Author Archives: Brad

Competition for the most lucrative accounts is fierce among marketing agencies, so agencies need to position themselves as the most attractive options to prospective clients. One way to stand out from competitors is to offer comprehensive packaging services, especially if your agency serves clients that sell in the retail market. Here are three powerful reasons why your agency should offer packaging services.

1. Differentiate Your Agency

Simply offering packaging services can differentiate your agency, but you can also stand out in specific sectors by catering to packaging niches.

• If you’re known as the expert in your niche, you can attract highly targeted clients
• Consider starting in a market that has few packaging regulations to nail down your process, then expand into additional markets
• Example packaging niches include luxury brands, sustainable packaging, child safety packaging, medical and pharmacy, electronics, cannabis, breweries, and more

By offering packaging services, you’re also showcasing your knowledge of branding and consumer psychology. That’s a powerful way to convince prospects your agency is the best for their needs because:

• Packaging influences brand perception and buying decisions. On the Thrive By Design podcast, Hidden Path Creative designer Kelley Kempe states that 72% of people buy because of packaging
• Packaging is a sales tool that elevates perceived value. People buy the packaging, not the product. As the podcast points out, you can see an example of this in the grocery store when you reach for the box behind the damaged box
• Packaging creates recognition, memorability, and an unforgettable unboxing experience. You only need to look at the popularity of YouTube unboxing videos to see how a beautiful presentation and neat organization enhance the customer experience. People will even post products on social media if you capture that unboxing experience successfully, and this is free marketing for your brand
• Packaging can promote other products, services, and ideas. When you print your website URL and QR codes on packaging, it can bridge to your digital marketing resources: websites, videos, apps, recycling instructions, sustainability education, and more

Of course, not all packaging is designed for aesthetics and marketing. Savvy agencies know that packaging often has multiple layers. For example, a $10,000 piece of jewelry might be packaged in a beautiful box for the retail shelf, but that box might be packaged in a discreet unmarked box to prevent theft during shipping. As an agency, you can share that wisdom with your clients, further cementing your position as the best option for their needs.

2. Be a One-Stop Shop

Not every agency offers packaging services, which means clients must often work with multiple agencies and coordinate projects between them. That adds an unnecessary layer of complexity many clients would prefer not to deal with.

Offering packaging services allows your agency to be a one-stop shop, simplifying the process for clients and making you more attractive.

• You can offer packaging design, printing, and production (with the right partners)
• This grants your agency a competitive advantage over agencies that can’t offer packaging services
• It also provides an excellent upsell opportunity, providing a path to boost agency revenue

In addition, being a one-stop shop enables your agency to develop highly integrated marketing campaigns with consistent messaging and branding between all mediums – packaging, print, and digital – making you even more attractive to potential clients.

3. Greater Profits and Revenue

Offering packaging services also presents opportunities to earn more revenue and increase profits.

• As a full-service agency, you can earn revenue from the entire project rather than share it with other agencies. Additional services mean additional revenue
• Packaging creates opportunities for your agency by helping you attract clients you might not otherwise get
• Those clients are likely to hire your agency for other services, too

Thus, a single packaging project could open doors for long-term relationships with clients you wouldn’t have been able to land if you didn’t offer packaging.

If you’re a retailer, nonprofit, or marketing agency – and you send direct-mail marketing campaigns – you know how critical envelopes are to success. Yet even the most efficient supply chains and inventory management programs can face unexpected disruptions.

For example:

• A national event presents a major opportunity for direct-mail marketing, but you didn’t anticipate needing 100,000 envelopes overnight
• A printing error or uncaught typo ruined thousands of mailers, and you don’t have enough stock to fulfill your order by the deadline
• A political candidate made an announcement you can capitalize on, but your usual supplier doesn’t have the capacity to supply enough envelopes in time for election day

These and other scenarios aren’t uncommon in the marketing world, but they don’t need to represent missed opportunities and deadlines or lost clients.

