Direct Mail Isn’t Dead: How to make the most of Direct Mail for Your Campaign
You know there’s an election coming up when your mailbox starts overflowing with glossy double-sided extra large mailers.
In the age of digital everything, sending physical postcards, letters, and brochures to voters seems outdated, right?
Wrong.
Mail cuts through the noise. Compared to the never-ending stream of catchy copy and flashy graphics on a screen, the competition in a voter’s physical mailbox is next to none.
So, let’s get into it. What is direct mail?
In political spaces, direct mail refers to political advertising sent through snail mail. This includes traditional full-page mailers, postcards, and letters. Although direct mail is just one part of the overall voter comms and advertising plan, data shows it’s one of the most effective.
The thing is, direct mail is expensive. Because of this, your mail strategy (i.e., how many pieces you send, to whom, and when) should be thoughtful and data-driven.
Next up: how to do it?
To run a good mail program, you have to have campaign funds. (Don’t know where to start? Check out this post about how to get your fundraising contacts in order, and this one on setting goals and creating strategy.) Set aggressive fundraising goals and get on the phones with donors asap.
Start planning! Establish the number of mailers you want to send, to whom, and when. Your message should reflect the priorities of the people you’re trying to reach: what you say to older voters may be different than the message to young families. Your strategy should include in what order you’ll send the mailers as well.
Next, create a timeline that works backwards from when you expect the mail to arrive all the way back to drafting. It should include time for designing, production, approvals, printing, and delivery. Pro tip: consult with your (union!) print shop, mail house, and the United State Postal Service on timing. This can vary from cycle to cycle.
Once your decision-makers are in agreement on the topics and timing, you’ll know when to plan on creating the copy and designing the mailers (or get the professionals to do that part for you! Like the sound of that? Let’s chat.)
Before we close, a few more pro-tips and best practices…
Your design should stand out among other mailers. You have two seconds to grab the voter’s attention. Make the most of it.
Candidate or ballot measure/campaign name, office, and election date should be highly visible on every piece. And make sure the main message is front, center, and clear.
When brainstorming the topic of each mailer, think about priorities of the voters you’re trying to reach–what do they care about? What worries them? Also think about current events, and popular political issues. Making the topic relevant and accessible will make it more likely to be seen.
Make use of negative space in your designs and only use high resolution photos.
Consider different types of mailers–some are issue-based (e.g., something from your platform) or side-by-side comparisons.
Negative mail works (sometimes) whether you like it or not. It’s not always necessary, but when it is, sandwich them between positive pieces. This will ensure the first or last thing a voter sees isn’t negative.
Only send mail to voters who will see them. For example, sending mail to college-age voters runs the risk that they are registered at home but will vote at school and will never see your ads. It’s critical to reach voters where they are. Ultimately, there are a lot of ways to reach voters these days and the best communication plans utilize a mix of all of them. Use all channels that best fit for the voters you are trying to reach.
Putting together a thoughtful, strategic mail plan is a lot, especially when this is not your area of expertise. Want some help? Book a free consultation call now.
This piece was written by the Evinco Strategies General Consulting team.