Everyone loves a story…

…especially one that strikes an emotional chord. As charities look for new ways to reach out to donors and supporters, industry experts share tips on how to bring personal testimonials alive, how to create compelling copy that engages the audience and why it pays to use a professional photographer.

Find out how Wellington Zoo created a personalised, handwritten letter to raise funds for its Nest Animal Hospital and NSPCC told the true story of a child victim of abuse to gain support for its Young Witness Support Service.

Asset or liability?

A laptop with sensitive data is left on train, a computer disc holding millions of people’s details goes missing… it’s the news story that every organisation dreads. Yet data protection doesn’t always get the attention it deserves within companies.

Christine Andrews of the DQM Group looks at the cost of lost data and the brand damage it causes, and ways organisations can improve their data protection. She goes on to consider data security and how businesses can implement an effective data security policy.

What’s in your wallet?

One way to find out what your customers are buying, what their interests are and their priorities is to look inside their wallet. InfoPrint Solutions Company sent its B2B audience of marketers in the finance and hospitality sectors personalised wallets, packed with receipts, photos and ticket stubs.

The wallet showed how data helps marketers boost revenue while building loyalty. It also contained an InfoPrint business card with a personalised url prompting them to get in touch.

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News and views

Is augmented reality (AR) a gimmick or the next big tool for marketers? Guy Sharman, creative director at twentysix explores how — by blurring the boundaries between the real and virtual world — AR is the missing the link between print and digital.

Meanwhile, Mediaedge:cia scored a hat trick with three awards, including the Grand Prix, at this year’s IPA Effectiveness Awards. The agency’s integrated campaign for Morrisons — Let’s Grow — encouraged British schoolchildren to get gardening.

Read the latest direct mail news and expert opinions