Merry Christmas from Precision Envelope!

Merry Christmas from Precision Envelope!

It's the most wonderful time of the year. We at Precisionenvelope.com love this time of year, and we wanted to take an opportunity to remember what is truly important during the holidays: love, friendship, family, and goodwill.

So whether you celebrate Christmas or not, remember what truly matters and have a wonderful Christmas!

5 More Creative Printed Envelopes

A few weeks back I wrote about 5 creative #10 envelope designs. My point was, your printed business envelopes do not need to be boring. Whether you're printing up a bunch of envelopes for sending mail to your existing customer base, or you're trying to make the right first impression with a direct mail campaign, the right envelope can make your business stand out. And in case you don't believe me, here's 5 more creative printed envelope designs:

 

Max & More: This creative envelope design was part of a student project rebranding a boutique store in Singapore. In addition to the creative envelopes, the project also includes a new logo, website ancollaterals.

Hot Popsicle: This project from designer Rachel Kalagher is for a fictional design firm name Hot Popsicle. The envelope design is so simple, and yet fits perfectly with the overall theme of the brandinf effort.

 

 

Self Promotion: This truly unique envelope was cut and folded by hand. It was created by Mirion Sorli Onarheim, a designer in Norway.

 

 

 

Envelope by Colin Grist: These custom wedding invitations featured the wedding flier, RSVP, directions and accomidation information. Each one was tied by hand!

 

 

 

 

Crossfit Collingwood: Who says black & white envelopes can't be creative! These fun envelopes were part of a rebranding effort for a crossfit gym in Melbourne, Australia.



 

 

 

Ready to get creative yourself? Visit Precision Envelope and take 16% off all custom envelope orders with coupon code HOLIDAYS. (coupon expires Jan. 1st, 2014).

Why Are You Doing Direct Mail Marketing?

Direct mail isn't going anywhere. According the DMA 2012 fact book, direct mail volume has remained steady, despite many doom and gloom pundits stating digital/online marketing will be the death of direct mail. You're probably reading this article because you either are currently running a direct mail campaign or are considering starting one. In either case, the question is the same- Why are you doing direct mail marketing?

Before starting a mail campaign (or doing anything for that matter) you need to set a clear, achievable goal. You shouldn't chooose the tactic first, then work on your strategy. And you also shouldn't set a goal that is either too vague (i.e. "I want to get more customers") or unrealistic (i.e. "I want to triple business in 1 month").

With all that in mind, how do you know when direct mail is the best tactic for your goal. Here's 4 of the top reasons why marketers use direct mail:

1. Moving Customers Offline to Online: Sometimes direct mail is the first step in your campaign. Odds are your client list is probably much larger than your email list. And a well-executed direct mail marketing campaign can help you get reliable emails from clients and/or Facebook fans for your business page.
2.  Earning New Customers: Obviously all marketing is about getting new customers, but a mail campaign that does it right will take a direct approach, sharing a specific offer that is only available to those who received the direct mail piece. It makes measuring ROI easier, and you can see a direct correaltion between new customers and the effectiveness of the campaign.
3. Keeping in Touch: Whether it be a customer that recently placed an order with your company, or someone you haven't heard from in months, it's essential to keep in touch with customers. While emails can be good for this purpose, they're easily ignore. A direct mail campaign will be better received.
4. Upselling/cross selling: Your client base might not be aware of some of the other products you offer. A direct mail campaign telling those existing customers all about your additional products and offering them special discounts on their next purchase can help you find a totally new revenue stream.

Holiday Sale: Take 16% Off Printed Envelopes

Tis the season for great discounts on custom printed envelopes! For the month of December, PrecisionEnvelope.com will be offering a 16% discount on all printed envelope orders with no order minimum. Whether you're looking to send out a few cards for the holiday season, stock up on printed envelopes for your small business or just want to keep a few envelopes handy just in case, Precision Envelope has got you covered.

In order to get this great discount, simply enter the coupon code HOLIDAYS while in your shopping cart. This discount applies to all style of envelopes- Including #10 envelopes, booklet envelopes, catalog envelopes and more. Just as long a they feature custom printing, you can take advantage of this great deal!

Printed envelopes are an excellent way to create a professional look for your business. Small businesses especially love using printed envelopes both for direct mail campaigns and for regular business correspondence. It's a great way to add additional value to your business and, you can create a unique and one of kind look.

