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The only purpose of the carrier envelope, other than keeping its contents from spilling out onto the street, is to get itself opened.
THE ENVELOPE IS the first place to start when considering testing. Why? Every recipient sees it-and it affects whether recipients ever get to the rest of the mailing. It is also a relatively easy test. Additionally, there are many different types of envelope tests to try. Here are a few to consider.
TEASER COPY
"The outer envelope is the headline of direct mail. "
One technique used to geet a prospect to open the envelope is to entice them to want to know more. Teasers do just that. This technique has been successfully used by publishers to whet the reader's appetite to not only open the envelope, but to subscribe as well.
One example of a publisher using teasers successfully is Harper's. The editorial teasers on its envelopes hint at what readers can find in the magazine and directs them inside the package, look in for answers.
Inside: The government's secret plan to nationalize your bank. Christian singles dating questionnaire. The world according to Oliver North. How Wall Street stands to profit fin AIDS....
Another example is the use of "fascinations" from the late Mel Martin, copr writer for Boardroom Inc. These mailings touch a hot spot with many prospects; the same mailings have gone out for years, with eye catching headlines such as:
What Credit Card Companies Don't Tell You and What Never to Eat on an Airplane.
To find the answers, you have to subscribe to the publications. On the other hand, the Nutrition Action Healthletter delivers on its powerful headline-Ten Foods You Should NeverEat; inside the control mailing was a list of the foods to avoid.
THE COLOR QUESTION
"A white envelope is hard to beat. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to beat it, because if your envelope doesn't get opened, your package doesn't get read... "-Malcolm Decker
One way to tweak an old control is to try a different color envelope. A new color may give the mailing new life, as a quick glance will convince a recipient that he has not yet seen this package. Take Emily Soel's launch package for the CAnde Nast...