Custom envelopes are the first thing potential customers see when they get mail from your business. In saying that, it is important to highlight the purpose in every act of delivery. Your business’ envelope design must always reflect your brand in hopes to engage with customers and reach more potential customers.
A customised envelop design must have clear objectives:
- Be functional
- Stand out
- Engage with customers
- Make a great impression
- Increase brand awareness
Be functional
First and foremost, the design of your business envelope should be functional. This involves considering windows, as well as other creative ideas to optimise the envelope’s use.
Windows are essential for the efficiency of business envelopes. They allow the sender to conveniently display who the mail is addressed to, rather than wasting ink printing each name individually. This is also beneficial to your company as it reduces costs.
Most envelopes have windows on either of the bottom corners, however some windows are placed in the centre. Your company must first consider the default format of its letters and documents to determine where best to position the window.
Stand out
The most important questions you need to ask yourself before developing a customised envelope design are: “how are we different from other businesses?”, “how do we want to stand out?” and “what design will keep our brand looking consistent?”. These questions will shape the creative process of your custom envelope designs, which will help customers identify your business, leaving a lasting impression.
Creating an envelope that will stand out amongst a pile of mail is all about generating unique design ideas. The best ideas are those that work to achieve multiple objectives. So, consider design ideas that are not only unique and creative, but also functional, engaging, memorable and brand-strengthening, simultaneously.
Engage with customers
Customised envelope designs are formed to engage with potential and loyal customers. A solid design must intrigue customers, convey brand personality and provide an identifiable logo.
A great way to make your envelope more engaging is to utilise space on it that’s usually overlooked. For example, the interior of the envelope. The interior of the envelope (underneath the seal flap) is the first thing your customers see once the mail has been opened. So why not give it purpose, maximise space and use it to communicate more information for less?
Consider using the interior to show where your business is located on the map, as well its contact details, as pictured below. This works best for business’ with a single office or for company invitations to events.
Customers won’t notice the absence of design on the interior of an envelope, but they’ll definitely notice its presence. They’re also a lot more likely to remember the location of your business, not only because it’s the first thing they see, but also because visuals tend to be a lot more engaging than text. That’s because busy customers usually just skim over text, without reading it properly.
Not only is this simple design idea about efficiency and functionality, it’s also about engaging and enticing customers. It simply makes the idea of opening a letter more exciting to find out what’s inside.
Make a great impression
Standing out is one thing, but leaving a lasting impression is another. Having a goal to make great impressions through customised envelope designs will help customers remember you, which may even lead to an increase of potential clients. A great impression is formed by designing with an intent to reach target customers.
A great way to make a lasting impression is to consider unique ways of sealing your envelopes. The fact that this idea is quite old-fashioned will only make your business envelope stand out more and make even more of an impression to customers.
Unique ways of sealing include wax and foil sealing. Foil sealing appears classy and formal. It’s perfect for high-end customers, especially if your company is well-respected within its industry. It demonstrates that your company has an exceptional attention to detail and takes great care in everything it does, even something as mundane as sealing an envelope. This demonstrates attentiveness and effort, which translates into the work you do, making your business even more likeable and respected.
Seals are also especially significant in making client invitations to business events even more inviting.
Increase brand awareness
You’re probably wondering how custom envelope designs can increase brand awareness? The answer is simple. Your unique, identifiable and consistent design found through your brand colours, brand style and personality, will address many aspects of your business. This will give customers a clear understanding of who you are as a business through distinctive envelope designs.
It’s important to consider the colours on your envelope. Some business’ choose to use a black and white version of their logo on their envelopes, however using a coloured logo adds a bit of vibrance to the predominately white envelope. It also allows for branding consistency, which is important in strengthening your brand’s identity.
Some business’ also consider using their brand colours on other elements of the envelopes, such as the interior or the seal flap. You can also consider whether to use a solid colour or a pattern.
This idea is best for business’ with uncommon brand colours, that are bold, vibrant and recognisable for particular companies.
Custom business envelopes require a creative and optimal design process. They play a big role in brand identity and communication between your business and its customers.
At Print Us Professionals we offer business’ a diverse range of products and high quality printing services. We collaborate with business’ to create envelopes, and other products, that best represent your branding identity and requirements.
To enquire about business envelopes, request a quote here or contact Print Us Professionals on 0408 686 181 or email at sales@printusprofessionals.com.au.