Remember, if you want to take care of this great deal and get 16% off printed envelopes, vist http://precisionenvelope.com/ and enter the code HOLIDAYS while in your shopping cart!

5 Ways to Find Creative Inspiration

Whether you're starting a new direct mail campaign or simply ordering a batch of custom #10 envelopes, the goal is to make sure that your business (and by extenstion, your envelope) stand out! But as a small business owner, you certainly don't have time to sit around all day daydreaming and brainstorming about a new creative envelope design. You can't wait for lightning to strike- So here's 5 ways you can help jumpstart your creativity and find inspiration:

• Raise Your Heart Rate: Getting some exercise is an excellent way to find inspiration. After you've spent some time thinking about the project, go for a jog or shoot some hoops. It will help clear your mind and let your subconscious start tinkering, while you focus on your workout.
• Start Chatting: Simply talking about what you're hoping to accomplish can spark a conversation that leads to a great idea. Even if it seems like you're not saying anything pertinent, a word could lead to another thought which eventually brings you to something brilliant.
• Research Online but Keep it in Check: There's a productive way to use the Internet to help spark creativity. try doing an image search for some of the keywords related to your concept (for instance, if you want to create an envelope for a Winter sale, try typing "winter sale envelope" in to Google Image Search). The non-productive side is checking into Facebook or Twitter and asking for some help there, or worse yet, just checking your feed. Suddenly you look at the clock and you've been surfing Facebook for nearly 30 minutes, and haven't achieved anything!
• Try a Stimulant, and get out of the Office: While most drugs inhibit the creative process, caffeine can help you when you've got to do some serious thinking. More than just the espresso itself, running to your local coffee shop can provide you with a much needed change of scenery that can also start your thinking in the right direction.
• Be Present: One of the biggest problems we have as small business owners is that we've always got a million things going on at once. So when we need to focus our full attention on one task, it can be pretty hard. Practicing mindful meditation can allow you to be in the present moment, and simply work on the task at hand.

5 Easy Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

Don't get me wrong- Marketing is a process that requires a great deal of planning, but those plans are

meant to be changed. These 5 tips are great things you can throw in to your marketing mix when you feel like your plan needs a little jolt. Just remember- incorprate them in to your existing marketing plan and always measure your results.

• Give Your Stuff Away: Free stuff is ALWAYS popular. If you don't have a physical product, try giving away free consultations, or try using branded promotional products. Giving away your product helps people get a feel for what you have to offer, and can encourage them to come back for more. Just remember- make sure you have some kind of way to follow up with them, by collecting contact info, liking your Facebook page etc.
• Support a Cause or Organization: Throwing your financial support behind a charity or organization is a great way to get brand exposure, and can help you earn new customers. The members of these organizations always appreciate those who support them. And in addition to the obvious benefits for your business, you can feel good knowing your money is going to a good cause.
• Email Useful Information: A monthly email can be a great tool for marketing, and doesn't take up too much time. Just make sure to take a "soft-sell" approach. Meaning, don't simply tell your database about upcoming promotions, but give them great tips related to the benefits of your product.
• Choose 1 Social Network: If you find yourself overwehlmed by social media, don't try to do everything. Just because you can have a Pinterest account and a Facebook account and a Linkedin account, doesn't mean you need to. Focusing on being the absolute best you can be on one particular social network will go much further than spreading yourself too thin amongst several networks.
• Attend a Networking Event: Networking events may seem like an old school tactic but they made the list because they still work! Attending a local networking event where you can meet some other small business owners. It's a great opportunity to not only generate leads, but also to get advice from other entrepeuners.

5 Creative Designs for Your Holiday Card & Envelopes

The most wonderful time of the year is just right around the corner! While there's so many things to love about the holiday season, one of our favorites is receiving holiday cards from friends and family. It's not just hearing from loved ones, but seeing the fun and creative card & envelope designs they come up with. So with that in mind we did some searching around the Internet, and found some really interesting and creative holiday cards and designs to help inspire you this season:

 

 

Wooden Airplane Postcard

 

 

 

A seaon's greetings postcard and a toy all in one! This ingenious idea is a great gift to send nieces and nephews or younger cousins.

 

 

 

 

The "Awkward" Family Christmas Card

 

 

 

You've probably seen a few of these awkward family photos online. Whether you think they're funny, weird or a little bit of both, they'll definite get peoples attention!

