5 Unusual Direct-Mail Techniques to Try

In our DM Deconstructed column last month, I shared five eye-catching (and affordable) direct-mail techniques that also work well for nonprofits. Here are some that really push the envelope a bit — the icing on the cake that may be worth a little extra investment. I love these because they are so out of the ordinary and can really pack a punch. But just like in fashion, too much of a good thing can go bad. These unusual techniques stand on their own two feet and don’t need much else to get the point across.

Special shapes
The first marketing piece is a neighborhood mailer, and what better way to remember the contact information than a magnet in the shape of an elastic bandage?! The magnet is laminated onto the postcard and easily removed. It’s great for health-related charities, of course, but think about what special shapes might work for your organization.

Picture perfect
This is a great example of the clarity that can be achieved with digital printing. The substrate is clear plastic, so the resulting cranial imprinted image appears similar to an X-ray. White ink is applied to the text addressing areas for contrast. It’s also a unique idea for health-related organizations, but why limit it to just health? The technique is so cool that anyone can try it.

Affordable versioning
The University Annual Fund mailer is a digital print application that’s the perfect approach to versioning without plate changes. Notice, with each version of school or college, the corresponding images change. There is no cost for plate changes, only the programming charges for versioning. Printed with four-color process, the versioning can be as robust as the variables available — including text and images. This is such a beautiful and low-cost format that it is doable for most budgets.