Political Direct Mail: 5 Tips for a Successful Campaign
In a political campaign, you have to let people know who you are and what you stand for. There are plenty of ways to make that happen. You can engage in a field campaign, going door-to-door.
You can also invest in TV ads, but that can be cost-prohibitive for a local campaign. Direct mail still works because it is a way to get your name in front of people.
Political direct mail is an effective way to reach voters and cut through the noise. Read on to learn the top tips to make your direct mail have an impact.
1. Define the Purpose of the Mailing
The first thing that you need to do is to define the purpose of the mailing. This will influence what list you use, the messaging, and the design of the mailing.
For example, you may use direct mail as a get out the vote campaign. You may use it to introduce some voters to your stance on major positions.
2. Target the Right Audience
Next, there are plenty of benefits of using direct mail as a marketing and communications tool for your campaign.
However, if you want to get the most out of your direct mail campaign, you need to target the right audience. You know that Democrats and Republicans have very different views and your messaging needs to speak to those views.
The most effective campaigns have a specific audience and use segmented lists as opposed to mailing to everyone within a geographic area.
3. Have a Clean Design
Thirdly, you may be tempted to do a small mailer to cut costs and cram it with as much text as possible. Don’t do that. That will only reflect poorly on your campaign.
You want to have a clean design that uses whitespace and makes certain elements of the mailer stand out. The text needs to be easy to read, and you should make it personable. Have a photo of you and in large text have your name and office bold and easy to figure out.
4. Think Like Voters
You have to think like the people who are receiving the political direct mail. It needs to catch their eye in an instant and make them curious about the content of the mailing.
That starts with a compelling headline. That should speak to a particular issue that voters care about. You then need to follow that up with a little information about you.
Each section of the political direct mail piece should compel the reader to read the next section.
5. Think of Direct Mail as a Campaign
The mistake that many people in politics make with direct mail is that they treat it as a one-time thing. They’ll send out one mailing and that’s it.
You could miss out on a huge opportunity if you do the same thing. Plus, you can tie your mailing to your phone database and contact likely voters to follow-up.
You can also follow up with multiple mailings. The more touches you have with voters, the more likely they are to remember your name. When it comes time to vote, they’ll mark your name.
Political Direct Mail Strategies to Win
Politics is tough no matter what office you’re running for. Every campaign relies on name recognition and relatability. It can be difficult to get through the noise of election season to make that happen.
In addition, political direct mail campaigns can help you cut through the noise and reach voters. They’re faster than going door-to-door and more affordable than radio or TV ads.
Above all, are you ready to start your next political mailing? Contact us today for a quote.
Posted in: Campaigning Help, Design Tips
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