 

Fingerprint Reindeers Custom Envelope

 

 

The reindeer family is creative enough, but they took a step further using each family members individual thum print to create the members of the reindeer family.

 

The Playfully Generic "Holiday" Card

 

 

Sometimes the best way to say "Happy Holidays" is to just....say it. This plain holiday card comes with tongue planted firmly in cheek, and is the perfect card for anyone with a bit of Scrooge in them.

 

 

3D Mailable Christmas Ornament

 

Why mail a card when you can mail a card that turns in to an ornament? These creative designs transform in to 3D ornaments that you can actually hang on your tree!

 



Can You Really Mail a Coconut? And 6 More Strange Mail Questions

A few months back we wrote a blog post about mailing a coconut through the USPS. Well, that got us thinking- What other type of strange things will the United States Post Office ship for us? So we called up our local post office and asked a few questions. While they were a bit puzzled, they were more than happy to oblige. Then we collect all of that info in to this helpful infographic. Enjoy!

5 Creative Custom #10 Envelope Designs

Think the old tried and true business envelope has to be boring? No Way! With a little creativity, custom #10 envelope printing can transform those boring envelopes into a unique part of your businesses marketing plan. Here's 5 creative #10 envelope designs:



1.

This creative envelope design from Japanese stationery company D-Bros features a cut out tab so that you can easily tear open each envelope without suffering any nasty paper cuts.

2.

These fun map envelopes are offered in a variety of different sizes and each continent has it's own envelope design!

3.

ChickChirik is a gift registry company that uses recycled and natural material for it's packaging. The design may be simple but it's execution is very effective!

4.

Need directions? These custom envelopes allow you to print the location of your event or place of business on the inside liner of the envelope!


 5.

 

 

These beautiful envelopes from Tower Twelve Studios features the same branding throughout all of the company's stationery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fun facts about the Classic Business Envelope

Fun facts about the Classic Business Envelope

Believe it or not, there's a great deal of interesting history behind the envelope. Let's take a look at some of the fun facts about the envelope:

• The first known "envelope" is dated back to between 3,500 to 3,200 B.C in the Middle East. Unlike what we use now, these envelopes were clay spheres molded around financial tokens.
• Paper envelopes first used in China in the 2nd Century.
• The first envelope making machine was invented in 1845.The paper was diamond shaped and did not come pre-gummed for sealing.
• In the Victorian Era, the placement of a stamp were used as coded messages between young lovers whose parents censored their mail. For instance, an upside down stamp meant "I love you" a diagonal stamp means "I miss you".
• The classic #10 business envelope. Measuring 4 1/8" x 9 1/2", the #10 is the most commonly used envelope, and it perfectly fits a tri-folded 8.5x11 piece of paper. At Precision Envelope, #10 envelope printing is a huge part of what we do, and is the envelope most frequently used by businesses.
• When creating printed wedding invitation envelopes, it is proper to spell out house numbers under 20.
• A chemical company recently created an envelope made of “spunbonded olefin”. This envelope looks like and can be written on just like paper, but it is insensitive to water and chemicals and is virtually impossible to tear.
• In 19th Century England, the recipient would pay the postage of the envelope. Correspondents figured out a scheme to transmit brief messages through prearranged envelope marking. The recipient would decode the message, then hand it back to the postman, refusing payment. Postage stamps were created in order to put an end to this.

(Sources: http://allamazingfacts.com/Invention-of-Envelopes/245.php, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Envelopes)

How to Find Cheap Custom Printed Church Offering Envelopes?

At Precisionenvelope.com we serve several churches and religious institutions- Both in Long Island where we are headquartered and around the country! A common theme amongst these institutions is a need for high quality, but affordable church offering envelopes. As non-profits, these churches use their offering envelopes to help project a positive image in their community, and the printed envelopes have a direct influence on the contributions that help sustain the church. So how do you find quality offering envelopes that won't break the bank? Here's my five tips:

