Monday, February 26, 2007

A CAPITAL IDEA
Credit card companies continue to send me solicitations. Usually they're hyping a low interest rate for balance transfers. Of course, if you don't have a balance to transfer, their offer isn't that appealing...so they're losing a fair chunk of their audience right off the bat.

Capital One got away from that this week, though. Their outer envelope (OE) only features their logo. But, boring though that might be, there's something about it that says, "Open me" – the package is a lumpy. And you just have to open it to see what they've sent.

It turns out to be a mock credit card. I liked that and also the fact that the headline on the letter wasn't screaming a percentage at me. It reads, "Here's the deal – you're guaranteed a card with this offer. (really)"

Nice, human touch.

QUEENS IS A KING
After criticizing Queens University School of Business in my last posting, I started thinking – some of you may not be familiar with Queens. Maybe you're now thinking that it's not a good school if they're sending Dr. Bob mailings that he isn't interested in.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. It's a top notch university. They just need to be more judicious about whom they're soliciting...and how often.

IN LIVING COLOUR
I'm amazed how many non-profits are using full colour with their mailings and would love to know if it's paying off.

Last week I received a package from BC Women's Hospital that has a colour photo on the OE and the reply card. And Easter Seals sent a very colourful package.

It has an orange background on the front, with a large photo of a flower and three smaller pix. Inside, there's a 4-page letter with full colour photos on each page. Also inside, there's a sheet of top quality, colourful Easter Seals.

The back of the envelope features a large window that allows the Seals to show through. That makes me wonder why they went with expensive process colour on the OE – they could have achieved the WOW effect by simply showing the Seals.

With the second window, the Seals and the four colour printing throughout, it's a costly package. I hope for their sake (and the kids') that it pays off OR that they're testing it against a cheaper package.

If asked, testing would be the recommendation of...

Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net

Monday, February 19, 2007

MISSED A BLOG
Here's a Thank You to readers who wrote about there being no Dr. Bob blog last Monday. I then posted an explanation, saying that it would be back on the 19th at the latest. But somehow that post didn't stay up. Maybe it's because I've upgraded the blog to a newer version. And who knows – maybe it will appear again.

GAINED AN ARTICLE
The latest issue of Canadian Fundraiser Enews features an article by your scribe. To read it, go to:
http://www.canadianfundraiser.com/newsletter/article.asp?ArticleID=2215

FISHING FOR NEW CUSTOMERS
The most recent issue of DM News came with some enclosures, including an extremely impressive one from RP Graphics.

It's die cut in the shape of a fishing tackle box, and printed to look like one. The front reads, "Bob 'tackle' your DM effectively!" The reverse reads, "Everything Knight & Associates needs to land the BIG one!"

This is a vey inviting piece on the outside and it doesn't disappoint when you open up the 'box'.

It shows an array of fishing lures, each one supposedly designed to help in a different situation, e.g. Variable Colour Print, Personal URLs, etc. There are a few more appropriate puns ("Fishing for ideas?" and "Drop us a line") but, like any good artist, they knew when to stop.

Before moving on, allow me to also gush over the fact that the piece is personalized – something that most companies don't do when being delivered in a poly bag with other items.

It looks like RP pulled out all the stops in order to create a whale (sorry, I couldn't resist) of a package.

QUEENS WANTS A KNIGHT
I received yet another oversized mailing from the Queen's University School of Business. I haven't kept track of how often they mail me but it's got to be a couple of times a year. And they've been doing it for years.

I never respond. But I keep getting their expensive packages. Will they ever get the message that I'm not interested, and stop wasting their money?

Yes. I guarantee it.

The most recent package was sent to my old address and Canada Post forwarded it. But that service is going to stop in June. And Queen's is going to start saving some money once they remove me from their list.

I SEE A BIG IMPROVEMENT
CNIB recently underwent a rebranding.

First, they changed their name from Canadian National Institute for the Blind to: CNIB. That makes sense for two reasons: (1) everybody always refers to them as CNIB anyway (2) most of the people they serve aren't truly blind, just sight-impaired.

Along with the name change, they've updated and upgraded their graphics.

In the past, you could count on them to present materials that were old-fashioned looking and heavy handed. Their new look is clean and contemporary. They've even ditched their ugly purple mainstay for green. That certainly impresses...

Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net

Bad Doctor!

Sorry, there isn't a real post for February 12th. I've been busy with an unexpected patient load and just haven't been able to get to the blog. However, in an effort to avoid a malpractice suit, I'll try to get it out in a day or two. Failing that, we'll just have to wait till next Monday. Your apologetic...

Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net

Monday, February 5, 2007

Surprise, surprise – my mailbox last week was filled with a bunch more credit card solicitations, as well as a few opportunities to stop worrying and learn to love tax time...by tax prep software people. Too bad (for them) that I use an accountant.

BAD FUNDRAISING PRACTICES
(A) One of the worst direct mailers in the country is a national charity that shall go unnamed. Their stuff is absolutely brutal!

Normally, I feel sorry for a worthy cause that can't compete with more sophisticated non-profits. But this organization brags about the fact that it doesn't use professional fundraisers. They're actually proud of the fact that they write and produce such ineffective and over-costly mailings.

I could go on and on about what a waste of money their mailings are and how they're able to help fewer people because of their refusal to enter the 20th century, let alone the 21st. But I'm only writing a blog and not a book.

I'll see. Maybe I'll get into their package in greater depth in my next issue of Rants 'N Raves.

(B) I received a package from another fundraiser that certainly scores high on the professionalism scale.

The outer envelope is compelling. The donation card is well done. They've included an item that recipients will consider helpful and will, at the same time, promote the organization's name. And most of the letter is well-written.

So what's my gripe? They lied to me.

They say that, "thanks to me", they were able to fund over 900 researchers, spend $5 million in research projects, sponsor 10 students, distribute 14,259 informational binders and educate 569,132 members of the public.

They'd be right if I'd donated something like $10 million. But I only gave them about $50 or $60.

PRESCRIPTION: Don't tell donors that they were solely responsible for such achievements. Tell them the truth – that they "helped" the organization accomplish a great deal. Then the reader will believe your next statements and not dismiss them the way they were by...

Dr. Bob
b_knight@telus.net