20 Tricks to Help Get That Envelope Opened
By DeAnna Spencer
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 your 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. Try to use your computer to address envelopes.
4. If you must use labels, then use colored labels.
5. Use colored envelopes.
6. 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.
7. Do not rubber stamp the return address on your envelopes.
This looks extremely unprofessional.
8. Pay a print shop to print your return address on your
outgoing envelopes. This isn't expensive, and it creates a
more professional image.
9. Use a colored font to address envelopes.
10. Print or rubber stamp a short message on your envelopes.
11. 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".
12. 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.
13. Use marking pens to draw designs on your envelopes, even
a series of straight lines, in a variety of colors, will draw
attention.
14. You can buy paste-on dots, stars, smiley faces, and so
forth, from an office supply store. Place these on your
envelopes.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. Use envelopes with windows.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. "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 strange, and a few are
more expensive than normal methods, but they will all help to
get your envelopes opened and increase your sales.
Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer
DeAnna is the publisher of the ezine, Prospecting and
Presents.
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