• Look for Coupons/Price Breaks at Higher Quantities: With most envelope printers, the more you order, the lower the price per envelope. As a church, it would probably be helpful to have a few extra hundred donation envelopes in storage. Plus almost all of these printers will have a coupon code available or a special deal they're running. Check their social media accounts, as well as third part coupon websites like retailmenot for codes. If you go for a higher quantity and combine it with a 10% off coupon code, you can save big!
• Ask for Samples: Price is always important, but quality is key. You'll want to work with someone who has printed church offering envelopes before, as well as creates quality work. Most of these printers will have samples of their work available (whether it be a physical sample or a digital one) and you should be willing to share it with you.
• Have Your Artwork Ready: Most envelope printers will be willing to create artwork for you, but it won't be cheap. Make sure that you have high resolution, quality artwork that you can easily share with the printer. If you don't already have this artwork, try to see if you can find a graphic designer (perhaps a parishioner) who would be willing to volunteer their time to help you create your envelope artwork.
• Check for Non-Profit Discounts: Many printers may be willing to work with you on the price if you are a non-profit. Don't be afraid to call or email the printer directly to see if they offer more lenient prices for religious institutions and charities.
• Ask for Testimonials: Don't be afraid to ask for the contact info of customers who have ordered custom church offering envelopes in the past. That way you can speak to someone directly and ask them questions about both about the quality of the envelopes as well as their experience with the printer.

Want to learn more about saving money on church offering envelopes? Please email me directly: greg@americanmail.com. Or Post a comment and I'll be sure to reply!

7 Ways to Give your Small Business Marketing Plan a Competitive Edge

As a small business owner, you need to get used to the idea of self promotion. Whether you're using social media, direct mail marketing, print ads or all of the above, you must take every opportunity you can to tell potential customers about how your business can benefit them.

Of course, there's some fierce competition out there. So how can you give yourself a competitive marketing edge? What can your small business do to make sure that potential customers come to you instead of one of your competitors? These 7 tips below will help you in developing a marketing strategy for your small business:

1. Start with Specific Goals: Obviously the goal of your marketing will be to earn new business, but you'll need to set specific, achievable goals in order to create a tactical plan and measure your results. Let's say the goal is you want to increase the average value of your customer's orders by 25%. Once you have that in mind, you can then work backwards and figure out how this will be achieved.
2. Combine Your Marketing Efforts: You've got your goal  of raising average order value mind, now let's think of a tactic. Let's say you decide to offer a Buy One Get One Half off deal. Now how will you help spread the word? Rather than viewing your direct mail marketing, social media and Email marketing as separate entities, each medium should be working in tandem to help spread the word. Some people might ignore the email, but are more likely to respond to your direct mail piece.
3. ...But Don't Use Everything: While generally I would recommend using a variety of tactics to help spread the word about your offer, trying everything will spread your resources to thin and will ultimately hurt your message. Remember, you don't need to be on every single social network. And you may not need to send out a direct mail piece. Do some research and figure out which medium is most appealing to your audience.
4. Have a Clear Call to Action: You've got your goal and your tactics- Now ask yourself this question: "When they receive my direct mail/email/Twiter message, what do I want them to do?". If the answer is visit this URL and get the coupon code, then create a compelling call to action that will drive them to that URL. One great way to create a call to action is to add an expiration date to the offer (i.e. Offer ends Tuesday! Get your coupon code Now!).
5. Create a Consistent Look: Your email, blog, website, direct mail piece etc. should all have the same consistent look. This will help create brand awareness, making it more likely that your customers will remember your business. For instance, If you're sending out a few hundred printed 6 x 9 envelopes featuring your redeisgned logo, you nee to make sure that the same logo appears on all of your other marketing pieces.
6. Always Follow Up: After your direct mail piece or email goes out, your work has only just started! Many people who received the direct mail piece may be interested in your offer, but perhaps didn't have much time for it at the moment, that's where a brief phone call, email or even another direct mail piece can help you close the deal.
7. Test & Refine: While statistics are helpful, the only way to know for sure if your offer will be something compelling to your customers is to test it. This can be done by sending out the offer to only a portion of your list, then adjusting your offer accordingly or through split testing (meaning sending 2 versions of an email or direct mail piece and seeing which gets better results).

7 Surprising Small Business Statistics

Although generally on this blog we talk about custom envelope design and/or how they can be used for marketing, we occassionally like to talk about issues and news related to small businesses. The majority of our customers tend to be small businesses, and PrecisionEnvelope.com is a small business (According to the SBA, technically any company with less than 500 employees is a small business). So we recently were doing some research regarding small business and we just happened to come across a collection of surprising, interesting and just plain shocking American small business statistics. Check them out, and let us know what you think in the comments!

