For our call to action assignment, I brought one of the more blatant call to action vehicles: a piece of direct mail. This mailing from Paralyzed Veterans of America calls the recipient to donate money by October 15th in order to meet a matching donation deadline. The envelope and letter are stamped with color messages and mock handwritten type encouraging the reader with statements like "I need to hear from you by October 15 -- please!"An excerpt from the letter reads: "...if it happened to slip your mid...or you didn't receive my first letter...or if you've become distracted by all the hustle and bustle of everyday life...please take a moment to send the most generous gift you can manage."
The target audience for this piece is supporters of the organization. The letter seeks additional donations from people with a history of past support in order to raise funds to receive a matching grant.
A reply form with descriptions of the organization's work and business reply envelope are enclosed with the letter.
Direct mailing may not be as pretty as the glossy ads running in magazines, but it is much more effective at soliciting donations. In some ways, it is the ultimate call to action vehicle, reaching people by personal address without harassing them.
For information on Paralyzed Veterans of America, visit http://www.supportveterans.org/.
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