Diamond Envelope - Winter 2013 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER

DIAMOND ENVELOPE CORPORATION2270 White Oak Circle

Aurora, IL 60502Phone: 630-499-2800Fax: 630-499-2801

www.diamondenvelope.com

Karen Johns-WrobelGina Michalak

Debbie PetersonJulie Shauman

Sandra VahlTony Waters

Tim BurgessDavid GraunkeA.J. JaniaAlan JaniaMichael JaniaSusan Jania

Please contact our team with any questions or inquiries

Debbie [email protected]

Krystal [email protected]

We welcome any comments or article suggestions.Please send them to our editors.

Joy Bailey Tim DowKrystal Flores David GraunkeAlan Jania

Michael JaniaSusan Jania

Gina MichalakJohn Mikelenas

Debbie Peterson

Thank you to this edition’s contributors:

Diamond News is a publication of Diamond Envelope Corporation published in our main office in Aurora, Illinois

It is directly available to our Employees, Customers, and Vendors.

Winter 2012

WINTER 2012 Edition

127726 - Newsletter Winter 2012_12-17-12.indd 1 12/28/12 3:09 PM

Winter 2012 Winter 2012

Letter from the President

• Are we grateful for the things we have? Are we grateful that we live in a country where the government cannot seize our businesses, where there is no threat of rebellion and where we can go home to the comfort of our family and modern homes? Many people of this world do not have any of these luxuries. Some cannot even look forward to a good meal or clean drinking water. Most of us here in the United States do not have to worry about such problems because the people who came before us worked hard to create a nation that has an amazing standard of living. The generation before us rose from the troubles of the Great Depression, led the fight against Nazi aggression and returned home to finish making America into a superpower.

• Do we ever take a moment and think about the contributions our mothers and fathers made to make things easier for us today? They lived in small houses or apartments, often sheltering multiple generations and worked very long hours to make a better life for their children and grandchildren and selflessly went off to war to protect our freedoms.

• Gratitude is in danger of becoming a lost art as we focus on accumulating money and possessions, always looking to be better or richer than the next person! The current world may be built on information, but wisdom is definitely lacking. Everything is boiling down to statistical analysis and quarterly earnings reports while people have become nothing more than another line on the budget. There is often little room for gratitude or a simple thank you and that is truly a shame.

• In this season of giving thanks, we should take a moment and think about those who came before us and helped us get to where we are. Take a moment and thank those around us for a job well done and even consider reaching out to someone who could use a helping hand.

• We will find the only thing worth accumulating is good will and happiness. I would like to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, Holy and Prosperous New Year!

Alan Jania

How disappointing would this Christmas season be if every time you visited your mailbox there were no Christmas cards in envelopes? Admit, at least to your-self, that you glance at the return address as you enter the house to see who thought enough of you to send a Christmas greeting.

Riddle Me This!

What word starts with an “E” and ends with “E” and has a letter in it?Please email your answers to Krystal Flores at [email protected] for a chance to win a special prize.

Michael [email protected]

before Congress, the Inspector General of Social Security Administration said that it had received morethan 19,000 reports about questionable or unauthorized changes to recipients’ direct-deposit information.

“I don’t trust computers, I don’t trust the Internet,” said Taylor. “ I had a computer given to me severalyears ago, and it was so frustrating I gave it away.”

AARP has not directly endorsed the new mandate. But Cristina Martin-Firvida, AARP’s director offinancial security, told ABC News that “Retirees and other Social Security beneficiaries need to knowthat they can trust their earned benefit will be safely delivered without risking loss of benefits or highfees.

But Smallwood is unconvinced. He is even willing to have the Treasury Department subtract a dollarfrom his benefit check to cover the fee it costs to mail him his check.

“They’re telling me I have to get a bank or card in order to keep my benefit,” he said. “For 40 years it’sbeen my choice not to have any of that. And I don’t intend to do so any time in the near future.”

Michael [email protected]

Did You Know?

The first postal envelopes were nothing more than folded sheets of paper. Postage in Europe

and the United States was charged according to the distance and size of the letter. For

example, in 1775 it cost Scotland Adams 11 pence, or 22 cents, to send a “single letter” from

Boston to Philadelphia. A “single letter” was one considered one sheet of paper. A “double

letter”, which cost twice as much for postage, was two sheets and so on. A letter was simply

a sheet, written so that when folded its outside was blank. On completion, it was folded,

sealed upon itself with wax, or a “wafer” (small disk of adhesive), and addressed upon the

blank side.

