DMOldFriends

Most communities remember animals who were part of the area's history: Certain dogs or cats that hung around and became icons, maybe for their unique dispositions, their loyalty, or simply because they "were there." Sometimes photographs of these animals survive time (if any were taken at all), and just for the sake of their nostalgic appeal they make great remembrance items.

This is a direct mail appeal that could be cloned into a sales piece. First you'd need to accumulate photos of these animals, collected through a solicitation in the newspaper or other means, plus accompanying stories. These can be laid out two to a standard letter page, lengthwise, printed both sides, and cut in half. For economy and to retain the "old" feel, choose black and white, sepia tone, or a combination of these colors. A dozen or so featured animals makes a nice, easy-to-staple, booklet.

You'll want to include a well-designed cover, and your group's logo, quote, and other basic information on the back. The cover should be in card stock weight, and the insides in (I suggest) 28 pound white or off-white. Go no lighter than 24 pound or the booklet begins to take on a cheap look - and everyone loses.

For direct mail, include a letter in the package that features a sample photo at the top (maybe some day I'll find time to create on of these for the page). The prospective donor will have a memento, and possibly feel compelled to send a few bucks to your organization. Of course, you should also consider enclosing a reply envelope and small return card.

NOTE: This is a fairly difficult layout process for an amateur graphic designer. That is, you can't simply match each photo with its appropriate narrative on the same page (except for the center page) because, when you cut the pages, the elements won't match. If you'd like a trick or two for achieving this layout, email us.

If you'd like sample pages from a layout, please email us. No obligation, and you may use the idea as you please.

TOP TO BOTTOM (Above):

A sample layout of a photo with the narrative. This is half of a letter-sized sheet.

The cover of the booklet, showing a sample photo, and area on the back for your organization's information.

On the inside of the cover, a short blurb about the animals of the community, a little message to your prospective donor, etc. On the left, maybe include contributors, such as those who funded the project, donated photos and stories, etc.