Get Personal

When you think about personalization, you think of mailings that call prospects by name, right? This mailing from People for the American Way takes that concept to a new place.

Inside the 6-inch-by-9-inch manila-colored envelope that teases the “2006 Action Plan Enclosed” are elements that call the organization’s President Ralph G. Neas by name. For example, the call to action on the 5.5-inch-by-8.5-inch reply device reads, “YES, RALPH! I’m still with you. …” The first page of the eight-page, 8.5-inch-by-11-inch action plan — faux red-stamped “Confidential” at the top — includes a faux handwritten message in the Johnson box area that reads, “Our 2006 Workplan was recently updated and I’m sharing it with key supporters like you with high hopes that you’ll decide to make a generous investment in our work. Thanks, Ralph.” The 8.5-inch-by-11-inch double-sided letter is signed by Neas. What’s more, a 7-inch-by-10-inch letter on off-white notepaper is from Chief of Staff Margery F. Baker and begins with a salutation to “Ralph.”

Aside from including insider-like elements such as the action plan and a personal letter from Chief of Staff Baker to Neas, the constant reference to Neas by name — first name, at that — gives the mailing a personal feel. It’s sent to existing members, so it isn’t as though the organization couldn’t personalize to recipients. But sending this mailing saves on the costs incurred through recipient personalization. In addition, putting the personalization on Neas gives him and the organization an air of accessibility to constituents.

THIS MAILING is available in digital form at the special price of $24.95. To order it, click on the package to be directed to our order form that contains other special offers on Archive mailings.