• 52% of All Small Businesses are Home-based: When you've got a great idea but no money, sometimes your only choice is to work out of your home. In fact, dozens of hugely successful companies (including Apple and Mattel) started out of the home.
• Fastest Growing Small Business Sectors are auto repair shops, beauty salons & dry cleaners: If in your neighborhood it feels like there's a beauty salon or dry cleaner on every corner, now you know why!
• Over Half a Million New Business Are Started Each Month: In total 543,000 small businesses are started in the United States each month.
• The #1 Reason Why Start Ups Fail is they Scale Prematurely: While having a long term business plan is great, expanding the business before it's ready can lead to you closing the doors.
• 50-70% of Small Businesses Fail within the First 18 Months: While those first few years are the toughest, if you can get past that your liklihood to succeed will increase significantly.
• But 86% of Small Business Owners Believe They Can Do Anything they Set their Minds to: Sometimes a great idea and a can do attitude is all you need to make it work!

Small Business Failure Rate by Industry:

• Manufacturing: 48.4%
• Services: 47.6%
• Wholesaling & Agriculture: 47.4%
• Retailing: 41.1%
• Finance, Insurance and Real Estate: 39.6%
• Transportation, Communications and Utiliies: 39.4%
• Construction: 36.4%

(Sources: http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/09/failure-rates-by-sector-the-real-numbers.html. http://www.valuewalk.com/2013/09/small-businesses-infographic/, http://www.businessinsider.com/small-business-owners-are-optimistic-2013-6)

Custom Printed Envelopes: 5 Things You Need to Know Before You Buy

Before you go looking to buy custom envelopes online, there's a few things you'll need to know so that you don't overpay, or worse yet, waste money on unusable envelopes. Not to scare you, but I've heard many horror stories of companies that bought custom envelopes from a company they found online, only to receive 1000s of envelopes that were printed wrong. And good luck getting a refund! So in order to help you prepare and make your envelope ordering process as smooth as possible, here's my 5 things you should know before you buy:

• Only Use High Resolution Artwork: If you're uploading artwork online, make sure that it is a quality, high-resolution image. The problem with alot of these websites is that they will just print whatever artwork you upload, resulting in low quality envelopes. Some envelope printers might work with you if you've only got low resolution artwork, but it's not a risk worth taking.
• Check for Price Breaks at Larger Quantities: You may only need 1,000 envelopes, but if you can get 1,500 for only $10 more, it's a deal too good to pass up. Even if your business doesn't need that many, it's always good to have a few extra envelopes in storage. 
• Ask About Coupon Codes: All of these online envelope printers are running some type of deal or have coupon codes available. Some of them might even offer free shipping on custom envelopes or other deals! Be sure to always ask before you buy. And don't forget to check websites like RetailMeNot for more coupons. 
• Always Request a Proof: Better safe than sorry, I always say! Whether it be a digital proof in the form of a PDF or a physical one, a proof will give you one more chance to look over the artwork and make sure everything is correct before you print the whole batch.
• Shop Around: Make sure to always check for a great deal! There are many people out there offering printed envelopes, so you'll want to find a great price. But more than going with the lowest price possible, make sure that company you go with is reputable and they know what they're doing. 

Direct Mail Beats E-Mail by 66% (INFOGRAPHIC)

 

 

Share this Infographic on Your Website or Blog: http://www.lorrainegregorycorp.com/images/html/Image/direct-mail-online-marketing-infograph.jpg

 

 

Direct Mail Beats E-Mail by 66%

Direct mail is #1, even in a digital world. See how direct mail marketing stacks up against online advertising.

 

• 59% of people enjoy receiving mail about new products, but only 43% enjoy recieving E-Mails about new products.
• 78% of households either read or scan direct mail they receive.
• 11.55% of marketing emails are opened.
• Only 16% of your Facebook fans will see your post. 

 

Which Tactic Generates the Most New Customers?

 

Direct Mail - 34%. Email - 24%

 

 

LIKE Us on Facebook and Get 12% Off Your Order Plus you Could win $250

 

 Like PrecisionEnvelope.com's Facebook page  and get a coupon code for 12% off any printed envelope order (no order minimum!). Plus, when you like our page between now and October 31st, you will be automatically entered to win $250 towards any envelope order!

LIKE Our Page Now!

