How to upsell with envelope printing

As a print reseller, your product catalogue inevitably grows to keep up with modern printing techniques and to fulfil demand from your customers. While envelope printing isn’t brand new or revolutionary, it is an often forgotten and underestimated marketing tool.

In 2016-17, there were a total of 11.7 billion* addressed letters sent by the Royal Mail in the UK alone. When your client has a new project coming up, help them make an even greater impact by encouraging them to include envelope printing.

Printed envelopes can incorporate the company’s branding and corporate colours to raise awareness of brand identity or feature an eye-catching design to encourage a higher open rate. The projects below are examples of when clients can benefit from adding a printed envelope to their campaign.

A company rebrand is a huge undertaking and is often outsourced to specialists. A rebrand can be considered when the company wants to change public perception of the brand, to change direction as a company, or simply to update and refresh their image. When a client approaches you for a rebrand, you will be expected to produce their new identity, including a logo and perhaps corporate colours and a slogan too. You will also be expected to produce some initial design work for their company stationery. They are likely to ask for business cards, headed paper and compliment slips, however this is the ideal time to recommend printed envelopes too.

During a rebrand, it is important to receive buy in from both staff and customers. To succeed, your client will rely on their staff to follow the new guidelines and dispose of any old collateral they have at their workstation. Get customers on board with the rebrand by consistently showing them the new image. When your client communicates with their customers following a rebrand, an envelope displaying the new colours and logo will help win them over!

For existing clients who regularly buy their business cards, booklets, letterheads and other office essentials from you, ask if they would like anything additional to their usual order. You can complete their existing range of business stationery by adding custom envelopes. Suggest they send their letterheads in a similarly designed envelope for a professional and consistent image.

The success of Direct Mail campaigns** has been well documented. They regularly receive a greater open rate, recall and conversion rate than their digital counterparts. In the current crowded digital space, direct mail offers a less competitive space.

When your client is looking for a Direct Mail campaign to launch a new product, to promote an existing range, or simply to communicate a corporate message, encourage them to send in a printed envelope.

You can help them achieve a greater impact by designing an envelope that matches or compliments the enclosed direct mail. If they are sending a new product catalogue, print their most enticing product on the envelope. If they are sending a discount code, tell the recipient on the envelope to encourage a higher open rate. The possibilities are endless!

If you have a client involved in local or national politics, you understand they need to get their message across as quickly as possible. Print is the perfect medium for them, as it is tangible and trustworthy. When they send letters asking for campaign donations, or booklets spreading word of their political manifestos, or when they are campaigning for votes, ensure the recipient is instantly informed of the candidate, party and their ideas by printing it on the envelope. Help your client gain ground in the political world, even if their letter remains unopened.

While envelopes are often underrated, your clients can experience many benefits from incorporating them into their business stationery or next project.

Whether the envelope is opened or not, the recipient will be exposed to your client’s company. A design which explains the key messages of the enclosed document and features the company branding helps raise awareness of the company, even if the mail remains unopened.

An interesting design alongside an informative or tempting message can encourage the receiver to open the envelope to discover the message inside.

Envelope printing helps your client make a professional first impression. For authoritative companies, an envelope printed to display their brand and company name adds weight to the letter to ensure the important documents inside are opened and read.

Sources:

*https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/108082/postal-annual-monitoring-report-2016-2017.pdf

**https://www.jicmail.org.uk/data