The Calendar Design Committee Accepts Neenah Paper Gold Award for Paperworks from Mark Coley of Xpedx.

Compu-Mail, has won the Gold Award in the 2011 Digital Category of the Neenah Paper Paperworks Contest. Each quarter hundreds of entries are received across four regions of the United States and from all over the world. Entries are judged in two quarterly categories (Identity and Text/Cover) and one yearly category (Digital) with submissions such as brochures, direct mailings, annual reports, calendars, posters, and more. The PAPERWORKS Contest celebrates the best use of paper and Compu-Mail was recognized for its creativity and excellence in Digital Printing with their 2012 Calendar. The calendar showcased  the various papers available for digital printing.

1. Direct mail is still the king. But email, web, social media and mobile are creeping ever closer. Don’t wait to get with the program.
2. Don’t look to save money on the outer envelope of an appeal mailing. If the donor isn’t compelled to open it what’s the point?
3. Embrace the concept of raising money from your donor and not from you. If the message pleases you it might not please the donor.
4. Develop your fundraising campaign strategy around those who have proven wealth and are donors.
5. You must acquire more donors than you lose every year. For most direct-response programs that means adding mail-acquired donors.
6. Look in your donor files for lapsed donors. Add up the dollar value of gifts they’ve given. After you faint, go after your lapsed donors with this message: “We love you. We miss you. We want you back!” Who could resist?
7. Personalize. First name does not count anymore. You better know why I’m involved and what I hope to accomplish with my donation, and you better show me in your messaging. There’s just no excuse anymore.
8. People are waking to the idea that they have to create personal relationships with their donors.
9. Figure out the social network once and for all, but don’t forget to continue to invest in email acquisition.
10. Make it easy for people to donate from their cell phone, but don’t forget to keep some form of snail-mail program (asking and thanking).

Loretta Madia of Niagara University, Michelle Talley of Compu-Mail, and Sister Beth Brosmer of Heart, Love and Soul and the exciting check!

Loretta Madia, Senior Development Associate of Annual Giving Programs of Niagara University who nominated H&S said, “…to develop the whole person, mind, body, heart and soul, for the benefit of one’s personal and professional life. That is what Heart, Love and Soul provides; a helping hand not only to feed them, but at the same time provide compassion and dignity.”

The $1,000 donation is given to a non-profit chosen at random from names submitted on Compu-Mail’s website. Over 100 nominations were received for their first Charity Connection. The next $1,000 drawing will be held in May. Nominations are now being accepted on our website form. The winner will be selected randomly and the winning charity and sponsors will be featured in all Compu-Mail communications.

Business First reported that, “According to co-owner Michael Vitch, installation of the printers makes the company the largest supplier of four-color digital printing in Western New York.”