Political Campaign Direct Mailing List Ideas

Political Campaign Direct Mailing List

In order to have the most effective direct mailing campaign possible, it is essential to target your direct mailers, which means getting them out to the right people.    Direct mail allows your campaign to target different voter demographics with highly effective messages.  Not all campaign messages will resonate the same with all voters; perhaps a message that reverberates well with seniors may not resonate that well with younger voters.  That is the advantage that direct mail has over any other promotional materials (TV, Radio, Newspaper, Fliers, etc.).

So, who should we target?

Well, that depends on the message you are portraying on your direct mail postcard.

• If you are trying to raise funds for your campaign, you would want a mailing list compiled of residents that have donated to a campaign in the past, and have at least a middle class income.
• If you are trying to rally your base, you may want to target only people that are in your party (democrat, republican, independent).
• If you are trying to get young people to get out and vote, you may want target residents that are under the age of 30.
• Are you trying to saturate the entire district with your postcard, then a saturation mailing list would be perfect for you

See Political Postcard Sample Below

Direct Mail Advertising Ideas For Political Campaigns

Direct mail advertising is one of the best ways to deliver a message to voters. Over the years we’ve launched hundreds of direct mail campaigns that have helped candidates become winners! Here are few factors that should be kept in mind.

1. Clarify The Goals Of The Mailing
   For example:
   - Introduce the candidate if he is not well known
   - Talk about the most important issues
   - Ask for contributions 
   - Ask for volunteers
   - Expose competitor’s weaknesses
   - Invite voters to a town hall meeting
2.  Putting Together The Best Mailing List
   USPS Mail Carrier Routes are the least expensive mailing lists and can be mailed at the lowest postage rates. Carrier route maps are available and can be compared to target specific voting districts or precincts. Even if there is a bit of overlap, the savings will probably outway the cost of a more targeted list.
   You can also purchase a targeted list by party affiliation (including independents), age and income, education levels, ethnicty and more.
3. Use Full Color Postcards With Lots Of Photos
   It’s true, a picture is worth a 1000 words, or more! But, don’t just use a head shot of the candidate that looks like it came from a drivers license. If the candidate is for Education, get a photo of him at a school with kids. If he’s pro-business, get a picture at a Chamber of Commerce Meeting. If he’s for moral values, a shot with the family on Sunday talking to the Pastor. You get the idea. 
4. Use Direct Mail To Drive Voters To Your Website
   Make sure there is lots of good content about the issues and the candidate. Don’t disappoint web visitors. Your website doesn’t have to be “Madison Avenue”. It can even have a “home-made” look, but it most deliver on content and be worth the voters time.
5. Send An Invitation To “Ask The Candidate”!
   Not always possible, but if you can manage it, get a cell phone and dedicate the phone number to taking calls from voters. Invite them to “ask the candidate”, “express their views” or just “sound off”. You can limit calling to specific times during the day or week.
6. Target Residential Communities With A Club House
   Use USPS mail carrier routes to target communities with a club house. Contact the homeowner or condo association and ask if you can use the facilities for a mini town hall meeting exclusively for their residents.