127726 - Newsletter Winter 2012_12-17-12.indd 2 12/28/12 3:09 PM

Winter 2012 Winter 2012

VELOPES

THONvelopes is a term coined by a non-profit, student run organization, known as THON. THONvelopes are used for a mailing campaign the philanthropy utilizes to generate donations from across the nation that the traditional fundraising techniques of this organization would not access. In the push toward a paperless society, this organization finds that by using the mail they are exposed to a much larger fundraising opportunity. The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, also known as THON, is a year-long fundraising and awareness campaign for the fight against pediatric cancer. This effort engages more than 15,000 students across the state of Pennsylvania in hopes of finding a cure. The year culminates with a 46 hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon known as THON Weekend. In 2012, THON raised a record-breaking $10.68 million and was able to donate 96% of funds raised directly to the Four Diamonds Fund. For those of you that don’t know, I graduated from Penn State and had the opportunity of getting involved with THON. I danced representing Gamma Phi Beta as well as serving as a "Moraler", THON Chair, and Supply Logistics Captain during my years at Penn State. Getting THON to order envelopes was not an easy task. Think of the audience that runs the organization, mainly students who thrive on instant, electronic media for communication. I explained that by collaborating all of their marketing efforts and supplying personalized THON envelopes as advertisement for the campaign, the mailings would become more personalized. I finally convinced the Overall Committee to take a chance for THON 2008. THON runs a very basic outer and return style envelope with their logo and a slogan. By THON 2011, I had convinced the Donor Relations overall to run a “test” envelope, that included a 4-color process image of the last minutes of THON where the total is revealed. At this time I introduced the idea of tracking their success with the mailing campaign to gauge effectiveness. In the first year they began tracking they calculated $600,000 had been contributed through the mailing campaign, increasing on an annual basis in the years to follow. Taking lessons from some of our best customers, and providing THON with samples of successful mail pieces, I was able to help THON become more creative and personalized to their audience.

THON has continued to use the mailing campaign with their largest test-runs and overall distribution this year. As of November they had distributed all of the mailing supplies and for the first time are looking to order more. As you can see in the graph above, the growth opportunity with this non-profit organization has been tremendous. While certain institutions continue to push the paperless society and harmful

- 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 800,000

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

THONvelope Usage by Year

environmental myths of using paper, a non-profit like THON, makes a responsible choice in their fundraising efforts, using a renewable resource & one of the most recyclable products on the planet.

Susan Jania FOR THE KIDS – FTK!

If you would like to learn more about THON or ways to donate, feel free to contact me directly or go to their website at: www.THON.org.

Some Seniors Resist Electronic Social Security PaymentsBy: Abby Allin

www.abcnews.go.com

Glenn Smallwood does not have a cell phone, computer or credit card. Nor does he have a bank account.And that’s exactly the way he likes it.

“I guess you could say I’m an old fuddy duddy,” Smallwood, 63, a semi-retired insurance salesman inClearwater, Fla., told ABC News. “I’m set in my ways. I don’t want my money in a bank. I keep mymoney in my pocket.”

So when Smallwood received a notice from the U.S. Treasury Department informing him that as ofMarch 2013, his Social Security checks would be directly deposited into his bank account – or he couldenroll in the government’s Direct Express Debit MasterCard program – he was decidedly unhappy.

“I don’t think the federal government has the right to tell me that I have to have a checking account or adebit card,” Smallwood said, adding that he cashes checks at Wal-mart, pays is rent by money order andhas no plans – or desire – to stop.

Smallwood lives in one of the nation’s 10 million households that are unbanked, according to the figuresfrom the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

While waivers are automatically granted for anyone who was 90 years old or older on May 1, 2011 – aswell as people living in remote locations or those who are mentally incapable of handling their ownaffairs – Dick Gregg, the fiscal assistant secretary of the Treasury, acknowledged that these waivers arerare. “Most individuals that receive checks will drive to a local bank to cash them and individuals withmental impairments will designate a representative payee that will sign up for electronic payment,” hesaid.

He added that the initiative to have all benefit payments made electronically will save an additional $1billion in taxpayer money over 10 years. It is also safer, faster, and more reliable than receiving paperchecks, which can be lost, stolen or delayed.

But John Runyan, executive director of Consumers for Paper Options, an advocacy group funded by“paper-based communications interests” – which includes the Envelope Manufacturers Association, theAmerican Forest & Paper Association and paper companies – believes the mandate is unfair to seniorslike Smallwood who don’t want to change. “Our goal is to get the federal government to recognize fullythat there is certain type of information that should continue to be provided on paper if the consumerwants them, and that should be the consumer choice,” he told ABC News.

