Direct mail packages in oversized envelopes outperform standard size postcards and letter-sized mail… sometimes by 2-3% according to the 2016 DMA Response Rate Report.

The main reason for the increase in response is the fact that large envelopes tend to attract more attention and therefore get opened first. Additionally, the extra space gives your creative and marketing team the ability to impart more sales information and eye-catching imaging that can compel readers to pick up that phone and respond.

Whether generating leads or bringing in actual sales, oversized envelopes and dimensional mailers produced significantly higher results for both B2B and B2C marketers alike.

Before you say, “Yes, but larger direct mail packages cost more than #10 envelope mailings,” consider that large direct mail packages can also return a much higher ROI.

You will have to be the judge as to whether to budget more for additional creative and printing costs required to produce mailpieces that larger envelopes can accommodate. The best way to make that decision is to test your letter-sized mailing against a larger envelope package. And be sure to put all that extra space to good creative use.

Creative Ideas for Oversized Envelopes:

  • Feature a beautiful photograph or intriguing image.
  • Use a completely blank manila or white envelope for a formal look.
  • Print a teaser line of copy, luring the recipient to open the contents.

Ideas for Creative Inserts:

  • Design a foldout poster into with infographics and product shots.
  • Drop in separate buckslips, liftnotes, and testimonial sheets for further persuasion.
  • Include engagement tools such as peel-off stickers, scratch offs, and checklists.

The findings of the Direct Marketing Association report confirm the effectiveness of direct mail and can help inform creative and production decisions for using the medium to generate leads and sales.