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Kick-Butt Direct Mail Envelopes

by David Frey

this. Instead of giving you a long lecture on what works and what doesn't, I'm going to SHOW YOU some of the very best envelopes that I've received over the past year.

You'll get to see exactly what they look like, why they caught my attention and why I took the time to open the envelope.

IMPORTANT: All of the envelope examples were scanned into pdf files. You might need to copy and paste the link into your browser to see the file (instead of just clicking on the link).

At the end of this newsletter, I've concluded with a few of my thoughts on why most of these envelopes worked.

The "Ready for a Shock" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c55dp

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

This envelope caught my eye, not because of the huge eye staring at you, but because of the copy that said that "Jack Welch was WRONG" and other controversial statements.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I opened it because it made me really want to know why they were saying what they were saying.

The "Penny in a Window" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c3853

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

The penny immediately caught my attention. It was very unusual. It reminded me of the extremely successful Readers Digest sales letter that showed a penny in the window (this envelope was probably modeled after that one).

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I opened it because it made me really want to know why they were saying what they were saying and if there was any truth to their controversial statements.

The "America Writers and Artists Institute" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

Front of the envelope:

http://tinyurl.com/6jj35

Back of the envelope:

http://tinyurl.com/56wjm

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

This envelope is arguably one of the most persuasive "biz op" envelopes that I have ever received. It starts with a story about a person who just went through a bitter divorce but still made over $100K. It held my attention.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I had to know how this person could make a $100K working only part-time. And I really wanted to know the "rest of the story" about the divorcee.

NOTE: If you want to learn more about the AWAI copywriting program visit http://www.awaionline.com

The "Barf Bag" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

Back of Envelope:

http://url123.com/c2hdp

Front of Envelope:

http://url123.com/c2uk7

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

The envelope was a barf bag that you would see on an airplane. It was extremely unusual...and it was from AMEX.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I wanted to see if the letter was as good at the envelope. (The letter was terrible. It didn't even mention the barf bag or being sick. A waste.)

The "Fluorescent Yellow" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c5xa3

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

Who could miss this letter. It's an 8.5' x 11' envelope that is a fluorescent yellow. It screams at you.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

The 9 free bonuses that it offered made me curious. I opened the envelope to see what the bonuses were.

The "AT&T" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c22a5

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

The envelope was see through and the letter was round. It almost looked like a CD. It was very unique.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

Well....I didn't open it. I could see that it was from AT&T and I wasn't interested in a telephone deal. Maybe it was too revealing.

The "Bank Bag" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c2d4p

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

It's not every day that you get a bank bag in the mail! It was the biggest thing in the mailbox and...well...it was a bank bag.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

Who could resist not opening a bank bag. Let's just say that when you mail a bank bag you can probably expect to get a 100% open rate.

The "Free Gift" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c37up

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

This envelope caught my attention for two reasons. I knew the mailer and the offer for a free gift (the copy used 58 point fonts) was hard not to notice.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I wanted to know what the free gift was.

The "Transparent" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c43wp

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

The contents of the envelope was completely visible because the envelope was totally transparent. It was odd to receive a clear plastic bag as an envelope.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I didn't open it (much like the AT&T envelope). I didn't need to because I could read the beginning of the sales letter without opening the envelope.

The "Testimonial" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c5bk5

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

This envelope had pictures of real people holding checks in their hand. Also, the photos of the people on the envelope perfectly supported the headline on the envelope.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

To be honest, I wanted to know what these guys were doing to make their money. Plus, the copy on the envelope referred to an "information kit" inside, which intrigued me.

The "Shiny Silver" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c4spp

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

This envelope was a shiny metallic silver color (although you can't see that in the scanned photo). If you opened it up in the light, the glare alone from the metallic shine pierced your eyes.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I didn't open the envelope...my wife did, because she wanted the free sample pantyhose. :-)

The "Priority Direct" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c3w8p

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

This envelope looks very official...as though it's a USPS priority mail envelope. All the official marketing on the backside of the envelope and the stunning eagle graphic on the front side caught my attention.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I opened it because I wanted to know what was so urgent that someone would send me something via priority mail.

NOTE: If you want more information on this type of envelope visit http://www.ResponseMail.com

The "Personal" envelope:

Here's the link to see the envelope:

http://url123.com/c3mrp

Why did this envelope catch my attention?

This envelope looked like a personal letter to me. In fact, I thought it was a letter from a friend of mine.

Why did I decide to open the envelope?

I opened it simply because I thought the letter was a personal note to me.

Conclusion

The most powerful envelopes that came though my mail box were the ones that...

1. Had markings that were relevant to my interests.

2. Looked like it came from someone I knew or a friend.

3. Have something free inside.

4. Created a compelling curiosity.

Remember these lessons when sending your next direct mail piece to your prospects and watch your response rate take a dramatic increase.

About the Author:

David Frey is the author of the best-selling manual, "The Small Business Marketing Bible" and the Senior Editor of the "Small Business Marketing Best Practices Newsletter." To get your free lifetime subscription visit http://www.MarketingBestPractices.com