On opening of a print mail piece, you have all of 20 seconds to engage your reader – and if done well 20 seconds should be more than enough.

In the first 20 seconds, your prospect will;

• Look at and feel the piece, taking note of their name (make sure it’s personalised and spelt correctly). They will notice the return address, and upon approval open the envelope – all in all taking up around 8 seconds.
• Once opened you have less than 4 seconds to make your impact, as its this crucial period where a quick scan will tell your prospect if its worth scanning fully.
• If its worthy, they will scan and skim through the content for a further 8 seconds.

And that’s that. A job well done will buy you some more time, a job done poorly has long been in the bin.

So what can we do to make those first impressions count?

Everyone Likes a Little Tease

Don’t underestimate your envelope in that first 20 seconds. With so many options available, a selection of colours and full printing coverage, make the most of every inch.

‘Teaser copy’ on the envelope can be a great way to peak your prospects interest.

Returns

The return address is one of the key ways to get your mail opened. If your prospect looks at it and sees a faceless, corporate entity, then that diminishes your chance of getting the envelope opened, so be sure to put something that either elicits curiosity or makes them feel a sense of familiarity.

Headlines

Your headlines could be the make and break of your piece, so it’s worth putting in some time to think of the right one(s).

We like to think of the 80/20 rule – Of all the people who read the headline only 20% will read the copy. By creating a catchy line, your chances significantly increase.

Who Doesn’t Love A Freebie?

Putting something lumpy in an envelope (a key ring or pen for example) will always intrigue your prospect. More intrigue equals more opens, so get thinking.

With any marketing, it’s a numbers game, but by following the above outline you should start to see a higher return percentage and ultimately better return on your investments.