8 reasons your last direct mail appeal didn’t work (Part 4)

By Wayne Gurley
President & Creative Director

4. Your graphics were very colorful, creative and vibrant, but they distracted your audience from making a gift.

Anything that distracts a donor or prospect from making a gift is to be avoided at all costs.

Yes, pictures can be used successfully if used judiciously. But too many pictures, or too many things to look at and/or read can distract your donors and prospects from figuring out just what it is you want them to do – which is to send a gift.

People have a “timer” in their heads, and it’s set for just a few seconds. When they first see your package, they don’t even know how much time they have before it goes off (it’s longer for some and shorter for others).

But when it does go off, that’s when your envelope and its contents go into the trash. If your readers can’t quickly and easily figure out what you want them to do – or if you make it too difficult or complicated for them to focus on your main objective – they won’t take the time to figure it out. They’ll just move on to the next thing on their mental “to do” list.

Do you really think your package is so important your donors will give it unlimited time? If so, think about what YOU might do under similar circumstances with lots of pieces of mail to go through (and a ticking timer ready to go off in your head.)

Copyright 2018 Allegiant Direct, Inc.