Follow these tips to plan for and rapidly respond to envelope supply emergencies so you can serve your clients and instantly capitalize on lucrative opportunities.

Conduct a Risk Assessment

Begin by assessing your risks. Examples include:

• Inability to capitalize on last-minute opportunities
• Printing mistakes and failures
• Natural disasters, such as floods, fires, earthquakes, and tornadoes
• Urgent, unanticipated client needs, such as an overnight project or a last-minute change to artwork or addresses

Next, determine the impact of those risks. Examples include:

• Missed opportunities
• Lost revenue
• Lost clients
• Poor reputation
• Loss of future business

Once you understand your risks and their potential impact, it’s easy to justify the investment in proper emergency preparation.

Identify Emergency Suppliers

Identify suppliers you can count on during an emergency – ideally, a supplier that has emergency response in their blood. It’s part of what they do.

Seek a supplier that:

• Has safety stock and raw materials: They can provide and produce envelopes during emergencies, allowing you to stay on schedule and prevent missed opportunities. They also have back up material on hand
• Is prepared for quick turns: For example, a customer came to Priority Envelope on Good Friday and needed envelopes by Monday. We’re not typically staffed on Easter weekend, but our team members volunteered to work through the weekend and met the customer’s needs
• Has its own strong, diversified supplier network: They don’t think “can we do this?” They think, “how can we do this?” They rely on their own facilities for special materials and have relationships with other suppliers they can obtain envelopes from when needed during emergencies
• Has proven, reliable processes: Your supplier should have processes in place to ensure a steady flow of jobs through their system

Ultimately, you should work with a supplier who will jump for you when you have an emergency project. They understand that their success is dependent on yours and will find a way to help you successfully navigate emergencies.

A strong supplier network is critical to maintain a healthy envelope supply, meet demand spikes, navigate unexpected disruptions, and prepare for emergencies. Unfortunately, many organizations rely on inadequate suppliers that lack commitment and customer service. Those fleeting relationships give way to inconsistent, unpredictable, and unreliable supply.

A far better option is to partner with an envelope supplier that has a strong manufacturing network and diverse capabilities. Here’s why.

Quality Supply

Working with knowledgeable suppliers who are known for quality ensures your customers will receive fresh, crisp envelopes that command attention and reinforce a positive brand image. Quality envelopes are also highly insertable so they prevent insertion issues that could waste investment or delay production and mailing.

Priority Envelope, for example, boasts some of the industry’s best technology and produces easily insertable envelopes that create operational and manufacturing efficiencies.

Multiple Facilities and Extended Networks

Suppliers with multiple facilities and extended networks ensure you always have the envelopes you need, when you need them. If they don’t have the required stock at one facility, they most likely will have it at another location.

For example, one of Priority Envelope’s customers needed 100,000 sheets but we only had 60,000 at our Kansas facility. However, we were able to quickly send 40,000 sheets from our Minnesota facility to Kansas to meet our customer’s demand. In fact, we stock millions of envelopes between three facilities that boast diverse capabilities to prevent shortages, supply chain issues, and lead time delays.

It’s also important for your supplier to have a strong transportation network and, where possible, local delivery to enable quick supply.

Experience and Expertise

Strategic suppliers can leverage their experience and expertise to identify cost efficiencies for inventory management. For example, they can assist with demand planning and advise on which envelopes to stock to take advantage of USPS price breaks.

Experienced suppliers can also leverage economies of scale to increase your buying power and access to unique and various envelope stocks that help your mailers stand out.

Reliable, Predictable Service and Support

When your business relies on strategic partnerships, it’s critical to partner with responsive suppliers. Some suppliers can take days to respond, for example, but Priority Envelope prides itself on rapid response. We treat all customers’ needs as urgent regardless of their organization or order volume.

Work with a supplier that doesn’t think “can we do this?” but instead think “how can we do this?” to expand your capabilities and meet your unique business needs. Your business will benefit significantly when you choose a supplier that provides consistent, reliable service and handles everything behind the scenes to deliver what you need, as promised, and on time.

