There are many factors that can complicate a direct mail project. In this blog series, I’ve offered nine tips and tools to ensure your next mail appeal process runs smoothly, delivers on time and remains within budget. In the first of these four posts, I will discuss design tips.
Consider Your Design
- Does your project design fit the chosen paper size? By considering your space usage and design you can often reduce paper size, saving your organization as much as 25%.
- Have you considered the weight of the finished piece? When working on a mailing, it’s important to remember that you cannot always use a regular stamp, especially with invitations and newsletters. The weight of the finished piece can directly impact the cost of postage. Often, postage can be a significant portion of your overall expense. Reducing cost on postage starts in the design process.
- Sometimes designers recommend paper that is very expensive. Ask your print salesman if there are other options that will provide the same look and quality, as often there are less expensive choices. Your invitees and donors generally will not be able to tell that you are using a less expensive paper.
Stay tuned for Part II of this series in which we will discuss the preparation of files for the print/mail process.