Political Direct Mail: A Winning Strategy for 2022
Election day is closer than you think, less than six months away on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Today there are more channels than ever in the political marketing mix, but one of the most reliable yet straightforward strategies is to launch a direct mail political campaign. Investing the time, money, and resources to develop and execute a political direct mail campaign is a big decision. However, it is a great way to reach voters, especially locally.
In 2022, there are several ways political mailing can get around digital roadblocks. After all, the goal is to amplify your voice and connect with critical voters. Here is our guide for getting the most out of your political campaign direct mail this election cycle.
Personalization
A positive feature of using direct mail for political mailing is tangibility. Your target demographic can feel the mailer in their hands—not through a screen, and a well-crafted piece of direct mail can sit in a voter’s home for days or weeks after it’s delivered, offering continued impact. Direct mail is harder to miss its message as fast as closing an email or changing the channel. People are more likely to read your mailer and then have, at the very least, a processed subconscious memory of seeing your candidate’s name.
To make the most of this tangible moment with voters, you can use personalization tactics to increase consumer interaction. Variable data printing makes it easy to personalize direct mail political campaigns of all sizes with customer names, addresses, voting history, and various other data points to catch recipients’ attention. Make mention of the ability to create versions highlighting local or regional hot topics.
Personalized content goes the extra mile in the same way that a handwritten note feels more special. In a recent study from Epsilon, 80% of respondents said they were more likely to engage when offered personalized marketing experiences, and the same study supports that 90% of customers found personalized marketing appealing.
Using a prospective voter’s name rather than the generic “current resident” is a great way to grab a voter’s attention. It gives a personal impression of a candidate’s name and party recognition, even for those who don’t necessarily spend time reading through every piece of mail.
Budgeting
Direct mail campaigns continue to be one of the most cost-effective and efficient marketing tactics out there, despite the world moving in a digital direction. Integrating both direct mail and digital marketing tactics into your political campaign budget is an innovative approach. Your direct mail budget depends on a variety of factors, some of which a print provider can help you control.
These factors could include design, copywriting, mailpiece size and volume, database or list selection, print production method, level of personalization, and, of course, postage rates. Phoenix can recommend popular self-mailer formats that stand out in the mailbox and have a high impact with easy-to-read and retained messages. Oversized postcards and mailing “flats” are huge!
Now is the time to start planning and ordering paper for late summer and fall campaigns. If you plan to use self-mailers and oversized postcards printed on heavy paper.Do not get intimidated by the number of considerations that go into the cost of mailers. Experienced political mailer companies like the Phoenix Group of Companies know the business very well and will be able to craft a cost-effective campaign based on your unique needs.
Details
The look and feel of your mailers can also influence interest. Using paper with a unique feel, color scheme, or a heavier weight is enough to stop people in their tracks while sorting through their mail.
If one of the causes that you care about is environmental conservation, you may want to consider prioritizing the use of environmentally friendly mailers. Phoenix can offer printing that is powered by wind-generated electricity and uses vegetable-based inks and recycled papers. Walking the talk of your campaign in action is always a good look. Find the intersection of what main issues you and prospective voters are passionate about, and consider how your direct mail messaging and physical composition can align with these views.
Unlike TV or radio, you can target a select list or group of people to send political campaign mailers. You can use a database to store this information for your campaign mailers and collect this information throughout your campaign via form fills on your website or other tactics. You can also simply target specific groups of people geographically, through age (voting age), or in specific political districts.
By October 2020, less than one month before election day, over 417 million mail pieces had been delivered leading up to the big voting day. In 2020, voting by mail had become the most popular voting method. It is safe, secure, and convenient. Direct mail ranked as one of the most credible sources of outreach by voters. Create a handful of variants of mailers, target your demographics accordingly, and send them corresponding mailers that get your candidate’s messages across.
You’ve Got Mail
Have an idea for an exciting mailer that can reach your local voters in the next election cycle? The Phoenix Group is one of the top direct political mailer companies in the country, and we have the equipment and capabilities to build an effective direct mail program that boosts awareness for your political campaign.
Let’s discuss project details! Learn more about winning ways to incorporate direct mailers into your political campaign.
