Like many nonprofit organizations, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) timed a direct mail drop to the holiday season, to appeal to folks both in a giving mood and a mood to score late-in-the-year tax deductions.
The CBLDF helps represent creators’, retailers and educators’ First Amendment rights, and also runs literacy programs. For fans of graphic novel art and free speech, it’s a fabulous organization.
The mailing is a creative one, and speaks well to their core demographic. It featured a black-and-white comic called “Defend Comics,” explaining the organization’s battles against censorship, and detailing why readers should support the group. A buck-slip is also included, explaining the various membership levels and premiums on one site and offering a letter from the executive director on the other thanking folks for their support.
The buck-slip also serves as a business reply card, and an envelope is included. But….where’s the URL? Where’s the link if I want to give immediately via PayPal, rather than search for a pen and check book.
It’s a curious omission, given how digital savvy this audience is—I know from personal experience fans of this medium are always on the web looking for news they can share/debate/argue about during their weekly trip to their local hop for their comics fix. So why not give them a quick route to give so they can share that news with friends on their weekly shopping trip?
The CBLDF site is great—chock full of ways to support the group either by shopping in their store or making a donation. And tons of recently updated news stories are featured on the home page, including one about the mini-comic featured in the mailing. (The comic is available digitally if you want to check it out.)
Remember folks, your URL should be on all your materials—in today’s world, it is an essential call to action. Tis the season for giving and shopping, so make it as simple as possible for those with a few extra dollars burning a hole in their stocking.
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