5 Creative Custom Envelope Designs

Whether you're launching a new direct mail marketing campaign or just need a fresh batch of envelopes for your usualy correspondence, a creative envelope design can help you spread brand awareness and even earn you new business. The standard for printed envelopes of course is the logo in the upper left corner, but does it have to be? Check out these creative custom envelopes and see if they inspire you!

 

Window Cleaners

The best ideas are always the simplest. And these envelopes for a Dutch window cleaning company really hit the nail on the head in the best way possible!

 

 Google Map Inside Envelope

everyone prints their address on their envelopes, but how about your Google Maps location on the inside of the envelope!

Candy Door to Door

Seriously, everything is improved with candy, envelopes are no exception!

Pop Up!

This clever pop-up uses the envelope as part of the card.

 

Rip it Open

This one might be a little dark, but you can't deny that it is clever.

 



Can Small Businesses Afford a Direct Mail Campaign?

Direct mail campaigns are expensive. Or at least, that's the misconeption amongst many small and is preferred by most consumers).
business owners. If we're talking an apples to apples comparison between, let's say, e-mail and direct mail, then yes direct seems expensive (of course, as long as we're making the comparison, it should also be noted that direct mail has by far the highest response rate,

No matter where you fall on that debate, the question is whether or not you can afford a direct mail campaign. As with all marketing mediums, a certain amount of optimization is necessary in order to improve key metrics like response rate and ROI, but with a certain amount of leg work, direct can generate new customers for your business in a way that e-mail simply can not.

So how can you know if your business can afford to run a direct mail campaign:

1. Calculate your ROI: While you can't be 100% certain how your campaign will perform, research can give you a great idea of what to expect. For instance, a study by the Direct Marketing Association states that on average direct mail marketers earn $12.57 for every dollar they spend.
2. Speak to your printer: If possible, work with a printer who has experience in executing direct mail campaigns. There's a good chance that they've worked with businesses similar to yours, and can tell you what kind of return you can expect in your industry.
3.  Run a small batch first: If you're still unsure how your mailer will be received, try running a small batch before sending it out to everyone on your list. You can then make adjustments to your campaign before sending it to the rest of your list.
4. Don't Mail to Everyone: If you've got a huge mailing list, keep in mind that this offer may not be right for everyone. When you can get more specific, and target your offer to a very select group, you're more likely to improve your conversion rate.
5. Consolidate & Save: Generally speaking, when you work with one printer for your envelopes, mailers, labels etc. they'll usually cut you a deal. When you're getting prices from printers, make sure to see who will work with you to help make sure that you're maximizing ROI.

Contact Precision Envelope if you are interested in creating a direct mailiong campaign or to buy printed envelopes today.

The 5 Often Overlooked Things Every Small Business Must Have

According to SBA.gov there are 23 million small businesses in the United States, and combined they
account for 54% of all U.S sales. As the website puts it, corporate America continues to downsize as the rate of small business start-ups continues to grow (and just as important, the failure rate for small businesses has declined). Now is an excellent time to start a small business. And if you've got an idea and the drive, a small business can be a very big thing.

But it can be difficult to know what you need to get started. Even with reading tons of books and speaking with successful business owners, some of the details can go overlooked. Which is exactly why I've come up with a list of 5 of the often overlooked things every small business needs. Now, keep in mind that this is not a complete list of what every start up should have, just a concise list of 5 things you may overlook. If there's any other essentials you feel should be added to the list, please add a comment!

• A Website: Personally, before I work with a company, I will check them out online. And if I can't find any website, I'm much less likely to give them my business. It's 2013- Even if very little (or none) of your business comes from the Internet, you need to have a website. Remember, it doesn't have to be too flashy, just something simple featuring your business information.
• A Logo: A great logo can make your brand stand out (it might even convince someone to work with you rather than your competition. If your business doesn't have a logo, you can usually get one created for you, sometimes for as little as $5.
• Envelopes & Letterheads: Similar to how a logo can help you with branding, branded envelopes and business letterhead can give your business a professional look. These sort of little touches can demonstrate your professionalism to your customers.
• An Up to Date Mail List: Odds are you interact with several new people every day, and you should be keeping all of their information in a frequently updated mailing list. Whether you're running direct mail campaigns or you simply want to send out holiday cards, a good mailing list can be an invaluable asset and can generate tons of new business.
• Business Cards: Business cards allow you to make an impression every time you're out. Attending a meeting and not having business cards is a big faux pas. Luckily they are relitavely inexpensive.

