Continuing this week's theme of using good old-fashioned snail mail . . .
What is the most creative mailing you ever sent?
What is the most creative mailing you ever received?
Can you be too creative with a mailing? What are the priorities?
If you've posted a photo of your creative mailing on your blog, be sure to leave a link to the post here.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I have sent fairly mundane mailings to this point although I’ll change that. The most creative mailings I’ve received are from “the Contemporary” here in Atlanta. It is an arts organization with an UNBELIEVABLE print design team. I save their mailings in a collection, they are that good.
Creative?
When I send the Angel Snakes though the mail, the intention is that they will cause others to create. They are muses after all. I am working on making their package even more interesting than it currently is.
Or do you mean “creative” in the sense that the mailing creates a desire in the receiver to be involved somehow with the person or organization that sends it out? That maybe if they do whatever the mailing asks they will in some sense re-create themselves? Or is it just to catch the receiver’s attention so that they remember it above all other things that they are bombarded with?
Maybe those thoughts are too deep for this Thursday.
Hmmm… perhaps recent newsletters to my collectors that featured works by 19th century artist with a bit of history.
These artists of the past have influenced my artwork, so at the end I posted a work of my own – where the viewers could see the similarities.
And your emails are extremely helpful not only to me but I suspect thousands of artists!
In high school we were doing a charity car wash…We printed notices on long yellow pieces of paper that looked like the yellow parking tickets we get here, & we put them under people’s windshield wipers on their parked cars…We got the hugest turnout on the car washing day…(best turnout I have ever had from a flyer)…
Creative? You mean something more engaging than the standard artist postcard with one image and contact information?
This question is making me re-think postcards and what the intent is when sending one. I guarantee my future mailings will be different.
The most creative mailing I received was also economical to do. It was a postcard with the image of the Queen of Hearts from a playing deck and the caption was “The Queen of Hearts Commands Your Presence at Bejewel Gallery’s Mad Hatter Tea Party” After event details, it said “If you don’t come, it’s off with your head!”
My most creative mailings aren’t business related. Hmm… perhaps I should change that. I hand decorate the letter paper and envelopes to friends with doodles and whimsical drawings.
I love the email mailing you get from Better World Books telling you that the books you ordered can’t wait to meet you, wondering what kind of person you are, etc. Makes me a repeat buyer, for sure!
Gosh, I’m really thinking of snail mail. An artist once sent me a portfolio he had made that was bound in a wooden notebook he had made by hand. That kind of thing. Not sure the wooden notebook was the best idea. There’s no place to keep that kind of thing–it’s impractical. But it did catch my attention!
ok – I’m posting here. I’m not sure this is the place but this is too awesome not to share (and play forward, which I plan to do from here on out).
Today in the mail I received a business letter with my name and address and in the return simply “The Benefactor” taped on. Inside this typed note: Your art is brilliant and makes me feel alive. If I was rich I would buy it all. this is all I can contribute to your vision. Please treat it as if it was a million dollars. You are worth every penny. The Benefactor.” Enclosed was a dollar. Which is the most wonderful dollar I never earned in my life. How generous. How kind! How simply AWESOME!
I have tracked it down to ArtOMatic (D.C.) as at least 2 other artists there have received such a letter. Isn’t that absolutely the very best?!!!