When you think of envelopes, you probably picture a boring white item from the office supply closet. I suggest we look at envelopes in a different light–as a flat form of packaging. Like all great packaging, it should grab your attention, entice your senses, and enhance the brand and product (or message) inside. Envelopes are your first impression – making them the perfect vehicle to convey your brand or promote an offer or upcoming event or to even thank someone. Following are a few ways to maximize the impact of an envelope…
Cover it – Give it a splash of color! If your are using black ink corner copy envelopes for your marketing efforts you need to stop. Flood coat it with your corporate colors or show a picture of the Caribbean resort for your upcoming sales competition. Color and imagery can evoke emotion and meaning or reinforce your brand, and this can be done by conventional or digital printing.
Print Digitally – Digital machines have made giant strides in quality and your point of entry is reasonable. The technology is further along than most design I see today. I find digital color well suited for runs up to 500 qty. It’s a click charge so digital envelopes are great for shorter runs, but you benefit from no inventory, lots of coverage, and the ability to change the messaging often. Personalization can also be used, and you can even address envelopes using a custom font instead of ink-jet addressing.
Convert your Envelopes – Converting envelopes is nothing new – it’s just not used enough. Printed sheets go to an envelope converting house where they are die cut, folded and glued. The costs of making custom envelopes is not as daunting as one might expect. Ideal print runs start at 2500 – 5,000 and you need about 3-4 weeks of production time. The end result can be terrific – especially if matching Pantone colors or using metallic inks – or you want ink coverage that extends over the edge and to the backside of the envelope.
Encourage Interaction & Engagement – Add #hashtags, Tiny URLs, or QR Codes to connect with your digital marketing efforts. Encourage interaction by using an envelope with an Easy-Open tear tab or peel-n-reveal that stands out and creates an element of surprise.
Change up the paper stock – In a sea of #10 generic white envelopes, one in metallic orange will surely draw attention first. There are a number of solid colors, translucent color paper, frosted, as well as those with different textures. Paper is very tactile which gives it an advantage over digital marketing. Think about your values or the meaning of your campaign and find an envelope stock that reinforces this message.
So break away from plain vanilla envelopes, by pushing the envelope. Give us a call – we’re happy to help.