You probably get at least one of these among your monthly credit card bills. We're talking about a remittance envelope that offers you things you may or may not want to order.

But have you ever considered borrowing that same idea and adding helpful information to your own reply envelope?

Because on most fundraising packages, the back (and back flap) of the BRE is as bare as a baby's . . . well, you get the idea. So why not utilize that valuable — and empty — space to promote your group and its mission?

Well, the smart folks at The Smile Train (New York NY) have made good use of the reply back and, as a result, elevated what's otherwise a pretty average acquisition package.

The Smile Train provides surgery for children in impoverished nations around the world who are born with cleft lips and palates. The BRE's back flap — which covers almost the entire envelope and seals along the bottom — spotlights the group's work with a headline reading, "Give A Child A Second Chance At Life." It's accompanied by "before" and "after" photos of a boy who has benefited from the surgery.

Printed inside the flap, the copy (which fills the entire space) tells prospects what The Smile Train can accomplish with their support. It asks, "Would you like to help a child smile for the first time in his or her life?" And continues, "It could be the most precious gift you'll ever give." It also emphasizes that "100% of your donation goes towards programs — 0% goes towards overhead." Now that's certainly something to tout!

Below the inside flap — that is, the bottom portion of the envelope back — are testimonials from three famous Americans: Walter Cronkite, Candice Bergen, and John Glenn.

This is one BRE that does a lot more than give donors a place to put their check. In fact, it might even be the catalyst that gets them to do just that!

From the Mal Warwick newsletter 0506