Tips for Writing Political Fundraising Direct Mail that Works

Political Direct Mail Fundraising

The country’s political race is gaining steam as the top candidates begin to further separate themselves from the pack. These politicians have endured months of campaigning, and the selections from each party still have months more campaigning ahead of them. None of their runs to presidency would be possible without capital to run their campaigns, and direct mail fundraising is a huge part of how that capital is raised.

The message each candidate is spreading depends on their ability to stay on the road and travel state to state. And while big donors can be forged through networking, the foundation of any campaign is small and medium sized donors showing enough support with their resources to fund candidates long run through to potentially winning an election.

Political direct mail fundraising offers candidates the perfect medium for reaching these potential donors. Their message needs to be communicated, and it must resonate with these donors if there is any chance of them offering financial support.

Tips to Design Political Fundraising Direct Mail

Recognizing the importance of direct mail in political fundraising is just a small part of the battle. You must now go out and design content pieces that speak to your donors and supporters so they clearly understand your vision and are motivated enough to want to take part.

While candidates should have their own unique messaging, there are some aspects of political direct mail pieces that should be consistent. For example, you must consider that there are two types of people reading this mail: scanners and readers. You must be able to create content suited to each in order to capture a wide body of support.

Types of Political Fundraising Direct Mail Recipients

The 10 Second Club: This is unfortunately the category most readers fall under. They will receive your mail and immediately walk to the trash can or recycling bin to toss it out. Not much you can do about this group.
Readers: You have to be grateful for these individuals. They read through your entire mailing, looking at headlines and analyzing the contents of the copy to really get in tune with the messaging. These are potential homeruns, people who are incredibly interested in your work or older seniors who are geared more towards physical mail than any other format.
The Skimmers: This group has potential, as well. They skim through each mail piece on their way to the recycling, but if something catches their eye in the 20-30 seconds prior to throwing it out, then they will keep the piece a bit longer. A lot of times this group is simply skimming so they don’t miss anything important, but it shows the importance of creating direct mail designs that stand out.

Design Fundraising Direct Mail for Both Scanner and Readers

Knowing the balance of your targets, you have very little time to capture their attention. You need captivating headlines, bolded phrases, and bullet points that can be read in the 20 or 30 seconds until your mail ends up in the trash. It seems a bit intimidating, but this is the reality and if you focus on creating engaging mailers, your percentage of donors will certainly increase.

APS Fulfillment, Inc. helps political candidates with direct mail fundraising. We know the power of direct mail and know how effective it can be in motivating targets to donate. Contact us by phone at 954-582-7450 or by email at info@apsfulfillment.com to learn more about our direct mail services.