John Lepp starts off this clinic by admitting he may have a bit of an unusual interest in envelopes...

But really, every great direct marketer and fundraiser who sends out postal appeals should share his obsession. Because when your donor looks at a pile of letters, you have just three seconds to get their attention.

That’s the importance of an envelope!

Fortunately, John knows an awful lot about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to envelopes. Much of this knowledge has been informed by a longstanding study of over 600 pieces of his mother in law’s mail (aka. Dale’s Mail). Dale is probably similar to your average donor, in that she often receives 30 to 40 pieces of post from charities EVERY WEEK. And if your donor is getting that much in their letterbox, then you have to make sure they look at your piece first. 

Sadly, many outer envelopes are incredibly boring and unoriginal, and this impacts the success of the fundraising appeal inside. But, fear not, it’s never too late to make a change and mix up your envelope game. 

In this clinic, John encourages you to consider your envelopes carefully and discusses topics such as:

• How to get personal and make sure your envelope is more likely to be opened.
• Envelope sizes – how does each one measure up? Which one should you choose for your appeal?
• What’s the perfect envelope and how can you design with your donor in mind?
• 15 ways you can beat the odds with your envelope and ensure you get your donor’s attention!

Ultimately, donors aren’t tired of giving but they are tired of poor appeals. And an appeal with an envelope that doesn't get opened is certainly not the way you want to start your campaign. 

So, click below to watch this quick and informative masterclass on envelopes. You’ll see loads of examples of what works, and will come away with plenty of ideas for how to make your next envelope stand out on a donor’s doormat. 

John Lepp (he/him) is a fundraiser, designer and donor champion with more than 20 years of experience working with charities across Canada and around the world. As partner at Agents of Good, he helps charities tell stories that inspire donors to give, both online and offline. John is a respected and coveted international speaker who has travelled the world encouraging fundraisers be more human and vulnerable with those other amazing humans we call donors. 

His latest book, Creative Deviations offers plenty of tips for how fundraisers can infuse their storytelling, fundraising and direct response with more creativity.