"Stuff That Envelope"

Tips from Craig Simpson and George Platt

Postage costs make up one of the most expensive elements of your mailing budget. That being the case, it only makes sense for you to wring the most value out of every penny on postage you spend. So . . .

Stuff That Envelope

To conserve your money, it’s important to avoid over-paying on postage when you can. For example, there’s a pretty strict weight limit of just 1 ounce on First Class mail. So, when you mail First Class, you want to be very careful not to go over that 1-ounce weight limit. If you go over even a smidgeon, you will end up paying for an additional ounce.

But . . . most direct mail sales letters are sent “Standard Mail” (also known as Bulk Mail) – not First Class. And with Standard Mail, the weight picture is very different.

You can put up to 3.3 ounces into a Standard Mail envelope without paying even one cent in extra postage – that’s over 3 times the amount you can put into a First Class mailer. That’s 3 times the persuasion power, and you certainly don’t want it to go to waste. Why would you put one little letter that weighs under an ounce into a Standard Mail envelope and leave it at that?

I say, “Stuff that envelope for all it’s worth!”

So, what else can you put in your mailing package?

Really, the possibilities are endless, but here are a few ideas . . .

?A “lift note”

This is a small note from someone at the company (or maybe even a celebrity) that gives the prospect extra encouragement to buy. It may offer personal encouragement, a reiteration of the offer, a further description of benefits, etc. The idea is that it looks like a personal note that’s been slipped into the envelope.

A sheet with testimonials

If you’ve received glowing comments from users of your product, print them out on a sheet with as much identifying information as you can (at least first name, last initial, and City and State, and photo, if possible).

A sheet with the most commonly asked Questions and Answers

Anticipate prospects’ questions and objections, and address them in a Q&A format.

Some kind of gift “keepsake”

Include a calendar, a card with helpful reminders, a refrigerator magnet . . . anything appropriate that people will want to save and that will serve as a constant reminder of you (of course, put your contact information on the item).

An order form

Even if you expect people to call to order, a physical order form is a subtle reminder to place the order. It’s also a great place to repeat your best sales points, your guarantee, etc.

A reply envelope

If you do expect people to mail in orders, a reply envelope is essential. Don’t expect people to find an envelope and address it. Make it easy on them. And if your budget allows, make it postage paid. You’ll only have to pay postage on the orders that come in, and you may pick up quite a few orders if people see they don’t have to find a stamp.

Any of these items will add extra printing cost as well as the cost to “insert” them into the envelope. But they won’t cost you one extra cent in postage, and they may significantly increase your response rate so that they pay for themselves many times over.

So, this week’s tip make the most of the postage you’re spending anyway by stuffing that envelope.

#marketing #directmail #innovation