A well-executed cartoon can intrigue potential donors right into your direct-mail package.

By Stu Heinecke

In another member-acquisition piece, we focused on the way the recipient would be perceived by others for having taken action. And it appears that has now resulted in a new control for one of the top five mailers in the U.S.

As you can imagine, creating a truly effective personalized cartoon piece requires a healthy dose of nuance. A misplaced word, even an untoward use of punctuation can make the difference between something that turns out well or falls flat. Ditto for the style of drawing or composition of the piece. And that assumes you’re starting out with a strong core concept for the gag.