Political Campaign Postcard Content
I would be remiss if I didn’t start this blog post out with the reminder to include the “prepared and paid for” message on your piece. This is one of those things that can be easily forgotten. What usually needs to be included on there is your campaign name and the primary mailing address you are using. We have seen people use the return address area to include this information.
When thinking about the content of a political campaign postcard mailer it is important to remind yourself that there will be a wide variety of people reading this card when it arrives at their home. Some people are more visual readers, they will give more value to the images that you select. Others like to focus on headlines – so make sure that the headlines are catchy or that you do some things on the design of your card to make the important info stand out to your readers. The third type of reader is the one that reads all of the content. You will want to make sure that there is some substance there for them to read.
Images
Photos are an effective way to help the reader visually understand who you are and what you are about. Are you in to agriculture, do you have a military background? What is the status of your family? – these and other questions like it are all good to think about when selecting photos to work with.
Contents & Headlines
You may be doing multiple pieces and each card or mailer will have a slightly different focus. Maybe your first mailer is more of a “get to know you” type of mailer. If that is the case then please focus on you and who you are. What in your background makes you the best person for the position that you are running for? It is best if you can use a combination of headlines and content to tell your story.
If the mailer is more of a position mailer on certain issues – you will need to have this filter in mind as you pull together your content. One IMPORTANT thing to note is to make sure whatever issue or topic you are addressing is truly affected by the position that you are running for. For example, if you are running for city council – you shouldn’t be talking about national issues. Stay local if you are working on a city council race.
I personally am not a fan of negative mailers, I find that the reader appreciates when you tell them why you should vote for them vs why the other person is an absolutely awful person, etc.
When laying out your mailer keep in mind that most likely your oversized postcard mailer will come in the mailbox with the address side up. Therefore, whatever side of your card has the address block on it is actually the most important side of the mailer! You will want the reader to find something of interest and that will catch their eye on that side of the piece.
Also don’t forget to include a call to action on your mailer. What would you like them to do once they have seen this piece? Should they support your campaign? Should they go to your website for additional information? Should they vote for you in the Primary – or maybe the general election? If you are asking them to vote I would recommend including the dates that voting can take place. Also, Don’t forget about early voting, you will want to remind them about that.
Keep the look and the feel of your card similar to your campaign brand. You will want the reader to associate this with your other marketing efforts, including yard signs, billboards, newspaper ads, etc. Consistency in building your brand is critical to your success.
Have fun and stand out with your Political Campaign – don’t be afraid to get noticed in a “good way”.
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Michael Jensen
President
Tri M Graphics
