Setting up a direct mail campaign in Canva is easier than you might think! I'll walk you through how to set up the variable fields like the person's name and address. We'll use some automation with Canva Bulk Create to make it quick and painless! You should know that it's only available for Canva Pro, Canva for Teams, Canva for Education, and Canva for Nonprofits users on desktop only.
First things first, you'll need to design your letter. It is important that the text, fonts, and colors reflect your brand's identity. Include images to highlight the impact that your organization makes. Testimonials are great too! It's worth it to spend some time making your ask letter look and sound great.
In Canva, keep each part of your letter in a different text box, like this example. The most important part is to separate the addressee name from the introduction word. In this example, we used "Dear" and the name "Mr. and Mrs. Smith". Make this box extra long to ensure any name will fit, no matter how long it is. We'll make this text box a variable field in the next step.
Don't forget to include the necessary details in your letter like:
Next, the technical details! You'll need to grab your mailing list or create one as a spreadsheet if you don't already have one. You can use any program for this, Google Sheets, Excel, or Numbers will all work.
Make sure each bit of information is segmented into different columns, with the appropriate title for each column.
Easy right?! Now you're halfway there. You'll want to download these as a print PDF.
Create a new file for the envelopes, using this same technique. Make sure all three lines of the addressee are separate text boxes. Link each one up with Bulk Create and voila! You're ready to go to print!
With your personalized letters and envelopes, you're ready to mail! You can use the USPS or a local print shop. If you're in Oklahoma, I highly recommend QuikPrint. They are a locally owned print shop with outstanding quality and service.
You can register your Non-Profit with the US Postal Service to receive a NPO Indicia and get a huge discount on mailing cost. An indicia is the printed label substituted for a stamp. You can apply for one on the USPS website, linked here. With an indicia, you send mail for free* and pay a discounted annual fee instead.
*You do have to send at least 200 identical pieces or 50 pounds. The contents also have to be the same, excluding the name and the address.
Last, you should consider including tracking your campaigns success! You can do this by using a unique landing page or a QR code. That way you'll be able to see how many people scanned the code or visited that landing page.
That's a service I provide! Reach out today and let's talk about your campaign goals!
