Some might think that the internet age has taken over and that direct mail printing doesn't work for political campaigns, but that can't be further from the truth! When it comes to elections and political campaigns, direct mail can be an extremely effective marketing tool.
In 2018, the United States Postal Service surveyed thousands of voters after the gubernatorial race in Virginia. They wanted to know more about how voters felt about different forms of political outreach, including direct mail, finding that voters believe direct mail to be the single most credible form of political advertising. Direct mail beat out TV, in-home visits, radio, and digital ads. Even 58% of Millennials surveyed said that direct mail was very or somewhat likely to have them engage with the race online.
A huge secret to success is to know your audience. When it comes to printed postcards and direct mailings, there are three types of readers. Scanners: who will read the headlines and scan your name and photos, Headliners: Who will really focus in on the headline and absorb the meaning behind it, and Readers: who will want to know more and carefully read through the whole card. It is for all three of these types of readers that you want to make sure your main point comes across clearly. Spend some time editing and re-writing the copy until your message is succinct and powerful. Here, bold is often better, as you want to catch the reader’s eye and pique their interest.
Another big key to success is to clearly define your purpose and to educate. There are lots of different reasons to send political mail; what is yours? Knowing your goal and creating a strategy to reach it will yield far more results for your direct mail campaign. With many younger generations turning to social media and away from legit news sources, education is more important than ever. Make sure that your message clearly defines your purpose and then back it up by educating your reader of what that truly means.
Lastly, repeat and reinforce. When you’re sending out mail to the same people remember to keep it fresh! You can make small changes for each mailer but remember to stay on theme and keep a consistent message. With today's technology in the print world, you have endless possibilities with design, paper stock, coatings and even the shape of your mail piece.
Schiele Group has printed millions of postcards, direct mail pieces, envelopes and stationary, yard signs and more for political campaigns around the nation. Learn more about our political printing and how to stand out from competitors here!