Tips for Creating the Best Envelope Design for Your Direct Mail Marketing Campaign

Picking the right envelope for your mailers is one of the most important steps you can take toward putting together an effective and cost-efficient direct mail marketing campaign. Not only will the type of envelope you select have an impact on how well your mailer is received by your target audience, it will also have an impact on the postage you pay and will determine what types of methods can be used for inserting items into your envelope. Therefore, it is a good idea to keep these things in mind when designing the right envelope for your project. 

• Make sure the envelope is at least ¼" larger than the inserts
• Choose an envelope that can be machine inserted so you can save time and money on the insertion process
• Select an envelope size that can qualify for postal automation so you can keep postage costs to a minimum
• Design the envelope to attract the recipient - keep in mind that most will look first at the name and address and then at your teaser copy before looking at the return address, which means teaser copy is usually best placed above the recipient's address and to the left
• Plan well in advance if you plan to use a specialty envelope, such as one with a custom window or one that is of unusual size, as it takes longer to produce these types of envelopes
• Place postal endorsements such as ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED prominently on the envelope so the recipient will feel more important, as this will increase the likelihood of the envelope being opened
• Utilize metered postage, an unusual indicia design or live stamps to draw more attention to the envelope
  Order about 5-10% more envelopes than you think you need, as some envelopes may be damaged when setting up for automatic inserting and inkjetting - the expense of purchasing extra envelopes will be less than reprinting envelopes if you run short

If you are looking for more great direct mail marketing tips and strategies, download our free direct mail marketing ebook. It is full of insider tips and secrets that are sure to help you achieve the most effective and cost-efficient results possible.