Do you ever consider the world of the envelope manufacturer when you go out to buy envelopes? Probably not. You may look at the envelope quality, and all the points which make it attractive, or not so, to you . . . but you probably do not even begin to consider who made that particular envelope. Or how it was made. Or to what specifications. And that's not unusual. There really is seemingly very little reason, at least on the surface, for you to do so unless you yourself are in the business as an envelope manufacturer.
Yet herein is one of the indicators of the seamless overall business operations upon which a society is built. We think little of all of the machinations while our society and world works as it should, offering us the ability to do what we do without care as to how everything actually works and takes place from the start. Yet if that ease of use was taken away, we would immediately notice, and miss it. The world of the envelope manufacturer works within this same structure.
It really isn't common knowledge-certainly not something talked about at a cocktail party-that most traditional envelopes which works without trouble in the system are called "machinable" envelopes. This means that they are of a certain size, a certain thickness, and a certain shape. If an envelope follows these guidelines-guidelines which every envelope manufacturer certainly knows about and could recite to you in his or her sleep-then it goes into the system and on its way without issue and at a presort rate.
When any company puts out a serious amount of mail each and every week, that company gets to know all the rules and regulations of the postal system, and becomes intimate with all the specifications of the items they must use to be as expedient as possible in their mailing efforts. If they are smart, they will choose the best envelope manufacturer as a matter of routine, often utilizing an office manager for this and other specific office administration issues which will, when done right, streamline the operation of the business and make it run smooth. Good organization and an awareness of the various issues involved in even the seemingly most mundane parts of a daily business are crucial to doing the job right.
So, tell the truth. Have you been paying any attention to the envelope manufacturer you are using? Did you even realize that would, or could, make much of a difference on your budget's bottom line? Did you have any idea that the world of the envelope manufacturer has its own association, appropriately called the Envelope Manufacturers Association? Obviously their community is taking it seriously. It is high time you jump on that train, take it all the way to the end of the track, and pay close attention.
The envelope manufacturer knows the truth, and plays on that truth. Every single day we all open their product, the envelope, and then throw them aside. All those envelopes have served their purpose so we are then done with them. But just because most envelopes may end up in the trash, that does not mean we should ever discount their function or their value. The right envelope can, and will, make a very defined and loud statement about your business. That statement is nothing less than a first impression. If you make a poor statement, a poor first impression, with that envelope created by your unseen envelope manufacturer, you might as well wrap it up right there and forget it. Get back on the train and go home. You have identified yourself, and your company, as not caring about how you are perceived.
Your envelope is nothing less than a calling card for your business, and it absolutely must reinforce your brand and your image. If you go back to that not-cocktail party conversation starter about using a machinable envelope-unless, of course, you are at the envelope manufacturer convention, and then the same topic may start every chat-you will find that you are smart to start here. From this point, build your entire envelope supply based on what envelope works best, what envelope works the easiest, and what envelope will cost you the least to put in the mail, no matter what is in it. Follow the guidelines of a machinable envelope, and then design that as you see fit. Add your business imprint, a logo or a graphic, preprinted postage for certain sizes-whatever works best and shows your company in the best light, and this is how you have to address the issue of what sort of envelopes you will use, and how you will use them.
Let's take this a step farther. If you had your very own envelope manufacturer advising you on the best way to design your office so that it serves you best, what do you think he, or she, would tell you regarding how to use your mail, and your envelopes, to make that a reality?
Your representative from the envelope manufacturer community would tell you that designing envelopes always requires a good understanding of how the envelopes are constructed and printed before you even think of sending artwork for an order in to your chosen printer. This holds true especially if you want the artwork to "bleed"-show to the edge-of the envelope. He or she would recommend that you learn the construction and terminology of their world, along with, as previously mentioned, all the different postal requirements that may apply to business mailings before you put down any money to have your envelope order printed.
There sure is a lot more to the world of the envelope manufacturer than first meets the eye, isn't there? And to run a successful business, it is important to delve into the many facets of each part of your particular office operation before jumping in to anything that will tie up your bottom line. Keeping to your budget and not wasting your money is necessary to your company's growth. While you may not need to know every little nuance of every single faction of administrative operations, it wouldn't hurt you to think like an envelope manufacturer now and then . . . and quite possibly save your company a few dollars in the process.
And after you look into the world of the envelope manufacturer, you might then move into the ins and outs of pens and pencils. . . .