It’s important to get your envelope opened, but spending too much money on it can be self-defeating. Finding a balance requires testing ideas, new and old.

By Abny Santicola

“The center is a facility that houses millions of archival documents, many of which have great visual impact and whose purpose in history was to have a visual impact. So it seems very appropriate that we represent that visually for our donors,” Copeland says.

With openability the biggest hurdle in direct mail, graphics can differentiate an organization’s envelope in the ever-increasing mail pile, communicate a mission and resonate more strongly with recipients, and drive more prospects inside.