Envelopes are something so mundane that most people think they know everything about them, any less need to read detailed information about them. On the other hand, electronic media has not eliminated paper products. Thanks to computers, anyone can put together a professional ad or physical sales pitch sent through the mail. Using the correct envelope is the difference between success and getting chucked in the garbage. Not only do packages come in many different sizes, but also colours for specialized needs.
Colour is actually a major hang-up. Many businesses try to grab attention with flamboyant colouring. While such messages do stand out, they can also seem amateurish and tacky. Someone trying to appeal to a business as a small time vendor, such as making a book pitch to a publisher, would do well to avoid flashy packaging. They get so many offers that anything that deviates from the routine will seem unprofessional and trying to obtain an irrelevant advantage. So many other contract seekers try the unusual that they are unceremoniously discarded.
There are times when colour is quite appropriate and affective. As mentioned, it is more effective to use colour when mailing to private citizens than high ranking business mail. Ordinary people love to receive something fun and exciting, especially when it is more pleasant than bills or a mundane sales pitch. Imagine receiving a coupon for a small container of chocolate during St. Valentine’s Day. A red envelope would work great for a mass delivery advertisement for fireworks during the fourth of July. These examples are effective; colour works less well for junk mail or for bad news.
Sometimes it is the type of envelope that matters. Some varieties of envelope are preferred by particular industries. Sometimes a larger envelope is more practical, regardless of the added shipping cost. In almost any circumstance where more than a few pages are being sent, it is better to use a large envelope, which will fit a stack of pages without folding. When the document itself is important, such as a report or legal form, then it is preferable to not have to fold it. Publishers also like to be able to read through a pristine story.
Large envelopes are also excellent for sending more than white pages. They can contain magazines, anything printed on cardboard, even secretly enclosed paper money in surprising cases. Page-sized envelopes also come in many colours, although plain will do best in nearly all business correspondence.
More important, a large envelope can be made from many different materials, such as cardboard and even padded wrapping. While most documents are not privileged enough to warrant special protection, anything that needs to avoid being bent or crushed can benefit from bubble wrapping. This includes pictures and certificates of achievement. Anything that is more than a page can benefit from a padded envelope.
Anything that is larger than a small stack of papers is not really an envelope but instead a package or parcel, depending on what part of the English speaking world the box is being sent to. Still, a parcel container can fit a much larger stack of papers, which might otherwise have to be sent through several separate smaller ones. It will serve as a super envelope if the requirements are such an extreme. One other advantage of a parcel container is that other things might be fit with flat paper, such as a souvenir or even gift candy.
Options are as wide open as a truck is wide, although an envelope is likely still going to be something of the typical variety. Something small, perhaps with a professionally printed address on it, will serve for the wild majority of personal and business needs. Reach for something special when the situation calls for it.