Seal the Deal

Turn potential industry roadblocks into business opportunities with envelopes

April 2008 By Elise Hacking

multipage

The deadline-driven lifestyle of today’s professional requires efficient and convenient means of communication. E-mail, in particular, provides instant gratification for the “think fast” individual with a single click of the send button. However, e-mail lacks the personal touch experienced with an envelope. According to a 2007 survey conducted by International Communications Research on behalf of Pitney Bowes, 73 percent of the participating consumers indicated a preference for receiving new product announcements and offers from companies through mail; a whopping 86 percent of consumers named mail as their preference for receiving confidential communications, including bills and bank statements.

Granted, e-commerce has impacted traditional mail-based transactions, but Steve Brocker, vice president of sales and marketing for Western States Envelope & Label, Butler, Wis., nevertheless, maintains a positive attitude. “The envelope market is probably more secure than people think. The common thought that electronic alternatives will eventually eliminate the envelope is wrong,” he affirmed.

In addition to the Web, other obstacles have arisen, such as shape-based postage mandates and an increasing need to stay green. If envelope suppliers don’t utilize their creative skills, this could lead more individuals to e-technology. Here, some major players in the industry offer tips for keeping envelopes interesting, circumventing postal changes and initiating eco-friendly strategies.

In With the New

Think of envelopes as fashionable accessories for mail. Major fashion designerssoften rely on a little color to liven up their current collections, and the same technique can be applied to envelopes. Phoenix-based Action Envelope sees this firsthand on a daily basis. “[Our customers] love new things. They want to keep their mailings fresh, and they want them to stand out. Colors go in and out of fashion, and the color of an envelope in a mailing is no different,” said Seth Newman, COO. Because “green” and “natural” are all the rage, the company’s Earthtones and Grocery Bag collections are currently in demand.

However, vibrant and classic colors also remain popular. In regard to social and invitation envelopes, white is the single most requested color, comprising 50 percent of product sales, Newman reported. The other 50 percent consists of a combination of colors.

Color is key in direct mail campaigns, as it makes a positive first—and lasting—impression on the target audience. When asked the best methods to maximize a ROI on a direct marketing campaign, Aaron Hyte, president of EMA Specialty Envelopes & More, headquartered in Austell, Ga., said his beliefs are the same as they were 25 years ago during his first tabletop show for the National Business Forms Association.

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