More Print Tips

• • Drive Rapid Response to Your Direct Mail: 10 Pro Tips
• • The Usefulness and Utility of Print Marketing
• • Boost Sales with Brochures
• • 5 Opacity Tips You Should Know
• • The Window to Marketing
• • Connect With the Right People: Use the Right List
• • Profitable Postcard Marketing: Finding the Right Frequency
• • 3 Fundamentals for Nailing Your Direct Mail Marketing
• • A Quick Glance at the History of Print
• • Maximize Your Print Mailing with a Well-Written Cover Letter
• • Love Your Planet with Eco-Friendly Print Practices
• • Is a Bleed Right For Your Print Project?
• • Make a Splash With Creative Overprinting Techniques
• • Perfect Estimates Every Time
• • The Perfect Cover-Up
• • The Difference Between CMYK and PMS Colors
• • 6 Ways to Settle the Score
• • Win Customers With Colorful Packaging
• • 5 Rules for Readability with Type
• • Paper Shifts Color: Orange is the New Red
• • Printing Considerations for Envelopes
• • Be 'Bossy! Stand Above the Rest
• • Nourish Your Creativity
• • Picking the Perfect Paper
• • Perfect Your Proofing
• • Using "Enriched" Black Ink

The Window to Marketing

Communicating with clients and prospects is a necessary part of doing business. But how do you keep your communication engaging, personal, and cost-effective?

Consider window envelopes.

Direct mailers that use window envelopes make responding to your message easy, and they can save you time and money in the production process. Check out these tips and tricks for window envelopes that are sure to get opened.

1. Save time. Print once.

Window envelopes make it possible to only print the name and address of your recipient one time.

Keep in mind that a standard window is on the left side of the envelope. If you decide you’d like to try a different window placement, be sure to plan for additional production time and cost to bring your unique window envelope idea to life.

2. Avoid delays. Pay attention to mailing guidelines.

You will want to adhere to the post office rules so that there is no delay in your mailing. Rules, such as:

• White space. The post office likes as much white space as possible so that the address information is clearly recognized. To be safe, allow ¼” of white space all the way around the address area.
• Barcoding. When using bar code information, it cannot interfere with the address or name at all. Bar codes should be placed above or below the address or above or below the optional endorsement line or keyline.

While rules like these might seem overwhelming, that’s precisely what we’re here for.

3. Try the ‘Tap Test.’

Does your envelope pass the “Tap Test?”

The “Tap Test” allows you to shake or tap the envelope and still see all the pertinent information within the window. This test is what the USPS uses to test it to see if your mailing can be automated. If the USPS taps one envelope and the address shifts out of the window area, the whole mailing can fail the automation test.

4. Words matter. Try these!

When it comes to designing your envelope and getting it to stand out and get opened, try these eye-catching phrases to encourage readers to open the envelope:

• Free, New
• Open Now
• Special Offer
• Exclusively Yours
• Proven Success

There are so many ways to engage customers. And now you know some great ways to save some time and money by using window envelopes. If you need any more money-saving suggestions, check out other articles from our Ideas Collection or reach out to us today!

Designing Direct Mail That Sells

by Sandra J. Blum

Blum shares 22 years worth of secrets for creating a winning direct mail package that gets recipients to gear open the envelope, understand the message inside, and respond right away. Dozens of color examples are included.'