Direct mail clinic #4 – What goes in the box?
You probably know what goes in a direct marketing fundraising appeal, but do you know why each piece is there? And do you know why making simple changes to those pieces can have an impact on the success of your campaign? John Lepp has these answers and more, in his next direct mail clinic.
- Written by
- Carolina Herrera
- Added
- March 31, 2025
In this clinic, John Lepp looks into his crystal ball to see what fundraisers are putting in a typical direct mail appeal. He sees that most postal fundraising campaigns include the following items:
Envelope
Letter
Reply form
Reply envelope
Insert (depending on where you live in the world…)
But what is the purpose and function of each piece inside your pack?
After looking inside a typical appeal, John shares some interesting insights from his experience of collating and reviewing stacks of fundraising direct mail delivered directly to his mother in law – also known as ‘Dale’s Mail’.
Then John offers you some fundamental tips and tricks to elevate your next appeal. These are his ‘hot takes’ if you will, which include some special variations based on where you live and fundraise.
Yes, this session might seem basic, but SOFII thinks it’s the perfect place to begin if you are looking to start, or change up, your direct marketing programme.
So go on, watch clinic #4, pick up some tips, and lay the foundation for a great appeal.
Watch AOG direct mail clinic #4 – What goes in the box?
John Lepp (he/him) is a fundraiser, designer and donor champion with more than 20 years of experience working with charities across Canada and around the world. As partner at Agents of Good, he helps charities tell stories that inspire donors to give, both online and offline. John is a respected and coveted international speaker who has travelled the world encouraging fundraisers be more human and vulnerable with those other amazing humans we call donors.
His latest book, Creative Deviations offers plenty of tips for how fundraisers can infuse their storytelling, fundraising and direct response with more creativity.
