Using Creatively Designed Envelopes To Stand Out And Get The Job
Let’s jump right in with a lesson on creative mailings.
With the techniques I am about to show you, you will be able to stand out against the competition, get noticed for your creativity, and land the gigs you’ve always wanted. Best of all, you’ll never look at an envelope the same way again. After trying these techniques out for yourself, I think you will quickly realize that the extra effort you put into preparing your mail pieces can make a huge difference when you’re applying for a job, submitting your work to a film festival, or simply sending a thank you note to the producer of your latest film.
So let’s get started!
First, take a look at the envelope below. Let’s imagine that you sent this letter to me in hopes of getting a job at my company. This is a standard envelope that I receive all the time. Do you see why sending a letter like this is a horrible mistake?
Let me point out the flaws:
1. First of all, it’s a normal No. 10 envelope. This is a standard envelope size and the most common size envelope for bills and junk mail! If you send something to a future employer in an envelope like this, it’s very likely to be thrown in with a pile of bills and junk mail. Even if this doesn’t happen, it’s highly likely that the envelope will be thrown in the trash without ever being looked at.
2. Secondly, the stamp is a standard first class stamp. And to make it worse, it’s a black and white stamp! That’s just plain boring and doesn’t stand out at all.
3. Another point that should be made is that the font is incredibly small. It’s so small, it’s hard to read.
4. Finally, the return address has a name on it. What’s so bad about that? Well… it’s a good idea to include your name if the person you are mailing is expecting the letter from you. But if they aren’t expecting your letter, or they don’t know you very well, it’s usually not a good idea to put your name in the return address.
So how do you fix these mistakes and deliver an envelope with some real pep? I’ll show you!
1. First of all, throw out that No. 10 envelope and replace it with a large 9”x12” envelope. If the envelope is colored or has some sort of decoration on it, that’s even better! Check out the envelope above and notice how the green “First Class” markings around the border of the envelope really help to make it stand out.
2. Secondly, look at all those stamps! Mailing a 9”x12” envelope does cost a little bit more than mailing a No. 10 envelope, but you’re trying to get a job, right? So you want to make this letter stand out! And one of the best ways to do that is to use a bunch of stamps! The more stamps, the better!
3. Another important thing to point out in regards to the stamps is that I used different kinds of stamps. I used a bunch of 4 and 5 cent stamps, as well as a 41 cent stamp featuring “The Hulk.” Instead of using just one boring stamp, you should use a bunch of different looking stamps.
4. Also, use stamps with a lot of color. I used a stamp with The Hulk
5. The last point I want to make about the stamps is that they aren’t on the envelope very straight… and I did this on purpose! It’s actually been proven that the more crooked your stamps are on an envelope, the more likely that envelope is to get opened. And you’re first goal of any mailing piece is to get the recipient to open the envelope… so putting those stamps on sideways or upside down is actually a good idea!
6. You’ll also note that the font on this envelope is a lot bigger than it was on that No. 10 envelope. It could be larger, but this is a big improvement.
7. The writing on this envelope is also handwritten—which is a good thing! Handwritten envelopes have a much higher response rate than envelopes with addresses that are printed on with a computer. You should hand address your envelopes whenever possible. But make sure your writing is legible!
8. The return address has also changed! On this new envelope I’ve removed my name from the return address. It’s usually better to leave your name off. When I see this crazy envelope, my first instinct is to check and see who it’s from. If I recognize the name right away, it might prevent me from opening the envelope. But if I don’t know who it’s from, that makes me want to open the envelope right away and find out!
9. The last thing you could do to improve the open rate of this envelope is to put something lumpy inside. If you were mailing your resume to me and wanted me to open the envelope and read all about you, you might do a little research on me and find that I am a huge Forrest Gump
How else do you think the envelopes above could be improved? Do you have a story or experience where the envelope you sent something in made all the difference?
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I’m inclined to agree, as an employer, that non-standard packaging may make a resume stand out… but I would be unimpressed with the business skills of someone who didn’t know enough to put their return address on an envelope and put the stamps on crooked. Those tips might be appropriate for marketing to consumers, but are less so for marketing oneself to a professional. I probably would open a package like that–so if the only goal is to get the package opened, the goal would have been achieved. But when reviewing the resume I wouldn’t be able to forget how poorly packaged it was.