Commercial Real Estate Agents – Envelope Strategies for Great Sales Letters

As an agent in commercial real estate for many years, I know that every bit of marketing material needs to be carefully optimised. The rule applies even to the envelopes that you use in your direct letter or brochure campaign.

You want your letter to be seen and opened.  The envelope will help with that.  If the envelope is too ‘business like’, it will hit the rubbish bin faster than you can imagine.  So we should set some rules to the letter process to be adopted in commercial real estate.

Try some of these:

1. Use a non-standard envelope colour.  Blue is good and also is orange.  The colour should still allow the address details to be clearly seen.
2. The ‘return to sender’ address on the back of the envelope should be hand written with an address only. Leave off your name.
3. Use a non-standard envelope size.  Try an envelope that is smaller than the traditional business DL size.
4. Use real stamps on the letter and not a ‘franking machine’ embossing.  Real stamps attract the eye and help the readability factor.
5. Hand written addresses on your envelopes should be in blue ink.  Make sure that your handwriting is clear and legible; it shows respect.
6. Do not bulk up the envelope with too much marketing material.  A business card is all that you need inside the envelope with your letter to send a professional business message.
7. Open rates on envelopes are better between Wednesdays and Fridays.  To achieve this delivery focus, send your letters on a Monday.
8. If you want your letter to be seen amongst others, pay for priority postage and overnight delivery.
9. Always follow up your letters a few days after sending.
10. Sign your initials across the envelope flap on the rear of the envelope.  It appears like a ‘seal’ to the reader and then adds to the personalisation.

Simple rules like this will help your sales letters reach the required person.  More importantly they will help your envelopes get opened and the contents read.

Personalised envelopes and direct letters can be a good part of your marketing campaign to build your prospect list and support your direct prospecting efforts or cold calls.

The commercial real estate industry is based largely on relationships and trust.  You can extend and grow those factors in the way you address and send your envelopes to prospects and targets.

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