Transpromotional Power of your Envelopes

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1 Tapping the Transpromotional Power of your Envelopes Turn your transactional envelope into a true integrated marketing tool. By including a secondary message on your non-promotional mailings like monthly statements, policy updates or even reply envelopes, you can maximize your envelopes potential. 1

2 Overview: Are you looking for new ways to cost-effectively increase revenue and communicate with customers and donors? This white paper discusses how to transform the envelopes you mail every day into successful transpromotional communication tools. It includes helpful tips and examples. If you re a procurement or marketing professional, this information will help you get more value from your company s envelope spend. It also provides copywriters and designers with ideas for creating transpromotional envelopes. Please feel free share this information with your colleagues. Transpromo messges can be included on outbound and inbound envelopes that deliver: monthly invoices account statements What s a transpromotional (transpromo) envelope? A transpromo envelope is a cost-effective marketing and communications tool that promotes a secondary message in addition to delivering its primary message/contents. The piggyback message on a billing envelope can inform, engage, brand, cross-sell, upgrade, and more. If you re already sending monthly mailings to customers and donors, this is a way to maximize the time spent on your mailing spends in the hands of these very important people. The word transpromotional refers to printing promotional messages on envelopes that are not produced primarily for promotional purposes. account updates cash back and bank teller receipts insurance policies reminders transactional information products such as seeds and CDs business and courtesy reply envelopes direct mail promotions Here s an example of a transpromo message on a standard #10 bill carrier for a utility company. It cross-promotes the money- and energysavings of using electricity when rates and usage are low. The fact is, providing this tip as a public service can cost nothing extra or maybe a few pennies per thousand for additional ink. Plus, it doesn t add weight or require an insert. It s all done on the envelope you re already using. 2

3 Go green! Use envelopes According to the eco-myth busters at Two Sides (twosidesna.org), When it comes to paper, some people can t see the forest for the trees. Print and paper is recyclable, powerful, and based on a renewable resource. While myths often make the headlines, facts like these are what matters. Why include transpromo messages? Billing and statement envelopes get noticed, get read, and leave a lasting impression. Including a transpromotional message can also generate sales results. In a study conducted by Leflein Associates,*83% of those surveyed open and read their mail right away when it is non-promotional and appears to be an invoice, account statement, or other important information from a company with which they do business. This means these people also spend more time with the envelopes carrying this non-promotional information. If you re leaving your envelopes blank except for addressing, you re missing a powerful marketing opportunity. Here s something else to think about. Consumers continue to prefer receiving certain types of information by mail. This same survey showed a strong preference for receiving physical versus electronic mail, especially in these cases: 66% preferred receiving catalogs by physical mail, 61% preferred receiving bills and invoices by physical mail, and 59% preferred receiving financial/bank statements by physical mail. MYTH: Making paper destroys forests. F ACT #1: In the United States, we grow more trees than we harvest. The amount of U.S. forestland has remained essentially the same for the last 100 years at about 750 million acres, even though the U.S. population tripled during the same period. (U.S. Forest Service) F ACT #2: Over half of the raw material used to make paper in the U.S. comes from recovered paper and the wood waste (such as wood chips and sawdust) left behind from lumber manufacturing. (TAPPI) F ACT #3: While total forestland area in the U.S. has been relatively stable over the last century, a net loss of 20 million acres (2.7%) is projected between 2000 and Most of that loss will be caused by development. (U.S. Forest Service) Paper is made from a natural resource that is renewable, recyclable and compostable. For more facts about the responsible use of paper and propagation of trees in our forests, visit twosidesna.org. 1 Print is not dead, but it is being buried by the media s focus on electronic communications. *Source: Envelopes Open-Ability Online Survey. Leflein Associates. Feb-March 2010 Thirteen ways to use transpromo messaging and make envelopes part of your integrated marketing plan. Transpromo envelopes are an opportunity for procurement, marketing, and customer service to collaborate, share costs, and generate revenue. Here are some ways you can use these multi-taskers in your own marketing and customer communications. Reinforce your brand The carrier envelope delivering your invoice and account statements provides a prime opportunity to reinforce your brand and company s core values such as your commitment to encourage recycling. 3

4 Color + Message = Increased Open Rates 2 Cross-sell and up-sell You already know what, when and how often your customer buys from you. Use this data and your envelopes to sell related products, accessories, new models, recent improvements and more. The Leflein Associates study revealed the following regarding envelope layout, design, and copy: What is printed on the front of the envelope strongly influences when and whether or not an envelope gets opened. 60% of those surveyed were more likely to open a mail piece with color text and graphics on the front compared with envelopes that had no teaser copy or graphic. Recipients were 2-1/2 times more likely to open an envelope with color graphics on the front that one with black and white graphics. 3 Give a discount Print a coupon on the back of your envelope. Or use a bangtail reply envelope to provide a tear-off coupon that s good in-store or as a reminder for online and phone shoppers. Color graphics and copy on the back of an envelope make it significantly more likely for the envelope to be opened compared with using black and white text and graphics. They say that color and paper stock may be two of the most over-tested components when it comes to direct mail envelopes. However, paper color and texture can make a huge difference because they make your envelope stand out in the stack. Test for the best results. 4 Provide a helpful website address or phone number This #9 business reply envelope for mail-in subscription orders uses the back to remind customers to look for more movie selections online. 4