Businesses, nonprofits, and marketing agencies rely heavily on envelope supply for direct-mail success, so it’s crucial to have a proactive, predictive, and efficient envelope inventory management system to help:

• Meet demand
• Prevent disruptions
• Streamline operations
• Reduce costs

Here are four envelope inventory management best practices every organization that depends on direct mail should consider.

1. Min/Max Programs

Set minimum and maximum inventory levels for each type of envelope. Doing so grants real-time visibility into your inventory with rebuild points that automatically trigger reorders when stock is depleted to minimum levels. A min/max program is an efficient inventory management strategy that ensures you have ample supply to meet demand.

Min/max programs also reduce reliance on Just-in-Time inventory. Just-in-Time inventory can be a good thing if your strategy is to reduce storage costs, but it could leave you vulnerable to demand spikes if you don’t have a robust supply chain. Your envelope supplier can assist with setting up your min/max program to proactively refill stock before it runs out.

2. Storage/Warehousing

While many companies store envelopes on-site, organizations that send many mailers should consider off-site storage at supplier facilities to free up floor space. Every square inch of floor space has a dollar value, so on-site storage could unnecessarily tie up valuable space that could be used for additional inventory, production, or other purposes to grow your business.

In select cases, Priority Envelope can even work with our partners to create inventory management programs that optimize stock levels, reduce lead times, and minimize unit costs.

3. First-In First-Out

This straightforward yet often-overlooked inventory management practice is crucial for quality control. Organize inventory on your floor so that you always pull the oldest stock first. That way, your envelopes won’t age, become brittle, or discolor, and you’ll always have crisp, fresh envelopes that look and feel amazing at the mailbox.

4. Demand Planning

Demand planning allows you to take advantage of efficiencies of scale.

• Order quarterly volumes with releases rather than weekly or monthly PO’s: For example, you could place quarterly PO’s with four, five, or six releases instead of individual PO’s for each. This practice unlocks price breaks that ultimately boost ROI
• Analyze historical data and usage patterns to forecast demand: Anticipate spikes such as election mailers and seasonal variation. Estimate demand for the next year of work to ensure you’re prepared and can order ahead to take advantage of price breaks
• Continually monitor and adjust: Monitor inventory levels and adjust to demand accordingly. This strategy extends beyond inventory levels and includes press speeds and setup times, as improving these can increase volume and operational efficiency

Many organizations struggle with demand planning and often overlook lead times, which can put them in a bind when they don’t have enough envelopes for their direct-mail campaigns. A strategic envelope supplier can help.

For example, large health insurers send millions of mailers during the annual open enrollment period. Priority Envelope understands their usage patterns, so we anticipate their needs to ensure they can meet demand while reducing or nearly eliminating lead times.

If you’re struggling with inventory management, lean on an experienced envelope supplier like Priority Envelope that can help you anticipate demand, increase efficiency, lower costs, and boost ROI.

Though it might be easy to overlook, reliable envelope supply plays an integral role in direct-mail success for businesses, nonprofits, and marketing agencies. That’s because supply directly impacts:

• Deliverability: You must have available supply to send mailers, especially during high and unexpected demand
• Operational efficiency: Supply chain and inventory management practices can streamline or hamper operations
• Cost and ROI: Optimized envelope supply can lower costs and boost ROI

Discover how to improve deliverability, efficiency, and ROI with these tips for optimizing your organization’s envelope supply.

