?

    Yes, though we don't source them.  But if you send them to us, we will insert them for you.  In most cases, we charge 10 cents for each insertion. 

  • How long does it take my cards to arrive?

    We usually mail within 1 or 2 business days, and delivery in the continental U.S. generally takes 2-4 days after that. For non-U.S., it would vary by location. 

  • Are there any volume minimums?

    Not applicable to folder cards; however, for other types, there are usually minimums of 100-150 per month (for plan users) or 100-150 per project (for one-off orders). Please contact us for more information. 

  • Can I request a sample?

    Yes - just fill out this form, and we'll send one to you in a day or two. It will give you an idea of what the paper looks and feels like, but keep in mind that you'll be able to change the style and handwriting in many ways. 

  • What types of mail pieces can I send?

    You can send folder cards, flat cards, postcards, or regular letters through our service. 

  • Is there order tracking?

    We send orders via first-class mail. Although this option does not include tracking, orders are typically delivered within two to four days after being sent. 

  • What browsers does Thankster work with?

    Thankster is most well-tested on Chrome, but it should work well on other browsers such as Firefox and Edge. 

  • Is Thankster optimized for mobile devices?

    Thankster is currently optimized for large screens, such as laptops and desktops. The experience may not be optimal on phones and very small screens, though tablets should work well for some functions. We plan to enhance the mobile experience in the future. 

Account, Billing, Payment related

  • If I have an integrations plan, how do I update my credit card?

    Go to your Account, navigate to ‘My Subscription,’ and then click on the ‘Change payment method’ button. 

    Watch video guide here.

  • Where can I see billing and related information?

    When logged in, go to the account (user) menu in the upper right corner of any page to view your transactions, statements (for plan users), and any one-time charges. 

    Watch video guide here .