The Classic Direct-Mail Package
An envelope arrives for you in the mail. You open it. Inside is a letter asking you to take advantage of a new credit card (Hey, you're pre-approved!) and a reply form. Welcome to the classic direct-mail package!
It's called classic because this format has been the workhorse of direct-mail for more than a century. The majority of direct-mail packages consist simply of a sales letter inside of an envelope, sometimes with other elements added to the mix, such as an order form and brochure.
In the direct-marketing industry, this classic direct-mail format is also referred to as an envelope mailing to distinguish it from postcards and other self-mailers.
Following is a tour of a simple direct-mail package featuring an envelope, letter, and reply element.
The Envelope Please
In North America, envelopes used in direct mail come in a variety of standard and nonstandard sizes. Everything from the #10 (4⅛″ × 9½″) envelope that most bills are mailed to you in to large #13 (10″ × 13″) envelopes that you can fit a large brochure into, plus dozens of more sizes. There is also an endless array of envelope options, including windows, flaps, and even special effects like peel-away stickers that reveal a hidden message underneath.
To Tease or Not to Tease?
Your most important decision as a direct-mail copywriter is whether to put promotional copy on the envelope. Envelope copy — referred to in the industry as the teaser — is used to motivate the prospect to open the envelope. The advantage of using a teaser is that it gives you the opportunity to pique the reader's interest as to what's inside. You can tell him that “Your discount certificate is enclosed,” or “Inside: The truth about dust mites and your vacuum cleaner.” The disadvantage is that you tip your hand. Once you put a teaser on the envelope, the prospect knows full well that it's a promotional piece of some kind. So your mailing might end up in the trash unopened, no matter how compelling your envelope message is. That's why the teaser has to be very effective.
The purpose of a teaser is not just to get the envelope opened. It must also set the stage for what's inside. Ideally, you want the prospect to open the envelope eager to read or at least scan through the contents. If the teaser is not logically connected to what's inside, the envelope might get opened, but the contents may not get read.
You don't have to have a teaser on the envelope. Direct-mail marketers will often test a plain envelope against one with teaser copy to find out which works better for their particular promotion.
A plain envelope is also referred to in the industry as a white envelope mailing. It works because it looks like any other personal or business correspondence.
Envelope Copy Tips
If you're going to use a teaser on the envelope, here are some proven strategies:
Remind the reader he or she is a customer. “Important for IT Insights subscribers.”
Ask a provocative question. “Do you close the bathroom door even when you're the only one home?” This is a famous teaser written by legendary copywriter Bill Jaymie.
State your free offer. “Get two months of Psychology Today free.”
Start a story. “I was literally one day from declaring bankruptcy until I learned this incredibly fast and simple way to make money on the Internet.”
Sometimes an odd shape, custom-cut window, or nonstandard size can also get the envelope opened. However, this can drive up the cost of a mailing considerably.
The Reply Element
A reply element is that part of the mailing that the reader uses to reply to the offer. It can be as elaborate as a detailed order form with a postage-paid envelope attached or as simple as a telephone number.
When writing a reply element for a direct-mail piece, follow these tips:
Eliminate guesswork. Explain completely and clearly what the prospect has to do to reply to the offer.
Make it easy. If you're using a reply card or envelope, make sure that the postage is prepaid. Provide a 1-800 number for faster service. If possible, have the reply card already filled in with the prospect's name and address.
Provide multiple ways to respond. Not everyone will be comfortable filling out an order form on the Internet. If possible, include other options, such as a toll-free number or paper order form that can be mailed or faxed.
If there's room, summarize the most important benefits on the reply form. “Here's your chance to save 50% on your next vacation at the Delawana Resort, if you book today.”
Make it urgent. Give the prospect a compelling reason to act now. “Please return this order form by July 16 to take advantage of the early bird discount.”
Put a benefit in the confirmation line. That's the line in the copy next to the checkbox. “Yes! I want to learn how to make $1,000 per day writing for the case study market. Please send me the handbook right away.”
A reply form doesn't have to be a separate piece in the mailing. It can also be integrated with the sales letter as a perfed tear-away at the bottom or top. This is often a very effective technique as it allows the prospect to read the letter and respond to the offer without any interruption in the sales message.