1. Proactive, Predictive, and Efficient Inventory Management

A proactive and predictive inventory management program can help meet demand, prevent disruptions, create efficiencies, and reduce costs. Key inventory management strategies include:

• Min/max programs: Continually monitor inventory and automatically rebuild levels as needed
• Storage efficiency: Large operations should determine whether it’s best to store envelope inventory on-site or off. Every square inch of floor space has a dollar value, and storing envelopes at your supplier frees up space for production, materials, and other business growth purposes
• First-in first-out: Organize inventory to pull the oldest stock first to prevent it from aging, discoloring, and becoming brittle
• Demand planning: Consider efficiencies of scale. Order quarterly volumes with releases rather than weekly or monthly PO’s to get price breaks that ultimately boost ROI. Analyze historical data and usage patterns to forecast demand and anticipate demand spikes due to seasonal variation and events such as elections. Continually monitor and adjust as needed
• Rely on your supplier: If you don’t have an in-house inventory management program, lean on your envelope supplier to understand what options might be available

2. Work with a Diverse Supplier

Even the best inventory management programs can face unexpected demand spikes and disruptions, so it’s important to work with a supplier that has diverse capabilities and an extended manufacturing network.

Working with a diverse supplier grants access to:

• Quality supply: Knowledgeable suppliers provide quality envelopes that work well with your machines and are easily insertable. This helps avoid issues that could waste investment and delay production and mailing
• Experience and expertise: Strategic suppliers can help identify cost efficiencies for inventory management. For example, they can recommend the best envelope sizes for USPS savings
• Multiple facilities and extended networks: A supplier with excellent reach – both internal and external – can serve you with vast capabilities and draw on their own partners to ensure you get what you need, when you need it
• Reliable, predictable service and support: A responsive supplier provides consistent service. At Priority Envelope, for example, we don’t think “can we do this?” We think, “how can we do this?”

3. Plan for and Rapidly Respond to Emergencies

Proactively plan for emergencies by:

• Assessing risk and potential impact
• Understanding customer ordering patterns and assisting with planning
• Anticipating customer needs and maintaining inventory on the floor
• Taking advantage of slow times to run product and refill inventory levels
• Identifying emergency suppliers who have backup materials on-hand, will bring on necessary staff to complete projects, can lean on a diverse network for special materials, and has processes to ensure a steady flow of jobs

Proactive inventory management, a diverse supplier base, and robust contingency plans are essential to ensuring a steady, reliable envelope supply. If you’re unsure how to optimize your envelope supply, consider working with a strategic supplier like Priority Envelope.

Once your transition from plastic to paper packaging is in full swing, it’s important to evaluate your success and strive for continuous improvement. Here are common sustainable packaging metrics to track.

Percentage of Sustainable Packaging

As you replace plastic with paper, record what percentage of your packaging is sustainable over time to ensure you’re meeting the milestones you set in Part 2 of this series. To recap, your goals might be to:

• Eliminate single-use plastics
• Achieve 100% recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable packaging
• Use a certain percentage of recycled content in packaging

That means you should track:

• Total plastic and paper usage
• Percent of recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable packaging
• Percent of post-consumer recycled content

Continually evaluate progress to make sure you’re on track to meet your goals and adjust if needed.

Waste Reduction

Waste reduction depends on multiple factors, but you can get a good idea of how much waste you’ve reduced by:

• Measure waste produced per unit of output
• Calculate the percentage of waste diverted from landfills through recycling or composting
• Track the ratio of input materials to finished products to identify material losses

These figures can help prove the environmental benefits of switching from plastic to paper and demonstrate your company’s commitment to social responsibility.

Cost Savings

Track investment in paper packaging and ROI over time, then compare those metrics to previous costs. Make sure you’re measuring the right things, as unit cost isn’t the only factor. You need to calculate the total cost of impact, which includes:

• Recycling infrastructure costs
• Manufacturing process costs
• Sustainability benefits such as customer acquisition, retention, and brand loyalty

Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is another critical metric, especially when you consider that many customers will buy more and pay more for products with sustainable packaging. You can gauge customer satisfaction through:

• Surveys and questionnaires
• Direct feedback
• Focus groups

All of these can help evaluate the impact your transition from plastic to paper packaging has on overall customer satisfaction.

Marketing

Evaluating success not only helps determine the impact sustainable paper packaging has on your business, but it also gives you a powerful marketing tool.