10 Strangest Mailboxes Of All Time

A few weeks ago we asked the question "can you mail a coconut?" But this week we're wondering, "what kind of things can you use as your mailbox?". Well, it only took a few quick Google searches to find a plethora of interesting, creative and just plain STRANGE mailboxes from all over the world! So let's check out my list of the 10 strangest mailboxes of all time. Oh, and FYI- Should you need something to stick in those mailboxes, check out Precision Envelope for premium custom envelopes.

1. That's certainly one way to recycle your old Mac:

 

 

2. This chiropractor found a very unusual (and creative) way to advertise his business:

 

 

3. Wow...no comment. Just....wow:

 

 

4. Deliver the mail...if you dare:

 

 

 

5. Perfect for Halloween. The rest of the year, not so much:

 

 

6. Even the USPS gets in on the fun! Check out these Star Wars mailboxes:

 

 

7. Your guess is as good as mine:

 

 

8. Any Futurama fan would love this Bender mailbox:

 

 

9. it's hunting season!

 

 

10. What a Jackass:

 

Got any weird mailboxes in your neighborhood? Tell me about them in the comments!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



10 Reasons Why Your Direct Mail Campaign is Terrible

It's time for some tough love. All too often a company will run a direct mail campaign (usually without the help of an experienced company), sending out one piece to a few thousand people. They don't bother with proper follow-up, then assume that "direct mail doesn't work" (even though there's been numerous studies proving exactly the opposite).Rarely do these companies look at their own campaign and try to correct the issues, instead taking a very shortsighted point of view. So before you decide direct mail doesn't work, check out these 10 reasons why it didn't work and try applying them to your campaign:

• You didn't Test: Did you send out a small batch in order to test your campaign or just have a graphic designer whip up a piece then send it out to everyone on your mailing list? With any kind of marketing you need to test in order to get the best results. When you don't test, you marketing can get very expensive and ineffective.
• No Follow Up: A campaign should never be one and done. What's the plan after the piece goes out?
• Bad or Non Existent Call to Action: You know that you want the customer to go to your website to take advantage of your amazing offer, but is it obvious to them that's what they're supposed to do?
• Your Campaign Isn't Focused: Speaking of your mailing list- Who will be receiving this direct mail piece? Are you sending one out to everyone who's ever interacted with your business? Instead focus your campaign on a specific audience. That way you can cater the piece towards them, which will lead to a better response rate.
• Boring Design: Try to look at it objectively: Are the colors and images in your piece boring? Is the envelope unexciting and plain?
• Lack of Branding: Is it obvious who sent the direct mail piece? All of your marketing should be an extension of your brand. A generic piece will get ignored.
• Not Researching What Works: How can you know what makes a good postcard if you haven't done any research. Check out the direct mail you receive personally- What do you find effective? What do you think doesn't work?
• Too Much Fluff: You've got to be good at editing in order to create an effective direct mail piece. Keeping it direct and to the point will help you focus on what's important in your piece and increase the likelihood the recipient will read it.
• Not Integrating with other Marketing: Remember, your marketing efforts do not live in a bubble. If you send out a direct mail piece, try sending the recipient an email a few day later. All your marketing should be working together in order to achieve a common goal.
• Not Proofreading: Could you imagine sending out a direct mail piece to hundreds (or thousands) of people, only then to notice you've misspelled a word? It actually happens more often than you think! Always proofread multiple times and have several people look it over too.

What other direct mails tips should I add to the list?

5 Direct Mail Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

Are you wasting money? It's a simple question, and yet few business owners ask themselves that before launching their direct mail campaign. When executed correctly, direct mail can be one of the most cost efficient ways to generate new customers. But if you're new to direct mail (and even if you're not) it can be easy to fall in to these expensive pitfalls. Here's our list of 5 direct mail mistakes to avoid at all costs:

