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Archive for the ‘direct mail’ Category

Teasers vs no Teasers

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

Last week, I got my daily e-news from Donor Power blog. The subject was “To tease or not to tease“. I won’t totally re-iterate the findings (based on Mal Warwick’s own research) but the bottom line is – test it. OR if you don’t want to test it – ask your self this: Is it appropriate?

From my side of the desk, too often, I see teasers added for the sake of adding a teaser. There have been many packages where I have been asked to add a teaser and I would be willing to bet it hindered the response – made it seem to (excuse the expression) junk-maily…

Of course, I asked to test it – but as we know – often there isn’t the budget to do so.

Get out of the habit of adding a teaser for the sake of doing it. Trust your gut – if you have a great line that you know will make people want to tear open the package – use it, but if not – don’t.

Do you wonder if your donors ever feel this way?

Posted in Testing, direct mail | No Comments »

Designing a logo

Monday, August 20th, 2007

Nothing is more frustrating for me, as a graphic designer, to have to design a one colour or two colour piece (like direct mail, like an ad) for a charity using their brand *new* logo!!!!

Yes, having a new logo for your organization or part of your brand is a very exciting time. It’s a fresh start and maybe brings you up to date and contemporary.
BUT, there are a few things, to remember when looking at a new logo.

If I need to design a one colour or two colour piece and all I have is a beautiful looking logo that is 4 colours (cmyk), then I’m going to have a bit of an issue.
If all I have is a beautiful looking logo that IS two colours (two spot colours), but uses a soft teal and light gray I am also going to have an issue.

Time and time again, I see these new logos developed and the colours are not suitable to one or two colour applications. The problem?

Having an logo with 2 soft colours, and being limited to 2 colours, makes any type (which should be set in black or a dominant colour) very hard or impossible – to read… Any image you may want to use, especially if you want to use one of the PMS colours from the logo – will also look washed out and hard to reproduce.

Here is what I do:
I design the logo in black. If it works well in black, then adding colour will be the easy part.
I then design a 2 spot colour version. And, I always make sure one of those 2 colours is a dark colour. (Think, blue, dark green, deep red, black, etc).
I may also design a 4 colour logo based on the break down of the PMS colours.
I then make sure my contact at the organization has every version, in every format, as well as fonts of the *new* logo.
The bottom line is: Do not design a logo for a charity using soft colours (like yellow, teal, grey, etc) unless is is complimenting a strong colour first.

UPDATE: A few weeks ago I wrote about the food bank situation in Hamilton – which I am happy to say has improved significantly. I also linked my thoughts to The Poverty Project page at the Spectator. Shortly after, I did notice that the ad had been revised to:
It is great to see a bolder call to action. The need is clearly outlined and easy to read.
Criticisms: Why not an image of Hamiltonian child? And why not bigger? The shot isn’t bad but and great eye contact is everything… so use it!

UPDATE TWO: CNIB Comedy Gala: For those of you picked option 1:

You were correct! Personally, I knew it was the “safest” option… but maybe feel a little disappointed that one of the more visually interesting ones, was not chosen. Also, we have completed all the final tweaks and changes to the poster and some of the messaging that I felt were not adding to the Gala was added back in, but sometimes, what’s not important to me is important to the client. Here is the final poster:

Posted in Basic Design, branding, direct mail | 1 Comment »

Factors that make or break your direct mail campaign

Monday, July 16th, 2007

I’ve been reading one of the ‘fundraising bibles’ called Achieving Excellence in Fund Raising. It covers everything from Philosophy to Ethics, Sources and Methods. A book that should probably be on the bed stand of every fundraiser.

The prolific Mal Warwick, in Chapter 19, covers the ins and outs of Direct Mail. In a section called “Factors That Make The Most Difference In A Direct Mail Campaign”, he states that you (you being a fundraiser at your charity) are responsible for HALF the response to your direct mail. Your charity’s track record, the power of your message, the quality and visability of your organization’s leadership, publicity and the ties of your work to issues of broad public concern are all your responsibility.

The other half, according to Mal, breaks down like this:
List Selection – 25%
The “offer” – 10%
Copywriting – 5%
Format – 5%
Design – 5%
and lastly,
Timing – which Mal states, is terribly hard to put a fixed value on but – can make a big difference in your mailing.

