RSS
Home
Pushing the Envelope to Impact Your Message
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Of the many pieces of mail that arrived for you today, which ones did you read? Do you wonder if your customers are reading your mailings? Appearances, as they say, are everything in the direct mail business. If your piece arrives looking tired, impersonal and uninteresting, there is going to be only one place for it: the wastebasket.
Getting direct mail into the hands of your customers and prospects is easy. Getting them to open and read your messages is the challenge. You can improve the odds of your direct mail messages being read by making the right first impression. That begins with the envelope. Following are some tips to make that first impression a favorable one.
Teaser Copy
Marketing research has consistently shown that printing on the outside of the envelope is a good way to attract attention to your mail. For instance, teaser copy is often an excellent way to be noticed. Any text printed on the envelope with the exception of the return address is considered teaser copy. Common teasers are, “You’re invited!” or “Free offer enclosed.”
Also, interesting graphics printed on the envelope can enhance, reinforce and reveal important aspects of the enclosed message. Certain envelope styles, like side-seam, lend themselves to addressing on what would normally be the back of the envelope, leaving the entire face free for eye-catching graphics or text.
A Window of Opportunity
Window envelopes can also open doors to your marketing message. These envelopes are not just for bills. Window envelopes have become popular—and cost-efficient—marketing communication devices. The cost of mail processing can often be cut since the name and address show through the window, eliminating the need to address the envelope. In some situations, an advertising message can be shown through the window as a “teaser” to get the envelope opened. Many styles and sizes are available in addition to the standard window sizes and positions.
There are myriad postal considerations involved with mailing window envelopes. Consult the U.S. Postal Service Publication 25, “Designing Business Letter Mail.” This manual addresses important letter mail design parameters such as envelope styles and dimensions, bar coding, address formats, color usage and more.
Using Color
Don’t overlook the impact of color on your envelopes. It can add both interest and appeal. In fact, studies show that people are 40 percent more likely to be interested in a piece with color than one without it. Also, the use of colored paper achieves a two-color effect with the economy of one-color printing.
It is important, however, to make sure color is used correctly on your envelope. For instance, the mail scanners of the postal service cannot read certain shades of red and green. Paper stocks used for envelopes and cards—as well as inks used for addresses and any other printing on the outside of letter-size mail—should not be fluorescent or phosphorescent. The glow from such paper stocks and inks can cause malfunctions during postal mail processing and delays in delivery. The mail-piece design analyst at the post office can provide you with a list of acceptable colors to use.
Size Matters
Envelopes are available in a variety of grades, colors, finishes, weights, sizes and styles, each with a different cost. Most businesses save time and money by using standard-size envelopes. Based on a standard 8 ½ inch by 11 inch piece of paper, the standard envelope should have a clearance from top to bottom of no less than a quarter of an inch. However, when inserts are thick or bulky, extra allowances must be made. The minimum envelope size, as specified by postal regulations, is 3 ½ inches by 5 inches. All must be rectangular. Odd shapes are non-mailable.
There are two kinds of custom envelopes: custom-sized and custom-made. A custom-sized envelope can cost up to four times as much as a standard envelope due to specialty material needs and labor costs. A custom-made envelope can be a standard business size but made with special paper, inks, watermarks, embossing, etc. Ask your local printer for a cost estimate on a custom-made envelope.
There are many elements to consider when it comes to choosing the right envelope for your business’s or organization’s direct marketing message. The envelope should be part of the entire design process, not an afterthought. For maximum impact, consult your local printer or graphic designer early in the project design process. They can advise you on envelope color options, sizes, styles, designs and other elements you can utilize to add impact to your mailing.
Related Articles:
Comments
“There are too many to choose just one.” Sean Ryan, founder of LifeUnited charity, has a tough time choosing one story to tell that …
If there is a special heaven for creative types like me, the Art Directors Club of Denver (ADCD) annual show surely must be a part of it. The event …