5 Don t have in-house designers? No problem! Tension has a staff of talented envelope designers available for your use. They are experts in creating eye-catching envelopes. Let them help you make your message stand out on the front or back of your next Tension envelope. Contact us at Hot Spots According to Professor Siegfried Vogele s Eye Flow Studies Provide Clues for Improving Your Direct Mail, these are the hot spots on the front of an envelope. Hot spots are where people look first when deciding whether or not to keep, open, and read your piece of mail: 5 Announce a special promotion or new program You already have a relationship with your customer, use envelope messaging to encourage participation in your rewards program or an upcoming preferred customer event. 6 Say thank you Use statement and invoice envelopes as an opportunity to thank customers and donors. First, the eye goes to the mailing address Then it shifts to the left of the address From there, the eye moves to the corner card/return address And then to the postage Think creatively as you consider how to use these hot spots for a transpromo envelope. 7 Promote pre-payment plans Do your customers know you offer discounts to those who pay annually or use automatic withdrawal to pay? Remind them on your invoice and statement envelope. 5

6 There s no such thing as a standard transpromo envelope. How does your organization currently use envelopes? Do yours deliver statements, invoices, business or courtesy reply mail, remittance, driveup teller or ATM receipts, or direct mail solicitations? Virtually any envelope can be transformed into a cost-effective transpromo envelope, regardless of its primary purpose, size, design, or fabrication. This includes: window and closed face standard and custom sized with or without security tint patterns 8 Announce improvements or changes in service Avoid customer confusion or disappointment when you make a change in hours, location or range of services. Include a reminder on outbound envelopes. machine insertable or not with or without textured or embossed paper white or colored paper stock 1-color, 2-color, advanced 4-color, and more envelopes with special openers traditional 1-way and eco-friendly 2-way specialty and packaging envelopes for jewelry repairs, pharmaceuticals, and retail products such as flower or vegetable seeds. 9 Make it personal, timely and relevant Use customer data (name, location, purchase history, etc.) to make an instant customer connection with overprinting or variable data printing. NOTE: For envelopes processed and delivered by the USPS, visit usps.com and refer to the USPS Domestic Mail Manual for current mailing requirements including: barcoding, graphic restrictions, acceptable addressing areas, and mandatory no print zones. Or contact Tension at or info@tensionenvelope.com. 10 Bring ho-hum envelopes to life Use digital watermarking and AR technology to connect your envelope s printed message with your website, video, slide show, and more. 6

7 Envelopes and their printed contents are trusted workhorses. Although it seems the whole world has shifted to electronic communications, print-specifically direct mail is still valued by consumers of all ages. In fact, with reoccurring breaches in online security, many people prefer ink-on-paper communications. Sealed envelopes play a key role in this preference because they provide security, privacy, and confidentiality. 36% of U.S. consumers say direct mail is the preferred channel for receiving insurance information. 39% say the same for financial services information, and 26% say the same for retail information. (Epsilon s 2012 Channel Preference Study) 11 Engage customers in your cross-channel marketing efforts Provide an incentive to Text, become your Facebook friend, or follow you on Twitter. 73% of U.S. consumers prefer direct mail for brand communications because they can read the information at their convenience. (Epsilon s 2012 Channel Preference Study) In over 80% of U.S. homes, the person in the household responsible for collecting and sorting mail collects mail at his or her first opportunity. Once the mail is brought into the home, 80% sort the mail immediately while 18% sort it later that day. (USPS 2012 Mail Moment Study) 12 Reinforce a good decision The back of your reply envelope is one last chance to remind donors of the impact of their donations and your gratitude for their generosity. According to a national survey on conducted by InfoTrends (June 2013), 84% believe it is not acceptable for the private sector to force consumers to shift from receiving paper statements, bills and disclosure forms to receiving this information only electronically. 92% of those under age 25 believe paper bills, statements and account information should continue to be provided to those who want it, free of charge or penalty. (InfoTrends, June 2013) 13 Provide an environmental message Remind customers that paper is a sustainable resource and using it is a responsible decision. 7

8 Tapping the Transpromotional Power of your Envelopes Conclusion: Postal and electronic mailboxes are filled each day with dozens of messages vying for customer attention. Transpromotional envelopes are a cost-effective tool for smart marketers to stand out, gain attention, and generate response. If you re not using transpromotional inbound and outbound envelopes, it s time to start. For more transpromo envelope ideas, contact your Tension Account Executive at or us at info@tensionenvelope.com. HQ: 819 E 19th St. Kansas City, MO Phone: info@tensionenvelope.com Nationwide manufacturing, sales/service, and distribution. International operations in China, Taiwan, and Australia. TC1214 8