As a designer – I’m comfortable with 5% – I would love to think that the way I wrap the font around some pretty graphic, or my witty use of the colour magenta makes a mailing double or triple its expected targets – but let’s face facts – it doesn’t. It was part of the success or failure, but not wholly responsible for either.

I’ll make you a promise. I’ll remember that the next time I work on a direct mail pack for you – if you do too. If you concentrate on the things that REALLY matter, like your messaging, I’ll concentrate on making sure it comes through as CLEAR as possible.

I promise.

Posted in Basic Design, direct mail | No Comments »

FREE Test Idea

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007

First off, Happy Canada Day and Happy 4th of July for my American friends.

Today’s post shall be short and sweet. Here is a quick, FREE idea for a test for those of you who design, write or produce direct mail.

On your coupon, almost all contain a line that reads something like “Please turn over to give monthly…” or something like that. We tested setting it in a handwriting font verses using a font we were using everywhere else.

The handwriting version won. Speaking with a few others who tested it found the same result.

I would love to hear about your tests – especially the unusual ones – if you have any you would like to share, please pass it along.

Finally – please feel free to comment on any post, any time. I want this to be more of a forum for anyone who might be interested in adding their voice to the discussion. So please add your voice and thoughts.

John

Posted in Testing, direct mail | No Comments »

Summertime

Monday, June 11th, 2007

Summer is a tough time to be mailing people. People are busy out in their gardens, visiting with friends, enjoying the weather. But the mail must not stop right? You still need people’s attention and donations – of course. Any your mail plan, provided by your agency if you have one, says you have a mailing and IT MUST drop June 30!!!

Here are a few words of advice. Do not mail a plain white, #10 envelope and package. That’s it.

90% (that’s my guessimation) of the organizations with a piece of mail that’s landing in the mailboxes of donors all across Canada are mailing plain white, #10 envelope packages. You need to stand out! You need to compete!

Please consider – mailing a envelope that’s bigger or smaller than a #10! Make it blue, green or pink! You can print a colour all over or maybe use a colour stock.

When Jane Sample opens her mailbox, guess what will get her attention, and likely get it opened?

Just a few words of advice.

Also: On Friday I took part in the Big Bike Ride for Heart and Stroke as part of a team for Fluid Media and Banko Photography from Hamilton. If you ever get a chance to ride on one of these big bikes – make sure you do! It is quite easy and a lot of fun. The Heart and Stroke folks did a fantastic job at getting everyone ready to ride and getting their message heard! Here are a few pictures from the event (Thanks to Sandra Mulder from Banko Photographic).

Posted in Basic Design, branding, direct mail | 1 Comment »

My Two Cents: Direct Mail in Canada

Thursday, May 10th, 2007

One word: Boring.

I hate to generalize, but most of the direct mail produced in Canada today – is boring. And it would not be surprising to hear your donors are bored of it too.

I hear from charities all the time “Our donors are conservative, they like it like this and we don’t mess with it.” More often, it is the charity (or people working there) that like it like that and don’t want to rock the donor boat. And I appreciate that – dollars are getting harder and harder to come by – but you may find by shaking things up a little – good things may happen.

Every few weeks when my mother-in-law comes for a visit she brings a big envelope or small box – chock full of direct mail from all over the country. She is “Jane Donor” – fits the description perfectly. 99% of what she brings me are #10 outer envelopes, white stock, with a window, with the logo in the top left corner and the return address on the back flap, a white#9 Business Reply Envelope, with Canada Post art (with maybe a “Thank you!” in the top left corner) and a 8.5″ x 14″ letter/coupon.

99%.

So I recycle those. I look at the one or two that do something different. Anything!

Look at this way – if you arrange the furniture in your living room and don’t touch a thing for a year or two – someone could move a picture frame to the other side of the room – and you would instantly know that something was different – it’s not a whole new room – but it is different and you do notice. Direct mail is about getting noticed – standing out…

If you or your agency is producing the same mailing over and over – please move some furniture!

Agree? Disagree? Let me know by sending me your comments.
John

Posted in Inspiration, Two Cents, direct mail | 2 Comments »