Promote your sustainable packaging efforts with some of the following strategies:

• Placing logos and recyclable symbols on packaging
• Adding statements such as “made from 80% post-consumer recycled content” to your packaging
• Adding a QR code that leads to a website with additional information about your packaging and overall sustainability initiatives

Measuring the impact of your plastic-to-paper packaging conversion lends powerful insights your company can use to make data-based decisions, promote your brand, and win customers. If you’re not sure how to get started, consult a knowledgeable packaging partner who can guide you every step of the way.

Once you’ve planned your transition from plastic to paper packaging, the next step is to put your plan into action. This is when you’ll work out the minute details of your plan and execute your strategy. Here’s how to implement the change from plastic to paper packaging.

1. Find a Paper Packaging Supplier

A dedicated paper packaging supplier can help you navigate your transition, so it’s best to identify who you’re going to work with at the beginning of the implementation process.

It’s critical to carefully vet suppliers:

• Do they have a knowledgeable team that’s well-versed in different types of paper, finishes, and packaging applications?
• Do they offer detailed guidance and ongoing support?

Traditional suppliers are only concerned with making a sale; they’ll tell you what you need to hear to write the check. Strategic suppliers will provide guidance every step of the way, as they believe their success hinges on your success.

A strategic supplier’s goal isn’t to sell you the highest-priced item, but to help you achieve your goals. They’ll help transition from plastic to paper packaging and identify cost efficiencies along the way because they want to be your long-term partner.

2. Choose Paper Options

Carefully consider which paper options can replace your current plastic packaging – but keep in mind that you’re not necessarily seeking an identical replacement in paper form. Rather, you want to take advantage of paper’s unique properties to place your products in better, more sustainable packaging, and that might require investment in research and development.

A knowledgeable supplier can help you evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various papers for different applications. For example:

• SBS vs. CRB
• The best papers for products such as beer and soda that require moisture-resistant packaging
• The strongest, thickest materials and designs for heavier products

3. Employ Creative Design

One advantage to paperboard packaging is the ability to employ creative designs that pop off the shelf. For example, you can embellish your packaging with foil stamping, embossing, and debossing for a unique, eye-catching, attractive appearance. You can also enhance security with anti-counterfeit packaging. Some of these design attributes are difficult to achieve with plastic unless you use labels, which creates an additional expense and production process.

Paper helps expand your brand, so consider how to take advantage of creative design opportunities. Real-world scenarios include:

• Multi-purpose diaper boxes: Diaper boxes that kids can color after use. Think “outside the box” to identify ways packaging can be used after the packaging is no longer needed for its original purpose
• Die-cut candle boxes: We die-cut the top of candle boxes into flower shapes for striking brand appeal
• Paperboard sleeves: We replaced fully enclosed cartons with paperboard sleeves to minimize materials and cost

The best strategy is to choose a supplier who can provide design mockups that allow you to see, feel, and hold packaging – and make changes – before committing to final production.

4. Start with Quick Wins

When you convert from plastic to paper packaging, we recommend starting with relatively simple packaging. For example:

• Socks and underwear don’t require plastic bags, so you can easily switch to a paperboard header that hangs on store racks
• Earplugs often come in small plastic bags, but they can be easily replaced with paperboard pillow packs
• Any packaging that is currently utilizing plastic materials but does not require an oxygen or moisture barrier is a good candidate to transition to paper packaging

Once you’ve mastered the process, you can move on to more complex packaging.

5. Identify Manufacturing Processes

Next, identify which manufacturing processes will be required to produce your paper packaging. Evaluate your options, determine short-term costs, and calculate long-term ROI to make the best choice for your packaging needs.

If you’re not sure which manufacturing processes are required, what they cost, or how to project ROI, lean on outside resources who can help make those calculations and identify cost efficiencies that foster success.

Once your transition from plastic to paper packaging is in full swing, the final step is to measure the impact of your change and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Learn which metrics matter in Part 4.

