By
Sarah Harris
Voters still respond to direct mail campaigns even as everything seems to be going digital. Political candidates need to reach people who will never click on a website link or accept an unsolicited phone call, and a campaign postcard can do just that. The power of physically holding a postcard is still tremendous.
If you’re considering printing political postcards as part of an election campaign, remember that the most important thing is name recognition. Often, people will vote for a name just because it’s one they recognize, so if they pick your name because you sent out campaign postcards to their address, that’s money well spent.
Tips for Creating the Best Political Postcards
If you’re going to get the most bang for your buck, your postcard mailer design and copy must make an impact in the voter’s mind fast. Understand what you want to say and how to make it memorable.
Fine-Tune Your Messaging
Political postcards must carry messages voters care about. To put it more bluntly, it’s about what you’ll do for them, not what they’ll do for you.
If you’re seeking funds, tell them what you’re going to do with those funds, not just that you need them. Answer the question of how you’ll improve their lives with those funds. If the purpose of the card is to gain their vote, think of why they should care that you want it.
Also, have an idea of who you’re sending the postcards to. Be it the elderly, new voters, people in your party or people across the aisle, your message needs to communicate at the level of the recipient.
Craft Creative Copy
Use a few words but use them well. Be clear and direct. A campaign message of, “If you want to vote for me, I might…” won’t elicit a positive response — or any response at all.
Instead, use language that exudes confidence: “Vote for me, and I will… .” Political postcards aren’t a space for ambiguity and soft-selling. When a recipient receives your political postcard and glances at it for a few seconds, what is it going to say that will move them to action?
Use a Unique Design
Though you can use a political mailer template, it needs to be modified to look unique. Voters can spot laziness, and in this era of social media, it only takes one person to determine that your postcard was rushed to print to make you look like you don’t take your campaign seriously.
Your postcard will be mailed alongside other candidates’ postcards, so you must consider how yours will stand out. Red, white and blue are indeed patriotic, but they’re common, while an eclectic blend of black, yellow, orange and green isn’t. Understand how you’ll work color into your design to make your postcards the ones that make voters take notice.
Choose the Sizing
Do some research on what your opponents use, if they use postcards at all, and use a different size. The outreach part of your campaign is about gaining attention. If costs are a concern, you can opt for the smallest size, but your design will have to be that much better.
4” x 6”
These are what are known as small postcards. They’re the cheapest to send because they can be sent through the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) First-Class mail. Because of their small size, the focus should be on name recognition and standout graphic design. Walls of text are a definite no-go here.
5” x 7”
These medium dimensions put you out of first-class mail pricing, but it does make your postcard more noticeable. If your opponents are running 4” x 6” cards, a larger card will make your campaign seem like it’s got a bit more to spend on gaining the recipient’s vote.
6” x 9”
If you really want to expound on your background or cover some hot-button issues, a larger size such as this gives you a spacious canvas for both graphics and text.
Choose the Cardstock
Your choice of cardstock will affect more than just the price of your postcard campaign. It will also communicate to the recipient whether you felt postcards were worth spending money on in the first place.
10-point cardstock
Despite it being the thinnest cardstock, 10-point cardstock is still plenty strong, and it can be coated to make it resistant to scratches while offering the finish you want, be it matte, gloss or vibrant.
14-point cardstock
If you’re concerned about your postcards getting damaged, it’s worth stepping up to 14-point cardstock, which is better at fighting folds and bends.
16-point cardstock
With 16-point cardstock, you’re getting to the really strong stuff. You can protect it even further with a coating.
17-point cardstock
If you want to give an air of luxury that will appeal to wealthier voters, 17-point cardstock is the size to use, as it is the most durable cardstock you can get.
How to Print Political Postcards
If you want your postcard campaign to be successful, you’ll need a printing partner you can trust. Print Bind Ship helps political candidates around the country with high-quality mailers that get results.
Step 1: Finalize Your Design
Once you nail down the specifics of your design, you can send it to Print Bind Ship for printing. Even if you’re unsure of how to make a compelling postcard, our design staff can provide you with templates or work with you on creating a design you’ll love.
Step 2: Choose Your Political Postcard Features
Next, choose the size and cardstock for your postcard. You can mix and match both parameters however you like.
Step 3: Send Your Files to Print Bind Ship
Once we have your files, we’ll get to work. You can trust Print Bind Ship to make sure every postcard is printed to a high standard. If there are any issues with your design or file, we’ll help you make sure they get fixed before printing.
Step 4: Mail Your Political Postcards
Once your cards are printed, we’ll make sure they get delivered to every household you designate. It’s that simple.
Vote for Print Bind Ship to be Your Printing Partner
As a full-service third-party logistics (3PL) provider, Print Bind Ship knows how to make and send postcards that get attention. We know your mail campaign is more than just a matter of sending some postcards to a few houses — you’re trying to generate support for an election! Don’t trust that job to just any printer; go with the 3PL with a proven track record. Contact Print Bind Ship today!
FAQ
Be clear and concise. State what you are going to do for the voter and emphasize remembering your name at the polls.
There’s no specific time, but multiple times in advance of the election date to hammer your name into voters’ minds is essential.
While it’s more cost-effective than many other traditional forms of advertising, the cost varies depending on the number of recipients, delivery dates, postcard size and cardstock thickness. Expect to pay between 10 cents to $1 per card.