When it comes to political campaigns, sending a political mailer is one of the most effective ways to reach voters. To help you create the best political mailer for your campaign, United GMG created this guide that discusses campaign mail tips, the benefits of direct mail, costs, and more.
Political Direct Mail Effectiveness
Political direct mail is one of the most effective ways to share your campaign messages to potential voters. It offers several benefits, including:
- It’s Targetable and Personalizable: Using variable data, you can target certain demographics and personalize your messaging based on a voter’s age, income, and location.
- It’s A Credible Source: According to a survey by the United States Post Office, 68% percent of people ranked direct mail as one of the most credible sources of information in a political campaign.
- It Impacts Decisions: The same survey found that 55% of voters stated that direct mail has helped them decide what candidates to vote for.
- It’s Cost-Effective: Sending political direct mail is cost-effective when you send in certain formats such as postcards.
Different Ways You Can Send Political Direct Mail
There are several ways to send your political campaign mailers. Some of these options include bulk mail and red tagging.
Bulk Mail
Bulk mail allows you to send your political mail as first class or marketing mail. Bulk mail allows you to target specific people with party affiliations. You also can target other demographics and personalize your mail to speak on issues they are likely to value. For example, if you want to present your stance on an education bill, it would be effective to target households who have children.
Red Tagging
An ideal option to send your political message through postcards, flyers, newsletters, and more is through red tagging. Red tagging is an exclusive benefit, however, and political mail cannot qualify for red tagging when sent via USPS. Working with a direct mail company allows you to send mail with red tagging, offering many benefits.
With red tagging, USPS tracks and identifies qualified political mail with a red tag. Then, this mail is treated as first class mail but at the marketing mail rate. Delivery and returns for this mail are expedited, with a delivery of 1-4 days locally (compared to 3-5 days locally with marketing mail).
Tips for Creating an Effective Political Direct Mail Piece
Not all mail is created equal. Below are helpful tips to ensure your political direct mail campaign attracts and impacts voters.
Use High-Quality Images
Low quality images can damage your credibility. Make sure your headshot or stock photo is a high-quality image in order to convey that you put time and effort into your campaign and, as a result, show that you value exceptional work.
Personalize Your Message
Different demographics of people are likely to have different beliefs from each other. You can personalize your message by highlighting different political topics in your campaign depending on what that demographic values most. Variable data printing can create separate lists based on the demographics that you want to target and can send out personalized mail in an effective, efficient, and accurate manner.
Include a Union Bug
Placing a union bug in one of the corners of your direct mail piece can tell voters about your values as a politician. When people see a union bug on your direct mail piece, it will show them you care about labor rights, fair wages, and safe and legal working conditions for employees. At United GMG, we have multiple vendors, giving us the ability to print with a union bug.
Use a Minimalistic Design
When creating a political mailer design, it can be tempting to overload your audience with your stances and policy ideas. However, people may not be willing to read everything you have to say when sorting through their mail. Instead, use minimal messaging that is impactful and emotionally-touching. The best political mailers also have a powerful call to action urging the receiver to vote.
Send Mail in Different Formats
There are many forms you can send your political mailers in. Some political mailer examples include postcards, brochures, and flyers. Each format is great for different uses. For example, if you want to create a message that is short and designed to spread awareness of your campaign, a postcard with your slogan and a CTA is an effective option. If you want to go more in depth about your policies, a brochure is a way to display your ideas and values in an organized and visually pleasing way.
Get Started With Your Direct Mail Political Campaign With United GMG
Looking to improve your campaign strategy? Contact us at United GMG to get started on your next political direct mail campaign and create a direct mail piece that captures attention and impacts voter decision.