Nancy Taylor, 77, a former printer in Ypsilanti, Mich., agrees. A few months ago Taylor’s daughtersuggested her mother switch to direct deposit to avoid the “last –minute rush” in February. Taylor did sobegrudgingly.

“I didn’t want to change,” Taylor told ABC News. “I’m still uneasy with it. It may be that I’m a crotchetyold woman, but it’s a change to my routine that I don’t like.” It’s my money and it’s an infringement onmy rights by the government, saying I have to change.”

Taylor also worries about fraud. The treasury Department’s Gregg said that the proportion of fraud in theDirect Express card payments is significantly lower that paper checks. But in a September 20 testimony

Some Seniors Resist Electronic Social Security PaymentsBy: Abby Allin

www.abcnews.go.com

continued on next page

127726 - Newsletter Winter 2012_12-17-12.indd 3 12/28/12 3:09 PM

Steps Toward a Direct Mail Fundraising ProgramRemembering Our Military During The Holidays

David [email protected]

Winter 2012 Winter 2012

Each year our company selects a charity or organization in need of donations. Last year we collected over 100 toys for the Walter and Connie Payton Toy Drive. The recipient for this year was OPERATION GRATITUDE. Operation Gratitude in based out of California and annually sends 100,000 care packages filled with snacks, personal care products, batteries and health and beauty supplies to U.S. service members in the military deployed in hostile regions. Our employees graciously donated items from food and snacks to toiletries to games and essentially every item we use on a daily basis that we may take for granted that they may call a luxury.

Our employees continue to amaze us with their generosity and giving spirit. We are proud to be able to provide “a bit of home” to the many men and women who sacrifice so much so we may enjoy our freedom. We ask that you include a soldier on your shopping list this Christmas and visit their website at www.operationgratitude.com to learn more about this wonderful organization.

Excerpts from “The Soldier’s Night Before Christmas” by LCpl James M. Schmidt, USMC

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone. I had come down the chimney with presents to give and to see just who in this home did live. As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree. No stock-ing by the fire, just boots filled with sand. On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land. With medals and badges, awards of all kind, a sober-ing thought soon came to my mind. For this house was different, unlike any I’ve seen. This was the home of a U.S. Marine. I’d heard stories about them, I had to see more, so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door. And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone, curled up on the floor in his one bedroom home. I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home. Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye. I dropped to my knees and I started to cry. He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice, “Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice. I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more. My life is my God, my country, my Corps.” I didn’t want to leave him so quiet in the night, this guardian of honor so willing to fight. But half asleep he rolled over and in a voice clean and pure “Carry on, Santa. It’s Christmas Day, all secure.”

Joy BaileyHuman Resource Director

Steps Toward a Direct Mail Fundraising Program

Non-profit organizations are among the largest customers for Diamond Envelope. They rely on

direct marketing to efficiently reach and create response from an ever-shrinking marketplace of

available funding.

Before our customers start their direct marketing program, Diamond is often called to consult on

their strategies. Direct marketing can be costly, thus it is imperative each dollar spent on

solicitation delivers a solid response. While email and websites provide many attractive

platforms for a donor to learn more about the organization (and hopefully donate a large sum),

direct mail is still the most profitable channel to market these messages. Compelling graphics,

privacy of response, and staying power of the message on paper, all contribute to maximum ROI.

Basic procedures and regular mailings are key. Here is a sampling of strategies for programs we

have worked with customers to develop:

Newsletters

• Develop and mail a newsletter (such as the one you’re holding now) to communicate

with donors, volunteers and board members. Keep everyone in the loop.

• Include articles about donors and what their donations have helped to accomplish

within the organization.

• Drive traffic to your website for further information and donation options. Tie

information from the newsletter to the website within your graphics.

Thank You Letters

• Don’t rely on impersonal emails to thank your donors.

• Make the donor feel a part of your organization. Mail a personalized thank you letter

every time you receive a donation.

• Include a reply envelope, but don’t solicit another donation in the thank you letter.

Many times, the donor will respond with another donation anyway!

• Make sure your message is a heart-felt appreciation for their support.

• Utilize end of the year holidays for unique methods to thank donors, including

emphasis on tax-deductions.

Diamond Envelope provides many formats for you to communicate through these channels,

including remittance envelopes, bangtail formats, as well as standard stationary, outer envelopes,

and BRE’s. Contact your Diamond sales representative for more information.

Thank you for all your business this year!!

127726 - Newsletter Winter 2012_12-17-12.indd 4 12/28/12 3:09 PM