News
 How
to Make Prospects Rip Open Your Envelopes
By Dean Rieck
The envelope is the Rodney Dangerfield of direct
mail. It just doesn’t get any respect.
After all, its purpose is not to position your
product. Its job is not to entertain or amuse. It’s
not chatty like a letter or impressive like a
brochure. Aside from holding together the contents
until delivered, an envelope’s job is to get ripped
open. Here’s how.
So, ironically, the lowly envelope is arguably the
single most important part of any direct mail
package because it absolutely must get opened.
Otherwise, all those more respectable pieces are
just so much wasted paper. So here are a few ideas
to get your envelopes ripped to shreds:
• Follow headline rules to write teaser copy. You
can generate interest with a provocative statement,
provoke curiosity with a question or incomplete
sentence, or state a problem on the envelope and
suggest that the solution is inside. Teaser copy
acts like a headline to draw people in.
• Use teaser copy to select your audience. It should
be clear at a glance that your message is addressed
specifically to your reader. Use key words that
relate to your ideal prospect’s interests or
identity, such as “Exclusive offer for golfers
inside” or “For Serious Investors Only.”
• Refer to the contents of the envelope. Tell your
reader there’s something free, valuable, new, or
exclusive inside. If you’ve actually enclosed
something, such as a sample, booklet, checklist,
discount coupon, how-to guide, or newsletter, say
so.
• Use directive language. You can prompt your reader
to open the envelope with simple copy such as
“INSIDE,” “See inside,” or “Open immediately.”
Combine this with a benefit to jumpstart your sales
message. “FREE Recipes! Look inside ...” or “How to
pay $0 in taxes! See inside for details ....”
• Fully develop your envelope real estate. If you
have a flashy, desirable product, you can crank up
the excitement by using every square inch of your
envelope, front and back. Show the product. Bullet
point benefits. Starburst your special price. Hint
at a special gift for immediate orders. This works
best for consumer offers that are proven sellers
needing little explanation, such as books, software
upgrades, fact-packed newsletters, etc. But it can
work with virtually anything.
• Use illustrations or photos. If you’re spilling
your guts on the envelope, you might as well go all
the way and show your product, premium, or gift.
Simple pictures communicate instantly. A photo of a
book with the word “FREE” next to it is better than
lines and lines of clever copy.
• Consider involvement devices. Stickers, tokens,
stamps, coins, scratch-offs, lift-up tabs, attached
notes, seals, and other widgets can be used to good
effect if you have the budget, if they can boost
response enough to justify the added cost, and if
they fit the feel of your message.
--- Dean Rieck is president of Direct Creative, a
full-service creative firm. E-mail: DeanRieck@DirectCreative.com.
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