Creative Strategy & Implementation

Description

How to Create Killer Mailings - Without Killing Yourself in the Process - Learn the secrets on how to make your next creative mailing the easiest and best you've ever done.

As fundraisers, almost all of us are responsible for creating, developing and executing campaigns. And the difference between doing it well – and doing it wrong – can have a huge impact on your results, your mental health, your career happiness … even the trajectory of your career. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some handy, easy-to-digest tips at your disposal, which will make your job easier, and your results better.

In this session our three experienced pros will share their secrets (and a bunch of handy tip sheets) on how you make the next creative mailing you manage the easiest, and best, you’ve ever done. From strategy to creative to the mailhouse. And every looming headache in between.

Your next mailing shouldn’t take years off your life. Just give us 90 minutes and we’ll show you the secrets to creating killer creative that doesn’t kill you in the process.

In this session you’ll learn:

• The 20 mistakes you don’t want to make (because we have, and it hurt), in developing your strategy and creative
• Fatal design failures that can ruin a package (and basically make Shannon’s life a living hell) I say this because just about all the issues have some sort of impact on production and timelines.
• How to take great copy and strategy and bury them in the desert where they’ll never be found.
• Production oversights, mishaps and poor planning can swiftly sink your direct mail campaign! Learn how to navigate through smooth waters every time with tried and true production management techniques.

This DMAW educational session is available for CFRE Continuing Education Points! Full participation in Creative Strategy & Implementation is applicable for 1.5 points – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or re-certification.

Tom Gaffny, Principal, Tom Gaffny Consulting

Tom Gaffny is the principal of Tom Gaffny Consulting, an agency dedicated to providing breakthrough Strategic and Creative support for America's best nonprofit organizations. During his career, Tom has received repeated national recognition for his development of high-impact strategic and creative solutions on behalf of his client partners. In his career, he has won 23 ECHO awards for creative excellence from the International Direct Marketing Association, more than any Creative Director in the world, and more than 200 Creative Awards from the New England Direct Marketing Association. Tom has also been recognized by NEDMA as the region's Direct Marketer of the Year, and has been singled out as Best Copywriter a record 7 times. He has also been recognized as one of the Top Men in Fundraising by Fundraising Success magazine, and is a regular contributing columnist to the Non Profit Times. Prior to beginning this new consulting agency, Tom was Executive Vice President of Epsilon's Fundraising division. In this capacity, he led a team of more than 50 marketing professionals, providing consultative fundraising services and support to nearly 200 non-profit organizations nationally and globally, including many of the largest and most prestigious charities in America. Tom is a frequent speaker at national direct marketing conferences, as well as a vocal advocate for the direct marketing industry.

Shannon Azbill, Senior Sourcing Manager, Production Solutions

Shannon Azbill is currently a Senior Sourcing Manager at Production Solutions. She has been with PS since 2010 successfully managing direct mail campaign production for a multitude of non-profit clients and agencies. Shannon has held a variety of production-related positions in the printing and publishing industry and has over 23 years of experience in managing complex print and mail projects. Shannon has a B.S. in Printing Management and Sciences from Rochester Institute of Technology and a M.B.A. from George Mason University. Shannon telecommutes from Trinity, Florida, and she loves to play tennis, take nature photos and spend time with her dog, Boz.

Steve Fleshman, Founder, DR2

With over 35 years of direct response marketing under his belt, Steve is Founder/Creative Partner of DR2, a direct marketing graphic design consultancy. As former Creative Director for Capital One, Coast to Coast Resorts, EDS, Marsh & McLennan and SQN Communications Design, Steve is known for designing direct-mail packages and that get opened and emails that not only get click-throughs, but donations. Among his greatest challenges and successes are conceptualizing and designing a Sigmund Freud Lunchbox as the carrier for an invitation to lunch for prospective clients of a mental healthcare HMO . . . mailing a Gold-Maxi-winning package including Old Bay seasoning to promote the use of Rehabilitation Opportunities, Inc. (a direct-mail production facility employing the developmentally disabled) . . . and membership mailings offering timeshares for camping spaces. Lest you think his experience is limited to off-the-wall endeavors, his achievements include creative teamwork that resulted in winning campaigns for Human Rights Watch, International Rescue Committee, Americares, The Nature Conservancy, FINCA, African Wildlife Foundation, Nuclear Threat Initiative, Defenders of Wildlife, and Children’s National to name a few. Steve is also a fine art printmaker, specializing in relief and screen printing.