Despite the ever-growing influence of Internet marketing, direct mail still has a very important role to play in 21st century business. Receiving an envelope in the mail is a more personal, tangible experience than simply receiving yet another marketing email in your inbox.
However, it’s vital that your business grabs the attention of the recipient without harming your brand identity. You can give your direct mail the best chance of being opened and read by your target customers by making the switch to custom envelopes.
Creating a unique and engaging message
The average consumer may receive several items of direct mail every week, which means much of it ends up being thrown straight into the bin. The trick is to make your envelope stand out as something that simply can’t be ignored. You can achieve this by creating a design that is in keeping with your brand, and the recipient.
For instance, you can have some teaser copy printed on the outside of the envelope – preferably communicating to the recipient the benefits of opening it. This could be the award of a discount, or the chance to take advantage of a special offer. The wording you use on the exterior of your envelope needs to grab the attention of the recipient without appearing generic or overly sales orientated.
Of course, there is a lot more to custom-made envelopes than the printing of sales text. You may need to have your logo printed onto them, or you may feel that a particular colour is in keeping with your brand identity and the specific message you are trying to send. The easiest way to create an envelope that meets all your objectives is to consult with an envelope expert.
You will get the chance to decide on the weight, colour and material used, as well as the specific printing requirements you have. What you’ll be left with is an envelope that sets your message apart from that of your competitors.
A few tips to maximise the chances of getting your mails opened
Once you have decided on text, logos, colour, dimensions and envelope type, there are a few ‘tricks of the trade’ that could further increase the chances of your marketing mail being opened by recipients. One trick is to use first class mail instead of sending your message by bulk mail.
This will make it look more personal – as if meant solely for your target customers. You may want to experiment with using commemorative stamps, or fixing your stamps crookedly. This will obviously be more time-consuming than franking your mail, but the human touch could make it appear more personal.
It’s also worth thinking about what constitutes a ‘personalised’ envelope. Will a white envelope convey a professional tone? Or will the addition of some colour make it look more interesting? A thicker, premium envelope that appears to be of a higher quality than the majority of mail may also send a strong message to the recipient.
Although designing a bespoke envelope may add to your marketing costs, it may be a cost-effective move if it means more of your target customers open the direct mail you send.
Creating custom-made envelopes for direct marketing campaigns involves a series of important decisions on colour, text, dimensions, paper quality and style. With the help of an envelope expert, you can create something that promotes your brand and gets your message seen.