There are a variety of ways that candidates in political races reach out to voters, but direct mail remains the most cost-effective way to spread your message and inspire people to hit the polls for you.

Direct mail is the tried-and-true marketing channel for political campaigns because it gives you a chance to target your potential voters, get them familiar with you and your message, and encourage them to take action.

Why Does Direct Mail Work For Political Campaigns?

• Mail is the preferred channel of communication for the demographic that always has the highest voter turnout: people age 60+
• People associate mail with important and official messages. It is an appropriate channel for campaign messages because people take their mail seriously, at least more so than they do email or other marketing channels.
• Direct mail can be targeted and personalized to deliver a message that is specifically relevant to the recipient. If your campaign is focused on multiple issues, your direct mail program can contain varied mailers, each emphasizing a different issue. You can then segment your mailing list based on demographic info so that your recipients will get a mailer that focuses on the issue that they care about most.
• Success with other forms of paid advertisement like TV and radio ads depend on several factors. Do your potential voters watch/listen to the station(s) you advertise on? Will they happen to be tuning in at the times your ad runs? With direct mail, you don’t have to worry about these questions. You can reach everyone with mail, regardless of their radio station preference, and it’s guaranteed that they will at least see your mailer.
• If you are running in a rural area where door-to-door campaigning may be impossible to do in a time-efficient manner, direct mail is a great solution.
• With direct mail, you are in full control of what message you send and who receives it. It’s versatile because it allows you a fair amount of space for text and graphics that you can use to your advantage. A well-done direct mail campaign gives recipients a very clear picture of who you are, what you stand for, what your plans are, and why they should get out and vote for you rather than your competitors.

5 Tips For Crafting Successful Political Mailers

1. Informative Headline: Most people will give your mailer a 3-4 second scan and then decide whether to read on or toss. The big headline on the front of your mailer needs to be interesting, but it also needs to tell them exactly what the mailer is about. Make sure to include your name in the headline, so that the people who scan and toss will at least recognize your name when they see it later in the campaign. Good headlines don’t just excite, they inform!
2. Relatability Factor: Effective political mail tells a story. It gives voters a reason to relate to the candidate. Are you a life-long resident of the place you’re running in? Do you have a family? What did you do before politics? What do you do in your spare time? We don’t just vote for causes, we vote for people we think we can trust. All of this information shows voters that you are a real person that they can understand and connect to. Show what makes you unique.
3. Good Photography: Graphics should take up a good amount of space on your mailer. Professional photography is essential. Don’t settle for a boring headshot either; get photos of you in action, talking to voters, doing charitable work, etc.
4. Integrated: Integrate your direct mail campaign with your digital marketing efforts by including a link to your website or a link for donations. All direct mail should have a call-to-action, or a statement that tells readers what to do next. If you want them to read further information on your campaign and possibly donate, make sure to tell them exactly where to go.
5. Planned: The most important step in crafting a successful political mail campaign is planning. You should plan to hit the same people with 4-6 mailings throughout a 90-day period leading up to election day. Your last should land about 5 days before election day.

**BONUS TIP**

Don’t get overwhelmed with work trying to execute your direct mail campaign by yourself. Don’t waste your money working with a cookie-cutter marketing agency that doesn’t make your goals their goals. Check out Plum Direct Marketing, the direct mail agency that knows how to persuade voters with effective, affordable political mail campaigns!