When your envelopes aren’t opened, you can’t make money! Before
you can get an order, the recipient of your mailing package must
first open the envelope. Unfortunately, many recipients of
direct mail simply discard the material without opening the
envelope.
Because of the high costs of printing, envelopes, and postage,
your mailing package represents a sizable investment. You
simply can’t afford to make this investment, and then have your
sales material discarded in unopened envelopes.
With the following methods, you will have a substantial
reduction in the number of unopened envelopes and a pleasantly
profitable increase in sales.
1. If you envelope looks like junk mail, it will be treated like
junk mail (in other words, thrown in the trash without being
opened). The solution is simple – don’t mail your material in
envelopes that look like junk mail.
2. Avoid using mailing labels, because they make your envelopes
look like junk mail.
3. Type the addresses on your envelopes.
4. Neatly write or print the addresses on your envelopes.
5. If you don’t have time to use method three or four, then pay
someone to address the envelopes for you. Pay them for each
envelope they address; do not pay them by the hour.
6. If you must use labels, then use colored labels.
7. If colored labels are too expensive, you can color white
labels with a marking pen. Fluorescent marking pens are
especially good for this purpose. You can find these in office
supply stores, discount variety stores, discount pharmacies, etc.
8. Use colored envelopes.
( * The Post Office will not appreciate your colored labels and
envelopes. These items create problems for their optical
scanning equipment.)
9. Use first class postage and print FIRST CLASS in several
places on the envelope. An inexpensive rubber stamp, with red
ink, makes an « official » looking impression.
10. Do not rubber stamp the return address on your envelopes.
This looks extremely unprofessional.
11. Avoid using labels for the return address – this also looks
unprofessional.
12. Pay a print shop to print your return address on your
outgoing envelopes. This isn’t expensive, and it creates a more
professional image.
13. Use a colored typewriter ribbon to address envelopes.
14. Use a colored pen to address envelopes. For example, I like
red ink.
15. Address your envelopes on the back side.
16. Print or rubber stamp a short message on your envelopes.
This is a very effective with material that is mailed to persons
who inquire in response to magazine ads. For example, we
advertise a Free Mailing List Dealership. When we receive
inquiries about our dealership, we rubber stamp this message on
all outgoing envelopes – « You requested this FREE Dealership ».
17. Commemorative stamps are more attractive than standard issue
stamps, and they are the same price. Use them. That’s an easy
way to get your envelopes opened.
18. Use marking pens to draw designs on your envelopes. even a
series of straight lines, in a variety of colors, will draw
attention.
19. You can buy paste-on dots, stars, smiley faces, and so forth,
from an office supply store. Place these on your envelopes.
20. Instead of buying one first class stamp, buy several stamps
in smaller denominations that add up to the same price. This
catches attention because it looks more expensive.
21. Large mail order companies occasionally place some type of
solid object inside their envelopes. For example, specialty
advertising companies use inexpensive pencils, pens, plastic
pocket calendars, etc. You can also use this idea. For best
results, try to tie the object in to your offer.
22. Tape a penny to your sales letter. Then, in the sales
letter, offer to give your prospective customer a discount –
perhaps $5 or $10 – in exchange for the penny.
23. Use envelopes with windows.
24. With window envelopes, the recipient’s address must be inside
the envelope and placed so it shows through the window. Take
advantage of this. Place the address on some type of Cash
Coupon that looks like a check.
25. Use large envelopes, such as 6 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches, or even 9
by 12 inches. This is expensive, but the envelope will be
opened.
26. « The more you tell, the more you sell. » Use a large envelope
and include plenty of sales material. This is very effective
with higher price offers.
A few of these methods are a little eccentric, and a few are
more expensive than normal methods, but they will all help to
get your envelopes opened and increase your sales.
We promised you twenty-one methods, and we have actually given
you twenty six! That’s because we believe in giving our
customers more than their money’s worth. I recommend that you
try this with your own business – you’ll find that it pays big
dividends.