It’s the high stakes summer of midterm elections so the heat is on to take advantage of political mail. Control of both chambers of Congress and dozens of governorships and state offices are on the line this year. It’s not too late to encourage candidates to fast track a direct mail campaign to raise awareness and win the vote.
$9 billion is projected to be spent on political advertising during this midterm cycle, which is more than double the amount spent in 2018. Besides TV, more money was spent on direct mail in the last election cycle than any other place. What does this mean for you as a printer? Political mail isn’t cooling off, it’s heating up! We’ll explain why it’s still one of the most powerful ways to share accurate campaign messages with voters; and therefore, how to secure your sizzling slice of this political pizza pie.
Reason #1: The Power of the Handshake
Candidates hope to score votes by being relatable. Shaking hands, kissing babies, rolling up sleeves and becoming a candidate of the people. The second-best thing to a far-reaching trek on the campaign trail to meet voters in person, is to essentially shake their hands with a directly mailed political postcard. The history of the handshake began as a symbol of good faith when making an oath or promise, showing that their word was a sacred bond. Delivering a well-designed campaign message into mailboxes reaches the hands of voters via this tried and tested marketing method that has stood the test of time.
Reason #2: The Power of Trust
With the proliferation of “fake news” on the internet, voters look to offline sources for information when it comes to political candidates. Being able to easily identify and attribute the source of the information will continue to bolster the credibility of direct mail, cementing its position as a trusted source of information used by voters. According to a recent USPS study, 70% of voters said that they would trust mail about a candidate’s background, stance on issues, and legislative record. Direct mail continues to be one of the most effective forms of marketing and at a time when voter skepticism and mistrust of advertising are at an all-time high, political mail is more important now than ever before.
Reason #3: The Power of Persistence
Consistency, repetition, persistence; these are the building blocks to one of the most important pillars of a successful political campaign. As a purely psychological function, familiarity breeds trust; even if it is just recognizing a name. Direct mail can be valuable in helping reinforce campaign messaging that’s communicated through TV, digital, and social advertising. The ability to target very specific groups of people based on geography, demographic characteristics, party affiliation, and age makes direct mail a great way to efficiently and effectively achieve this repetition through a trusted communication channel.
Reason #4: The Power of Digital Integration
According to the 2021 USPS & American Association of Political Consultants whitepaper two in three Americans say the mail they received during the 2020 election cycle reinforced information they saw in TV or online ads. Utilizing a seamless omnichannel campaign comprised of direct mail and digital can deploy the perfect mix to engage the voter, reinforce a trusted marketing channel and nurture them all the way to the polls.
Omni-channel marketing gives voters a consistent campaign experience and should be included in all political strategies for maximum impact. We’ve already mentioned TV, digital, and social, but there are more opportunities within those channels to extend a candidate’s reach even further. District Targeting is a geographical target within voting districts on both Google and social media, identifying the highest probable voters by congressional district code, age, and gender. The political landscape can change in an instant. Digital ads can change virtually immediately when a message needs to go out quickly to reach direct mail recipients who were previously engaged to ensure they aren’t swayed by the last mudslinging effort.
So how do you offer your political clients more? Political Power Up is an omni-channel marketing solution that is designed to seamlessly track the effectiveness of your client’s direct mail while enhancing results through digital integration on marketing platforms including Google, social media, Discovery Feeds, Informed Delivery, YouTube and more.
To learn more about Political Power Up, please contact DirectMail2.0 at sales@dm20.com.
