Summer GouldIt’s that time again for political direct mail planning. Are you the one planning to win your election? Did you know that a USPS commissioned survey in 2018 found that 68% of voters believe direct mail to be the most credible source of political outreach? (Opens as a PDF) You need to build a strategy that raises awareness, builds a following, and motivates voters. What is the best way to do that? Using a combination of direct mail, social media, Google ads, and YouTube ads to engage voters both offline and online will enhance your results.
Because 73% of Americans prefer the first contact to be by mail, you need to be in the mailbox before early voting ballots go out. Are you prepared with a realistic timeline? You should also know that 55% of voters use mail to decide how to vote. If you are not in the mailbox you are missing out on a huge opportunity. Yes, direct mail is expensive, but it more than pays for itself with big ROI.
So what should you include in your mail piece?
- Stance on important issues
- Contrast with an opponent
- A list of endorsements
- Important voting information, such as deadlines
- A picture
- Color
- Personalization
You may think that the best way to win is to mail to every registered voter. But really, your best bet is to mail to only active voters. These are the people who will mail in ballots or show up at polling stations. You need to convince them to vote for you: Do not waste your money on the others. What size mailer should you send to them? Use a large piece, such as an 9 x 12, because oversized pieces have been shown to increase response rates by 10.4%. They really stand out in the mailbox.
As you are designing and writing copy, keep in mind that your text should be concise and easily scanned. The best designs use bolding, italics, color, and contrast to draw the eye to important content. The easier you make it for people to quickly understand what you are saying, the more effective your mail piece will be. Direct mail is better understood, remembered, and acted upon when you use best practices. After you design a piece, send a PDF to your mail service provider to review for potential postal regulation issues before you print. You do not want to waste money on postal penalties.
Remember, unlike a business that sells products or services, which has the ability to sell them over a long period of time, political mail needs to convince people quickly to either support or not to support a candidate or a proposition. You can also add texture to your mailers to give people a reason to hold your mail piece longer. A very popular one is the soft touch coating, which feels like velvet. People can’t help but pet the paper. Lastly, make sure that you use personalization on your mail pieces. It makes people feel more important and makes your message more personal to them. Are you ready to get started?
