5 Effective Ways to Push The Inside of the Envelope

One of the most commonly overlooked opportunities in creating effective direct mail, is the real estate inside the envelope. Frequently, marketers will spend many hours crafting a perfect teaser line or developing a compelling intro to a letter only to stuff it into a default outer envelope.

In fact, Nearly 3/4 of envelopes sent through the mail are 24lb white wove #10s. With that type of volume, you need to be able to break through the clutter. And techniques pertaining to the envelope is a great place to start. After all, it is the first thing your target will see. They say never to judge a book by it’s cover. The reality is people do anyways—and the envelope is the cover to your communication.

Of course if money was no object, marketers would be printing with gold leaf and playing around with materials designed to stimulate the senses. Although there are companies where those techniques would be applicable, there are many cost-effective ways to stand out from the crowd. Although some companies have strict brand guidelines to adhere, there are ways to use the inside of the envelope to maximize response. Here are 5 examples of how to effectively push the inside of the envelope.

1. Security Pattern People are conditioned to associate envelopes with protective security patterns printed on them with important documents or checks. Printing a security pattern on the inside of the envelope can create a sense of urgency in opening the package. After all, no one wants to risk throwing out a forgotten rebate check or their college transcripts.

2. Letterlopes You can create a package where there is nothing inside the envelope. You can do this because the envelope actually unfolds to reveal a letter on the other side. These are called Letterlopes and they are a great way to give the appearance of a business type correspondence while offering a memorable interactive experience. And with nothing inside, you are sure to stay under weight for postage.

3. Scents Imagine smelling oranges while reading a “Fruit of the Month” mailer. There are companies that are able to add scents to the glue that holds the envelope together. This is especially effective when producing materials for the food segment but I have also seen it work with other scents as well.

4. Color It seems simple but sometimes simply adding color to the inside of an envelope is a nice touch that will guarantee the prospect will at least open the letter. Imagine a stark white envelope on the outside with a fire hot red color flushing the inside of the envelope.

5. Reveals There are new automated production houses than can now produce envelopes with messages that pop up when the envelope is opened. And this can all be done inline with personalized lasered content! The element of delight achieved when seeing a pop up reveal can be the difference between a response and a one-way trip to the circular file.

Technology is constantly evolving but so is the intelligence of our audience. Marketers are constantly trying to develop new ways to break the monotony of standard white mail. When concepting new ideas, take great care in developing techniques that pay off the message. Without cohesion between execution and strategy, it will appear only as desperate gimmick. Good luck.