Want to get your envelope opened? Here’s what to do….
It isn’t what is inside your envelope that is relevant if your envelope never gets opened. Just picture what you do when you get your mail.
I sit near a trash bin and sort the mail according to pile A and Pile B. Pile A goes right into the trash bin, most of the time without me opening the envelope. I can guarantee that this always happens with me when I know there is a credit card solicitation inside the envelope.
When putting together a Direct Mail Campaign, it is very important to give careful thought and consideration to the envelope design that most likely will be opened by the most number of prospects receiving it.
The first choice is to design what I call a “sneak-up envelope.”
A “sneak-up” envelope is designed to contact new prospects and its purpose is to look like personal mail. You would only have your name and street address (my suggestion is to only have an address) in the return corner. It would have a live stamp (not bulk-stamped) and be individually hand-addressed or printed in a font where it looks like it was written by someone.
Another choice is called “teaser copy” It has something on the outside of the envelope selling the recipient on opening it and reading what is inside. You might be asking yourself the question, “Why would you want to do that?”
One of my rules is that if you are going to reveal your envelope as being business related, then you might as well use teaser copy to create the interest in opening the envelope. Should it be a sentence or more? It should have on the envelope whatever message it takes to get the recipient to open it.
Here are some ideas of types of envelopes and what they might look like.
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An imitation of Federal Express/or priority mail envelopes.
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Very official looking envelopes.
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A window envelope with checks showing through the windows.
Those are just a few thoughts. If the envelope looks official, it will be opened and that is the objective you set out to achieve.
There isn’t one approach that is always better than another. Each will serve a purpose in totally different situations. It depends on how it is to be applied.
Let me know your thoughts and suggestions that you come up with.
My target market is high net worth individuals.
Any type of marketing that might be viewed as misleading
is counterproductive. So suggestions #1-3 aren’t appropriate. Have tried other messages on the envelope but none seem to work.
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Ted Pendlebury Reply:
June 23rd, 2011 at 11:48 pm
@Jonathan Heller, You need a well chosen promotional product, causing the mail to be “lumpy”. If your gift is too large, use a small box at the post office or other small carton or tube. You’ll get the appointment you need.
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Ken Varga Reply:
June 26th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
@Jonathan Heller,
Jonathan, you don’t want to make the package misleading. You want to make it relevant to your situation. Whether the individual you are trying to reach is high net worth or low net worth, they still have to read your message before they can respond. If you are sending them a message, you have to appeal to their curiosity or self-interest if they are to open your message and read it.
If you believe that what you have to offer is beneficial for the individual, then getting past their trained negative assumptions about an envelope is essential if they are to see your message. By using the ideas I spoke about, you are giving them a chance to not be ruled by their automatic responses and to get to your message so they can see the benefit.
This is about understanding your prospect and working with them to help them. “Working with them” means understanding the constraints and assumptions they work under, and helping them get past those to your message.
It’s only misleading if you don’t believe that what you are selling is not of value. If it is, then you should do everything you can to make sure the message is received. It’s a matter of perspective.
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Joanne Cipressi Reply:
July 10th, 2011 at 9:33 am
@Ken Varga, @Jonathan Heller
Ken, I love the point you made, “getting past their trained negative assumptions about an envelope is essential” I speak much about this to my clients regarding relationship building in business and their personal life. It truly does work and people become more open by stretching outside their box without consciously realizing they are doing it–which builds a bond of trust.
In addition, “It’s only misleading if you don’t believe that what you are selling is not of value…you should do everything you can…” This took me a LONG time to realize. I use to limit myself terribly so as not to “seem” misleading. Once I overcame that, amazing creativity happened and I was able to impact more people.
Thanks for sharing.
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I found that if I email or text someone letting them know that I sent them something in the mail to be sure to open it because it has…. xyz (important stuff) inside it, then I get a higher response rate.
I do like the idea of the handwritten envelope with the real stamp on it. Send-out-cards does this…. and I believe they also have a very high response rate.
[Reply]
Ken Varga Reply:
June 26th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
@norma serrano,
Hi Norma, that’s great! The more touch points you have–phone, text, email, etc.–the higher the conversion.
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Joanne Cipressi Reply:
July 10th, 2011 at 9:25 am
@norma serrano, Cards work very well for me, just as the e-mail that you suggested.
I also like to pick up the phone and call as well. I have been pleasantly surprised that the phone call was appreciated by most.
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Hi Ken!
I agree with you on just using your address and making the letter look personal.
Most everyone will open a letter with a check. Once I received an envelope from Verizon that had a check and thankfully I opened it and the check was real….
Ken, thanks again for your brilliant tips.
Many Blessings!
Chas
[Reply]
Ken Varga Reply:
June 26th, 2011 at 7:48 pm
@Chas,
Chas you are welcome! It’s nice to receive checks in the mail, isn’t it?
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hi ken! you sent me a message, so i’m just telling you that you know me from linkedin. anyways, i only do 4by6 postcards for the very reason of this article. so, i’ve got a better question for you ken: How do i obtain information which will help me decide who gets my postcards so that they do not go wasted(at least in my mind)?
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Florence Smith Reply:
June 21st, 2011 at 6:44 am
@scott gallagher, Having a clear understanding of who you are targeting and how they want to receive their information is the best way to make sure that they will respond or at least keep the mailpiece. Outside of that, you have to understand that direct mail is only going to net you a 1% to 2% response rate. To increase that, the offer must be compelling and relevant to the recipient – at the time they need it. The latter is a bit of a crap shoot, but if it is compelling enough they will hold the piece until they need it or something more compelling comes along.
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Hi, Ken. Thank for information. On LinkedIn, June 16, 2011 yaer. I found the message.Rahul Dutta. A Client (not a US entity) is looking to form a company in new Jersey. Looking for some experienced professional to take up this small assignment. I need the lekeness way for realization my nanotechnologies to your country, after licensing /license agreement/. Best Regards, Sergey.
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Ken Varga Reply:
June 26th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
@Sergey,
Sergey, you are welcome! Nanotechnologies is not in my expertise, so I don’t have much advice to offer in that area.
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Likeness way… I am sorry. Sergey
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Ken, I agree with Jonathan Heller. Subterfuge by making the recipient think that they are receiving something they are not has not worked – regardless of net worth. What will work is a compelling and relevant offer. A hint about the problem that you will solve on the outside or mailing side of the piece does help the ‘inspection’ rate. The more visceral, the better.
[Reply]
Ken Varga Reply:
June 26th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
@Florence Smith,
Hi Florence, please read my response to Jonathan above.
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I ran a bulk mailing facility for years and have seen a lot of these tactics employed. They all have their merits in a particular market with a particular demographic. For instance the official looking envelope with a check showing is generally used by car lots targeting the lower income. Non profit companies looking for donations will generally want the hand written look with the stamp. The thought here is when asking for large sums of money you need the personal touch. Overall the one I see that provides the biggest bennefit is the card or folded card. When the information is presented on the mail piece itself you must see it before you can put it in the trash. So you have a better chance of getting your message across and drawing interest.
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I agree with most of the ideas. For the individual with high net worth prospects: Send them via fedex. That’s the best way to get through to hard-to-reach decision makers, or people who don’t respond to the teaser approach. Also the “lumpy” mail idea is pretty good. But to get past every potential screening mechanism, the fedex is always opened. If you can’t afford the cost, then reengineer your offer, etc. to be able to support this cost.
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