It’s no secret that campaigns are focused on getting their voters to the polls this November. As National Lead for U.S. Postal Service® Political Mail Outreach efforts, I spent the last few months traveling across the country speaking with campaign leaders about their get-out-the-vote efforts.
Below, I’ve outlined a few ways in which political mail can play a critical role in getting out the vote.
1. Start Your GOTV Mail Campaign Early
You may have already started your GOTV effort. That’s great because starting early is always better. This is especially important for early voting and vote-by-mail states. Political mail plays a critical role in helping voters decide how to vote, as reinforced in our recent survey in the state of Virginia – and this includes Millennial voters. Fifty-five percent of younger voters said they found mail helpful in making their voting decision.
2. Create Mail That is Memorable
Simplicity is important. Don’t try to squeeze too many ideas into a single mail piece. Can you get your primary idea across in 10 seconds or less? That should be your goal. Compelling photographs can also create a strong emotional connection with voters.
Be creative with mail. Some campaigns create pieces that look like handwritten notes, while others use texture or scent for added effect. Consider using the Informed Delivery® feature from the Postal Service™, which allows campaigns to include a “ride-along” image in an email notification in addition to the image of the physical mail piece.
3. Mail Can be Nimble and Responsive
Late in the season when candidates need to respond to surprises, mail can help campaigns be responsive and persuasive. Television and radio ad spots are often booked months in advance, so mail paired with text, email, and good old-fashioned canvassing can be effective in your response.
Using mail and segmenting your audiences based on key issues creates experiences that are more personal for voters. In fact, 8 out of 10 registered voters are most interested in receiving mail that addresses a candidate’s position on the issues, according to our Voters and Mail: 5 Insights whitepaper.
4. Build Trust with Voters
While traveling around the country, I’ve noticed that campaigns are responding to emotional voter issues in a way that didn’t occur in past elections. Campaigns can cut through those emotional voter issues by building trust, and mail can play a critical role in building that trust and credibility with voters. In fact, as reinforced in our Virginia Election survey, mail is the most credible form of political outreach, beating out TV ads, radio, email and digital.
The Postal Service is committed to helping campaigns Deliver The Win™. If you would like to talk to a direct mail specialist, please contact us directly or visit us at www.deliverthewin.com.