• Survey of Rural Challenges
  • Small Town Speaker Becky McCray
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

Tourism idea of the day: envelopes

By Becky McCray

Tourism idea of the day: @nebraskatourism uses the back of envelopes to encourage visits.
Nebraska Tourism uses the back of their envelopes to list key attractions.

I got this catalog-size envelope from Nebraska Tourism. As you can see, the back is covered with driving tours, ideas for visits and popular attractions. Excellent use of an otherwise wasted space.

Let’s extend this idea for any destination.

Add a web address or URL for an info page on each of these categories. Putting that URL into a QR code would make it very easy for people to look up on their phone. (Need the QR Code basics? Read Steven Streight’s QR Code as Mobile Marketing Tool.)

Add some video to that web page, and mention that on the envelope. “Go to (URL) for a video of this tour.”

Add some color by using stamps or stickers. Here are some ideas for promoting with stamps and stickers that integrate with your high-tech promotions, too.

What would you add?

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.

  • About the Author
  • Latest by this Author
Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.

www.beckymccray.com
  • Local Products Make the Best Swag
  • The End of Year Checklist for Small Businesses
  • Use your loyalty card as your business card

March 22, 2011 Filed Under: marketing, tourism

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Comments

  1. Raul Colon says

    March 22, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    Becky,

    I see how they can probably add to the QR Code places of interest with links to maps and directions on how to get to them.

    I think using images would be very useful but linking those images to an experience would probably be the most valuable part.

    I guess with the QR Code or a link you can really given them many more options that can be saved on their smartphone so they don’t have to depend on the paper brochure.

    Loading...
  2. Jason Gregory says

    March 22, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    This is a fantastic idea for anyone looking to market their town, city, state, product or service. Envelopes give you extra space to market your business and, when used correctly, can significantly increase open rates.

    Loading...
  3. Becky McCray says

    March 22, 2011 at 11:35 pm

    Raul, you made a great point: link the images to an experience.

    Jason, that’s another good point: what’s on your envelope affects whether people will ever look IN it.

    Loading...
  4. Craig says

    March 24, 2011 at 1:12 pm

    Great idea. I’ve always used envelopes as an opportunity to display my logo, but never thought of anything beyond that. Great ideas!

    Loading...
  5. Tom Egelhoff says

    March 25, 2011 at 2:49 pm

    Although they are not in wide use I would add QR Codes for tracking how effective this use of space is.

    Loading...

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Partners

We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses. Logo with "Shop Indie Local" Move Your Money, bank local, invest local Multicolor logo with text that says "Global Entrepreneurship Week" Save Your Town logotype

Best of Small Biz Survival

A few people shopping in an attractive retail store in refurbished downtown building.

TREND 2025: Retail’s Big Split: what small town retailers can do now

99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permission

Three kids in a canoe

Get started as an outdoor outfitter without breaking the bank

A shopkeeper and a customer share a laugh in a small store packed full of interesting home wares.

How to get customers in the door of small town and rural retail stores

Rural Tourism Trend: electric vehicle chargers can drive visitors

Wide view of a prairie landscape with a walk-through gate in a fence

Tourism: Make the most of scant remains and “not much to see” sites with a look-through sign

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2026 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in
%d