One of the advantages of direct mail is that you can land something absolutely stunning right into someone’s hands, tailored to their interests. That someone can then take their time, look over the piece, and feel the impact.

Direct mail is alive and well, contrary to the assertions of some digitally-oriented naysayers. Its success depends on at least two things – one, know the audience you need to reach to insure a positive response, and two, send an attention-getting package that matches up with the recipients’ interests.

Featured here are the components of a fundraising package I created (wrote and designed from start to finish) for a humane society I worked with for 30+ years. This organization is dedicated to taking in the animals that society has discarded and giving them a bright, loving future. I’d say their donor base falls in between the hard left humane organizations which show you the most brutal images of animal cruelty and the soft right which focuses more on cute puppies and kittens.

The pieces I created for them had to be honest, but not so raw that people wanted to throw the piece away without really looking at it. If you don’t get the recipient to open the envelope, you’ve lost the donation. This particular package was mailed to their regular donor list. With minor adjustments, it could be easily used in a cold mailing.

There are 5 components:  a 4-color, 5″x 7″ card with photos and an appeal letter written up inside which tells the story of these two animals, an outer envelope, a BRE, a response document, and a premium. For the second year in a row, we featured a custom-designed flower seed packet, based on positive donor response from the year before. The packet (below) is glue-tipped to the back of the card so it shows through a window on the back of the outer envelope.

The theme of the piece is “UNWANTED”, and tells the story of an abandoned, horribly neglected senior dog, and a 5-month-old kitten, put out on the fire escape in the dead of winter as punishment by her owner. The outer envelope and card front show how the two looked when they arrived at the humane society. The interior of the card (above) details all that the humane society did for these two, including finding them loving  homes. The back of the card shows the dog’s happy adoption day photo.The packet of Zinnia seeds encourages the donor to enjoy planting and  growing them as they can help the organization grow and help more animals like these. The response document and BRE, continue the theme.

This is just one of an endless variety of possibilities and formats in fundraising campaigns. This piece and format were highly successful; they showed the outstanding work of the organization, and the presentation, written from a heartfelt perspective in a visually attractive package told the animals’ stories well. I also work with great professionals in printing and mailing to make sure your appeal hits home.

Can I bring my talents to your organization and help you make a difference? I’d be happy to, so feel free to contact me with any questions.

p.s. And just to add a little happy ending for you graphics readers, here is a photo of that sweet senior dog, Emily, after the humane society restored her to the best health she had probably known in years.