Many major brands are switching from plastic to paper packaging for its environmental, business, and potential cost advantages. Once you’ve decided to make the switch, a strategic approach is crucial to ensuring a smooth and successful transition. Here are four steps to follow when planning your transition from plastic to paper packaging.

1. Set Clear Goals and Objectives

Setting clear, measurable goals and objectives allows you to create a timeline, evaluate progress, and measure overall impact.

For example, your goals might be as follows:

• Eliminate single-use plastics by a certain year
• Achieve 100% recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable packaging by a certain year
• Use a certain percentage of recycled content in packaging

Once you’ve set goals, you can map out a strategy for achieving them. For example, you can:

• Resolve to only purchase from Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified companies that have traceability and reforesting initiatives
• Identify which of your packaging can transition to paper, initially focusing on less complex products
• Work with a strategic supplier who is knowledgeable about sustainable packaging

2. Develop a Budget

Next, set a budget for achieving your goals. Identify how much it will cost to transition to paper, then calculate long-term ROI for making the switch.

Your calculation should account for total cost of impact, which includes everything involved with packaging before and after production:

• Production costs versus plastic
• Recycling costs
• Customer acquisition, retention, and churn

Sustainable packaging is more attractive to customers – research has shown they’ll prioritize companies that use sustainable packaging and they’re even willing to pay more for sustainably packaged products – so it can have a significant impact on your overall ROI. Demonstrating how paper packaging drives ROI can serve as justification for stakeholders to switch from plastic.

3. Research Paper Packaging Options

Begin by engaging stakeholders and assembling an internal team to focus on the transition efforts. You should also find a supplier who can work with your internal team providing guidance on different types of paper packaging options.

Many paper packaging options are available, but common choices include:

• SBS (Solid Bleached Sulfate) paperboard: A recyclable, nice white, very printable material
• CNK (Coated natural Kraft): A more natural-looking, eco-friendly alternative
• CRB (Coated Recycled Board): Made from recycled content, this is a good option for customers seeking extensive sustainability benefits

4. Consult a Knowledgeable Supplier

Consult a knowledgeable supplier who can:

• Recommend eco-friendly substrates
• Lend insight into which paper packaging types are suitable for certain applications
• Help you take advantage of paper’s unique properties
• Explore paper packaging design options
• Share advice on how to successfully transition to paper packaging
• Help you develop a realistic timeline and budget

Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll have concrete goals with measurable milestones. The next phase is to put your plan into action. Learn how to implement the change from plastic to paper packaging in Part 3 of this series.

Demand for paper packaging continues to grow as companies seek to replace single use plastic with paper. Major corporations such as Amazon, Chick-Fil-A, and Walmart are transitioning to paper packaging – Amazon alone has replaced 95% of its plastic air pillows with paper filler – and worldwide demand for paper packaging has increased by 65% (Reuters). Globally, the paper packaging industry is projected to grow from $428 billion in 2023 to $535 billion by 2032 (imarc).

Environmental concerns, business advantages, and total impacted cost are driving the move from plastic to paper packaging. Understanding the need for change, from social responsibility to long-term ROI, is crucial to justifying initial investments and ensuring a successful transition.

This series outlines how to convert from plastic to paper packaging, beginning with the benefits of switching.

1. Paper Packaging is Eco-Friendly

While plastic offers benefits in certain industries and applications, many companies are driven to make the switch from plastic to paper where they can due to the harmful impacts of plastic on the environment.

• Plastic represents 80% of all marine pollution (UNESCO)
• 8 to 11 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean annually (MIT)
• Only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled (MIT)
• Plastic can contain hazardous chemicals (National Library of Medicine), and recent headlines have warned about microplastics being found in the human body (National Library of Medicine)

Paper is naturally more eco-friendly and doesn’t present health issues for humans or wildlife. Paper packaging is made from renewable, sustainably sourced materials, bringing benefits such as:

• Biodegradability
• Compostability
• Recyclability

Paper can come with a high percentage of recycled content, can be re-pulped, and is recycled more frequently than plastic – in part because it is difficult for consumers to know if plastic is recyclable or which container to place it in. Paper is much more recyclable, which is largely why over 80% of paper packaging gets recycled (EPA). It also doesn’t rely on chemical reactions and is less sensitive to contamination (Forbes).