1. Not Updating Your Mailing List/Using a Bad List: Perhaps you've accumulated a huge mailing list over the past few years, but when was the last time you did a little Spring cleaning? Are all the addresses still up to date and accurate? Not only that, but also keep in mind that just because your list is 10,000 people, this particular direct mail piece might not be for everyone. Or if you're instead buying a list, make sure you are very selective when choosing it. Do a great deal of research before spending any money, as sometimes lists can be no good.
2. What's Your Call to Action? Not having a clear call to action is a sure fire way to create a direct mail campaign that will fail. A call to action is a short and concise way of letting the recipient know how they can take you up on your offer. Something like "Vist our Website Now!", "Call Now before this Great offer ends" will give people short and clear instructions on how to get that great deal you're offering. Speaking of which...
3. Are You Offering a Deal That's Worthwhile? Think about the reason why you're sending out this direct mail piece and try to view it objectively. If you were a recipient, would you really be interested in this deal (be honest). If you're not so sure, than this is not a compelling offer, and your recipients will ignore it. Run the offer by a few other people, and if necessary, test the deal on a small batch first to see if it works.
4. Skimping on Creative: If you don't have a graphic designer in-house, and you're not exactly comfortable with photoshop, make sure you hire a competent and professional graphic designer. The creative design of your printed envelopes and your proofs are everything, so make sure it looks great.
5. Not Following Up: You've put so much work in to launching your direct mail campaign, why wouldn't you plan on following up with the recipients? Don't just send out the direct mail pieces and then sit by the phone. Get prepared to handle those responses, and if you don't get the desired results, don't be afraid to phone a few of the recipients. You can use it as research in to why your campaign did or did not work.

Infographic: Why Use Personalized Envelopes?

 

Why Use Personalized Envelopes?

 

• 94% of marketing directors believe personalization is critical to a campaign's success.
• Personalized direct mail typically generates a 6.5% response rate. Three times higher than a non-personalized campaign.
• 19% increase in sales when personalized messages are used.

Check out the Infographic Here.

How an Old Fashioned Envelope Can Stand Out in the Digital Age

Before I tell you about how envelope can make your business stand out in the digital age, here's a few facts to help set the mood:

• According to a statistic from 2010, there are 294 billion emails sent per day.
• 17% of Americans Create a new email every 6 months.
• 52% of marketers have difficulty measuring social media marketing ROI.
• 52% of consumers have unfollowed a brand on Facebook beause their posts were repitive and boring.

What do these stats tell us about the state of digital marketing? First, the average person is getting slammed with digital marketing messages, whether it be tons of emails or Facebook posts. And when they get bored or annoyed by all these messages, they'red not afraid to unfollow, unsubsrcibe or simply ignore those messages. Plus if you're sending emails, on average you're losing 17% of your email list every single month. What we're not saying is that digital marketing doesn't work. The Precision Envelope team uses both email and social media. But the point is that digital marketing isn't everything. And sometimes you need direct mail to reinforce your marketing message and drive conversions.
As just one example of a custom envelope, think about all the emails you receive daily. If you're like most people, you probably receive dozens every single day. But how many of them do you open? Probably less than a quarter. Most of those emails get deleted. But think about the mail you get. When you receive a colorful envelope, or one with your name printed right on it, you're much more likely to open it than an email. Or how about those social media posts? You can't read the messages from every single person you're following, so you just skim through the news feed. But mail has a way of commanding your attention. So remember, while digital marketing is important, envelopes are capable of grabbing your audiences attention in a totally unique way.

5 Beautiful Custom Envelopes that will Inspire You!

As we like to say, when you're creating a customer envelope for your business, take every opportunity to make them stand out! These envelopes are somes times the first interaction that customers have with your company, so you want to make sure that they represent your brand and that they demand to be opened. But what if you're feeling a little light on inspiration? Well here's 10 fun examples of custom envelopes I found around the web!



"From Cologne with Love" By Are We Designer. A design firm in Germany created these retro custom envelopes. It perfectly encapsulates their creativity and represents their brand well (Found on Behance)

Ivy Hotel Sales Kit. Ivy is an upscale hotel in San Diego, and they created an appropriately sophisticated envelope to help better sell their banquet halls and meeting rooms. (via CRU Agency)

"Newspaper Boy" by Alex Kwan. Alex is a designer who created a package showcasing his skills. The envelopes are so simple, yet so much fun!

 

 

 

Flywheel Design by Nicole Kraieski. There's something about a black envelope that is so eye catching and unexpected. Plus with the beautiful splash of color in the upper left corner, these envelopes really pop. (via http://www.behance.net/nicolekraieski)

 

 

 

 Dog Envelope by Michael Hacker. It doesn't get much color than that! Michael has done an amazing job of using all the space available to create a truly special envelope (via creativereview.co.uk)