Six Key Elements to Effective Campaign Postcards
Getting a great response from your political mailer typically comes down to two key components:
- Targeting the right voters
- Giving those voters a message they will read and relate with.
When designing a political postcard we recommend you follow these simple guidelines to have a better chance of engaging your voters and winning your election. These are general guidelines and work well for GOTV and name recognition postcards.
1 Use an Eye Catching Graphic
Use an eye catching graphic, a photo of the candidate works well if the candidate is photogenic. If the candidate is not photogenic or if the theme of the postcard is about an issue try to use a graphic that will a positive reaction from your target voter. If you are mailing senior citizens you will be well served to use a photo of a senior or of a grandchild. Sending a postcard to a senior citizens home with a young happy couple on the front may not get noticed.
2 Make the Candidate’s Name Standout
Use the candidate’s name at the top of the postcard with the office or race name if possible. You may be surprised at how many political postcards get mailed that break this simple rule. If the voter can’t associate the message with the candidate then you have wasted campaign funds.
3 Tell the Voter Why You Want Their Vote
Give the voter a reason to vote for the candidate. Important The WHY on the postcard should be part of the campaign theme and part of the WHY your candidate is running for office. They say that repetition is the key to good advertising! Use your postcard to repeat your most important themes.
4 Voting Starts or Election Day is?
Tell the voter when the election will take place. Again this is one of those items that seems evident but it is often overlooked. In addition to the date of the election it also good form to inform the voter as to the type of election. (GOP Primary)
5 Plan for the Postcard Address Label and Stamp
Leave room for an address label, postage and of course a return address. If your printer is printing your voter addresses directly to the postcard be sure to verify how much space they will need. If you are using sticky labels, be sure you have enough room for the label without laying the label over part of your message.
The example above may be rejected by the post office. They expect a white background around the label area. That being said we have seen designs like this sneak thru.
6 Every Political Mailer Needs a Disclaimer
Disclaimer – political disclaimer laws vary from district to district, be sure to verify the proper size and wording for your disclaimer. Your opponent will be happy too tell people you have violated campaign laws if you should fail to get this right.
Side Two of the Postcard Hits a Lot of the Same Points