Ultimately, paper packaging is the more sustainable choice, helping companies reduce pollution and achieve their social responsibility goals.

2. Paper Packaging Benefits Businesses

Paper packaging provides business benefits over plastics in four key areas.

Consumer preference and market trends

Consumers want more sustainable packaging, as evidenced by a Blue Yonder Consumer Sustainability Survey featured on Two Sides North America. The survey found that many consumers prioritize sustainability over price and convenience. For example:

• 78% say sustainability is “very” or “somewhat” important when deciding what to buy and where to shop
• 85% of Gen Z and 84% of Millennial respondents say sustainability is important, and Gen Z and Millennial consumers will pay a premium for sustainable products
• Nearly half (47%) of all respondents increased their sustainable shopping in the previous 12 months
• 40% of respondents would pay 5% more for products with sustainable packaging; 25% would pay 10% more
• 61% of respondents say recycled content or packaging is the most important environmental practice for retailers
• 56% of consumers prefer online orders to be delivered in paper packaging

A separate Two Sides North America survey revealed that 55% of consumers would buy more from companies that remove plastic from their packaging, and 47% would avoid retailers that do not use recyclable packaging materials.

Clearly, switching to paper packaging helps companies cater to consumer preference and market trends.

Compliance

Companies also face regulatory pressure to switch to paper. Geographical bans on single use plastics and phthalates can open or close markets depending on which type of packaging you use.

For example:

• The European Union already bans many single use plastic products (European Commission) and recently passed legislation to ban many types of single use plastic packaging by 2030 (World Economic Forum)
• Collectively, the EU’s 27 member states and 450 million people make it the largest single market in the world (Statista)
• Paper packaging passes stringent testing and enables companies to sell in that market, while plastic packaging may prevent companies from selling in the EU

Domestically, California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act mandates that all single-use packaging must be recyclable or compostable by 2032 (California Governor Newsom). In addition, 12 U.S. states ban single use plastic bags (World Economic Forum), and New York’s state legislature recently banned single use plastic toiletry bottles in hotels (Bloomberg Law).

It stands to reason that regulations will continue to tighten for plastic packaging, so switching to paper can help companies maintain compliance – and gain a competitive advantage – worldwide.

Distribution

Big box stores and other major retailers – both online and off – have their own sustainability initiatives. Products with sustainable packaging are more likely to be carried by retailers, while products with non-sustainable packaging face competitive disadvantages.

Companies that can help major retailers meet their eco-friendly agendas are more attractive and therefore more likely to get distribution for their products.

Versatility

Paper offers more versatile and creative design options than plastic packaging, which often requires labels to differentiate products. When you choose paper, you have more opportunities to create custom packages that are more attractive, unique, and stand out online and on the shelf.

3. Paper Packaging Can Be Cost Efficient

Some sources cite plastics as the cheapest packaging option. However, it’s important to evaluate total cost of impact, not just the unit cost, and that includes:

• Recycling infrastructure costs
• The cost of manufacturing processes required to make plastic film versus paperboard
• Customer acquisition, retention, and churn

We’ve demonstrated that customers are prioritizing sustainability when making purchasing decisions. Companies that use plastic packaging are at risk of losing customers to competitors who choose paper packaging. That alone can prove far costlier than a relatively minor difference in unit price.

Of course, there’s a lot to consider when converting from plastic to paper packaging. A strategic approach ensures a smooth and successful transition. Read Part 2 of this series for tips on planning your switch to paper packaging.

Great envelope design commands attention, motivates opens, and influences brand perception. Envelope design also impacts ROI, as it directly affects production and postage costs. With the right strategy, you can design well-crafted envelopes that get noticed, get opened, and drive measurable results. To that end, here are best practices in envelope design for optimal user experience and ROI.

