5 Hurdles Your Direct Mail Package Must Overcome to Get Opened

5 Hurdles Your Direct Mail Package

Must Overcome to Get Opened

One of the hardest things is to get the recipient to open your direct mail package; therefore

the outer envelope is of prime importance.

How people react to the direct mail packages they receive?

According to Siegfried Vögele, a research professor of direct marketing, there are 5 steps.

1. They check their name and spelling;

2. They check the name of the sender;

3. Then look for any message;

4. Check the postage mark;

5. Finally, they go to the back to open the envelope and read any

continuing message before deciding whether or not to open it.

If your direct mail piece never gets opened, your message never gets read.

Here are the major hurdles your direct mail package must overcome:

Hurdle 1: The package doesn’t look interesting enough

According to Siegfried Vögele, the average

person spends between 5 - 10 seconds scanning their mail, screening and deciding what to open, what to discard or

what to save for later.

Solution – Arouse curiosity

Solution – Arouse curiosity

Example 1 : The teaser in the envelope intrigue readers to open it. When readers open it they can find the answer in the brochure alongside.

Solution – Arouse curiosity

Example 1 : When readers open it they can find the answer in the brochure alongside.

Solution – Make it newsworthy

Solution – Make it newsworthy

Example 2 : The envelope alongside for Interval House, Canada's oldest shelter for abused women, with the toothbrush showing and the words: “There is no time to pack when you are running away.”

Hurdle 2: Your envelope tells them you are asking for money

Your logo and name on the envelope instantly flags who the letter is

from and what the contents are about. Most recipients can deduce that you are most likely asking for funds. New

or lapsed donors may not open the package.

Solution – Give a good reason to open

Solution – Give a good reason to open

Example 1 : Give readers a small hint of what's inside works well. “A child shouldn't have to...”

Solution – Give a good reason to open

Solution – Give a good reason to open

Example 2 : If you have something for them, mention like: “Inside: Your copy of a Special Report on Cancer.”

Test and Result

1st group: People received the envelope with only the words

2nd group: People could actually see a part of “Special Report on Cancer” on their envelope

In a split test...

Test and Result

The results of the second group increased the open rate by an additional 35%.

1st group: People received the envelope with only the words

2nd group: People could actually see a part of “Special Report on Cancer” on their envelope

In a split test...

Hurdle 3: All envelopes from charities look the same

Do you know that 90% of all envelopes from charities are No. 10 envelopes?

Solution – 9” X 6” envelope

Solution – 9” X 6” envelope

Example : The 9” X 6” envelope clearly stood out from a sea of regular No. 10 envelopes. It doesn't cost more than a regular one.

Hurdle 4: Your envelope is not engaging enough

Many packages look and feel bland with little incentive to open them.

Solution – Get readers involved!

Solution – Get readers involved!

Example 1 : Use “Involvement devices”, anything that will encourage the recipient to spend just an extra few minutes, such as “Yes” “No” stickers, a quiz, a puzzle.

Solution – Get readers involved!

Solution – Get readers involved!

Example 2 : To highlight the plight of refugees a piece of cardboard was inserted in the package to conjured up the image of homelessness.

Hurdle 5: Lack of imagination to capture the reader's interest

Nonprofits gets stuck in routine and don't spend time to think creatively about how

to grab the reader's attention.

Solution – Think outside the box!

Solution – Think outside the box!

Example : Here is a great example that convey a very important message about teenage suicide.

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