Envelopes That Get Opened

Even consumers who claim to dislike mail advertising will open and engage with direct mail that promises interesting or useful benefits. According to Debora Haskel of Minnesota’s IWCO Direct, certain elements consistently distinguish mailings that get noticed from those that end up unopened. By paying attention to the design, feel, and interactivity of your envelopes, you can dramatically increase the chances that your direct mail will be read rather than discarded.

Grab Attention Before It’s Even Opened

Curiosity is key. Most envelopes your prospects receive on any given day—roughly three out of four—are standard number 9 or 10, white-wove, 24-pound. People are naturally drawn to envelopes that stand out. Bigger, smaller, colorful, windowed, or uniquely shaped envelopes are far more likely to be opened. Texture also plays a role: embossing or foil applications signal importance, making recipients feel valued.

Making mail with heft or “lumpy” can make a big difference as well. A plain envelope is easily overlooked, but adding something special, like a tipped-on card or a sticker, can dramatically increase response rates. Haskel cites one credit-card marketer who added a card to a standard mailing and saw a 30% lift in responses. Check with your print and mail expert to confirm if your mailing still qualifies for postal automation discounts. If not, get a solid estimate on postage costs and determine what return on investment you need from the campaign to justify the added expense.

Make It Easy, Personal, and Trustworthy

Interactivity drives engagement. Side pulls, double windows, zip strips, labels, stickers, perforated reveals, and self-adhesive notes all encourage recipients to handle the envelope, which can increase response rates by up to 45%. Use print embellishments on the outside of your envelope to stand out from the rest in a mail box

Once opened, readability is critical. Know your audience and use inviting fonts that are easy to read—12-point (or larger) serif type works best—with a width measure of 5” to 6”. Personalize your content where possible to help the message with relevancy and engagement.

Finally, make sure your response methods are easy and seamless. If you use a QR code have a branded landing page that is easy and mobile friendly to capture information. Using a business reply card, make the format simple and include prepaid postage. Incorporating social media engagement? Be sure your handle is on your mailing piece and a clear call to action to follow, post, engage is easy to find!