Consider First Impressions

Envision yourself as your customer sifting through a stack of mail. What type of mailer would beg to be opened? Consider how the following attributes impact first impressions:

• Colors: Study color theory for branding and user perception. Which colors foster trust and motivate opens?
• Size: Larger envelopes stand out and are more likely to be opened
• Tactile Sensation: Matte, gloss, and soft touch finishes feel amazing in users’ hands, while embossing raises your design off the envelope surface. Identify ways to use tactile sensation to make your envelopes stand out
• Shape-cuts: Uniquely shaped envelopes differentiate your mailers in the stack
• Personalization: Variable data printing makes it easy to personalize your envelopes, increasing the likelihood they’ll get noticed and opened
• Quality: Quality matters, as users are more likely to ignore low-quality envelopes and more likely to open and respond to high quality mailers that look and feel great

Establish Credibility

Users need to trust your organization if they are to open your envelopes, read your mailers, and, ultimately, respond. In addition to artwork that resonates with your audience, you can leverage envelopes to establish credibility with:

• Heavier paper weight
• Security tint
• Tamper-evident seals
• Large sizes
• Blind embossing (such as a seal)

Make It Easy to Open and Respond

Envelopes should be easy (and even fun) to open, and when appropriate, they should make it easy for recipients to respond to your offer. Consider these ideas:

• Employ interactive, perforated openings such as tear-strips, zippers, and pulls that differentiate your envelopes and make them easy to open
• Add a perforated bang-tail that promotes your offer and makes it easy to detach and remit payment

Amplify Your Messaging and Brand

Creative envelope design can amplify your copy and branding to improve direct mail response. Here are some ideas for amplifying your messaging and brand:

Extendalopes: Extended envelopes feature one or two drop-down panels for additional messaging. They’re proven to boost response rates – for example, response for one of our customer’s quarterly rewards mailers increased from 1% to 8% when they used Extendalopes

Double windows: Add a second window that promotes what’s inside or draws attention to a unique product feature, benefit, or special offer

Custom tints: Custom inside tints featuring your logo reinforce branding

Shaped windows: Windows shaped like your logo or a product can highlight your brand

Relevant papers and finishes: Kraft paper suggests sustainability if you serve an eco-friendly audience, foil-stamped fonts imply value and prestige, and vertical embosses add a tactile element to your messaging

Understand Cost Factors

Positive ROI depends on understanding how envelope design impacts production and postage costs. Keep these tips in mind:

• Creative designs can lower costs, as the USPS incentivizes the direct mail market. For example, it’s often more cost effective to add a vertical emboss
• Other design features can increase costs, such as deviating from the standard rectangle shape. For example, a square envelope could cause you to go from a letter rate to a flat rate, doubling your postage
• Inserts could increase envelope thickness to over ¼”, preventing them from passing through the USPS’ automated system and increasing the risk of split seams. You might save money by eliminating inserts in favor of the Extendalope’s drop-down panels

Work with an Experienced Partner

An experienced envelope partner can help you achieve direct mail success. They’ve likely produced millions of mailers and have insight into what works – and what doesn’t.

An experienced partner can also help you avoid common envelope design mistakes such as:

• Materials that scuff during mailing
• Printing crossover bleeds across folds or seams (creating misaligned designs)
• Fonts that are too small and difficult to read

A design that looks amazing on your computer screen might look terrible on folded paper, so an experienced partner can help ensure your design is easily executable within the production process for a beautiful and effective envelope that’s destined to succeed.

An experienced partner can also help you satisfy USPS regulations, take advantage of cost-cutting strategies, handle print management, and run samples so you can see exactly how your finished envelopes will look and feel before you commit to a full run.

Envelope design has significant influence on direct mail marketing success, so follow these best practices to craft envelopes that optimize the user experience and drive positive ROI.