“Now There’s a Unique Teaser”
The Importance of a Captivating Teaser
Did that teaser get your attention? Did it make you want to open the envelope and find out “HOW”? or “WHAT”? Then it did its purpose! We use teasers to get people’s interest and spike their curiosity to want to know the “How? Why? Where?”, etc.
Teasers need to be short and on the cryptic side. The teaser on the envelope is the first thing the donor is going to see —like a billboard, you only have a few seconds to get the donor’s attention and KEEP IT! Better make it strong to hold their curiosity and make them open the envelope to find out more. The teaser is just a sneak peek into what the package has to offer.
In direct mail it may be difficult to come up with a short and clever teaser. A lot of times, it may turn into a lengthier sentence (or sentences) that may give too much away, tell the donor too much and they already know what’s inside.
8 Tips for Captivating teasers:
1 – Urgency in your message
Making a sense of urgency is an effective way. A “time-sensitive” response can boost the response. An urgent message can trigger the donor to respond quickly.
2 – Benefits
Just tease the donor with a hint of a benefit that is offered inside the package. The donor is more likely to look what that benefit may be.
3 – A Story
This is not the easiest method since you want your teaser short but can be effective to grab the donor’s curiosity. A good way for this may be to use a photo with a short teaser. Let the photo tell the story. You know what they say… “A picture says 1,000 words”.
4 – Question
Ask a question! And leave the answer inside. This is a perfect way to hint at what’s inside and grab the donor’s curiosity. Ask the right question and the donor will know right off the bat if this is relevant to them.
5 – Challenge the donor
Ever wanted to challenge a 5th grader when that show asked “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?” So, challenge the donor with a test or challenge to raise the money for your cause. Just make sure there is some sort of challenge in the package once the donor opens the package.
6 – Describe the content
The simplest way is for your teaser to describe exactly what is inside. If you have the correct audience for your organization, the donor will be interested already and won’t take much for them to open the package.
7 – Interesting facts or quotes
Using facts or quotes as a teaser will provoke the donor. It should be relevant to your content to connect instantly with the donor. Find a mind-blowing fact that works with what you want to convey and the higher the curiosity will be.
8 – NO TEASER!
What? No teaser? YES! Just having a blank or blind envelope will grab the curiosity of “who is this from?” or “What is this?” Sometimes this can be the best way to get the donor to open the package. Direct mail still has a high open rate, so no need to make it look “junky” with a teaser that doesn’t work with that particular package.
When thinking of the teaser for your envelope, just remember to think of your end goal. Don’t get lost in trying to create the teaser, that you forget to stay consistent with your mailing. Just make sure your teaser aligns with the context of your campaign.
You just may want the teaser to be the last part of your process of the mailing.
Ready to captivate your audience like never before? Whether it’s a question that lingers, a story that sparks emotion, or a challenge that inspires action, the right teaser can transform your campaign’s impact. Let’s create moments that matter—partner with us to craft mailings that get opened, but more importantly inspire generosity.
