NPT Instant Fundraising Newsletter

Case Study: OPEN THIS! What works on outer envelopes

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When Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) launched its direct mail campaign against anti-birth control leader Eric Keroack, the charity trusted that the bright yellow envelope, the built-in urgency of the Air Gram insignia, and the aggressive call to action, "Fire Keroack. Support Birth Control," on some of its mail pieces would result in greater open and response rates. They didn't anticipate the real win: that Keroack would actually resign.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) processes more than 200 billion pieces of mail each year. Meanwhile, donors' attention spans are deteriorating, leaving charities just two seconds, maybe less, to convince them that their package is the one among the 20 or so others that's worth opening.

"It all starts with the outer envelope," said Willis Turner of Huntsinger & Jeffer in Richmond, Va. "The outer envelope is the gateway." Turner added that if done right, the outer envelope can break through the clutter.

President George W. Bush's appointment of Keroack, to a position responsible for ensuring that low-income women have access to birth control, stunned many family-planning advocates. And at least one, PPFA, rolled out a mailing urging action this past January to its 300,000 donors nationwide. "And you know what, two weeks ago he resigned," Kim Meredith, chief financial officer at PPFA, in New York City, said of Keroack's March 29 resignation.

The kicker in that particular mailing was the use of a teaser on the outer envelope, said Meredith, who said PPFA splashed across the tops of all its mailings the call-to-action teasers: "Keroack Update," or "Out With Keroack." Meredith noted that PPFA rarely uses a teaser with its high-level donors. "This time we made an exception," she said.

PPFA pulled out all the stops for the Keroack mailing. To its higher level donors, $5,000-$10,000 and $10,000 and above, the charity mailed a white, 8-1/2" x 6" envelope with "Planned-Parenthood-blue" writing on the front. For its top 1,000 donors, the major gifts team wrote personal notes, and tucked inside the envelopes buttons, stickers, and other items to thicken the package, "so (donors) felt like they had to open it." The objective was that it would appear proposal-like, similar to a mail piece that contains a credit card.

For lower level donors, the outer envelope was a standard yellow #10 envelope with a double-pane window, and looked "a little more institutional, like it could be a bill." Standard postage was used with this group, whereas the outer envelopes to the higher level donors had first-class postage.

The mailing was hugely successful, said Meredith. Thousands of recipients responded by going online and signing petitions. The charity garnered nearly 100,000 names protesting Keroack's appointment. The direct mail appeal was bolstered by an online appeal and telemarketing effort.

Turner, whose firm Huntsinger & Jeffer specializes in nonprofit direct mail, noted that the outer envelope -- or carrier -- has only one job. "And that's to get opened. Anything else is secondary - reinforcing the brand, selling the message of the package, all that stuff takes a back seat to just getting opened."

Turner said he's observed an increase in the use of color carriers. "But I haven't yet seen any evidence that's it's increasing response, except for the environmental organizations. They tend to profit from it."

A report Huntsinger & Jeffer completed for its client the American Red Cross (ARC) showed that on acquisition, what's working is a plain white, #10 envelope with a postal indicia. Turner attributed much of the success of that carrier to the organization's highly recognizable brand.

With less visible clients, for example the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), a #10 carrier with a double window large enough to display a badge with the prospect's name has been working for the past several years. NAPO's demographic skews more conservative, male, and a bit younger than ARC's, said Turner.

Volunteers of America (VOA) has for about two years had an unbeatable control carrier, said Turner, who noted it hasn't been for lack of testing and trying to beat it.

The control, a brown, paper lunch bag folded roughly into a square, with a label attached and a meter strip, has "absolutely increased response rates over the previous (control) carrier." Turner noted that due to the new postal regulations, changes likely will have to be made to this particular carrier.

"I guess the best practice message would be: Test everything that you possibly can," said Turner, who cautioned, "but, what we're finding is that the fundamentals are oftentimes still fundamental."

While PPFA tests a number of variables with outer envelopes, Meredith said the charity tends to stick with a few best practices. Those include:

* Assess the grade and the quality of the paper;

* Determine whether the recipient should be getting first-class or bulk postage;

* Use a catchy phrase to increase the chance that it will get opened;

* On renewals, always post "Renewal" on the outer envelope; and,

* Stay away from using formal font with low-level donors -- it looks less official; and, create urgency.

PPFA mails to its lower level donors seven to nine times each year, and approximately three times to the higher levels. The cost of the outer envelope to the lower levels accounts for between 5 and 10 percent of the package, and about 15 percent for the higher levels. For the Keroack mailing, the outer envelope that went to higher levels accounted for about 20 percent of the package.

"Our mantra is, 'Always keep it looking fresh,'" said Meredith. "And, make sure the envelope has the most current teaser on it that's going to get somebody to think this is new and vital and critical."