The 2021 Western Australian state election is 2 months away – so if you’re a candidate promoting yourself to your electorate, it’s more crucial than ever to prepare your election mail strategy.
Above all, you’ll want to stay top of mind by sending your message with the right medium. In saying that, here are our top 5 tips for effective direct mail communications:
#1 Select your mailing method
When it comes to mailing methods, there are two main types:
- Addressed Mail – This type of mail which is specifically sent out with a voter’s name on it. While more costly and time-consuming, it builds more trust with your audience while getting all important information across.
- Unaddressed Mail – As its name suggests, unaddressed mail refers to mail sent to voters in specific suburbs. As no specific addresses are targeted, this method is more cost-efficient.
#2 Master plan your mail program
Organisation is everything! Define your target audience and segment them accordingly. This would refer to suburbs for unaddressed mail, and targeted lists for addressed mail.
Secondly, you need to decide how many pieces will be sent out and when. You can create a schedule by making your backwards from the election date – keeping in mind that direct mail generally has a shelf life of 5 days. Repetition and reinforcement is key, so consider sending multiple pieces to voters with the same message, but presented in a new creative way each time.
#3 Optimise your mail layout
The design of your mail pieces needs to be clean, concise and engaging. You only have a few seconds to capture your audience’s attention. The general guidelines to follow include:
- Sizing – DL postcards, A4 flyers and A5 flyers
- Use of photos and graphics – to convey information quicker in a more appealing way
- Use of an effective headline
- Consistent font choice
- Font size – no smaller than 12pt
- Required details – such as disclaimer information and contact details like your website, phone and email address
- A resounding call-to-action
#4 Keep on schedule
Timing is an equally important factor as anything in your campaign.
As the period before election day begins to rolls around, your mail should already be making its way across voters’ letterboxes. Refer to your schedule and consider printing overruns if necessary.
Either way, the right timing ensures your mail pieces don’t get lost amongst other mail. If you are opting for unaddressed mail, there are timelines and lodgement dates you need to be aware of – which you will need to consult your mail house about.
#5 Staying on top of costs
One of the pitfalls of your election mail strategy may be forgetting to get a full grasp on costs. To stay on budget, we recommend larger print runs which would in turn lower prices. Some mail houses may also be able to reduced postage rates; all you have to do is ask.
Lastly, even if you are confident with your finalised mail piece, be sure to fact check and proofread it a million times over! Getting a fresh set of eyes to approve your copy is key – so you don’t run the risk of letting careless mistakes go to print. The difference between one word can jeopardise your entire campaign, so take heed!
