In an election year, getting a candidate’s name out in the community is key, making the benefits of political yard signs something every politician should know. Whether you are a seasoned politician or are new to campaigning, to make yard signs work for you, enlist the help of a reputable and experienced printing company to take your brand from concept to reality.
Yard Sign Design Can Determine Effectiveness
The benefits of political yard signs can depend heavily on the design of the sign. Six determining factors in the effectiveness of a yard sign include:
- Simplicity. Candidates have much to say about the office they are running for, their platforms and vision, and even what party they are with. However, it is a mistake to try to include all of this information on a yard sign. Doing so would create a crowded sign that will no longer be readable at a glance, which defeats the purpose of this campaigning tool.
- Readability. Campaign teams must remember that yard signs are designed to be read quickly and at a distance. Most people are driving by these signs at a minimum of twenty miles per hour, which requires the messaging to be simple and bold in terms of font and font size.
- Color. Choose a background color for the sign that goes with the brand’s color scheme and enhances the font color you have chosen. They should complement each other rather than compete for attention.
- Focal point. Make the candidate’s name the focal point of the sign. The most important part of a yard sign is the candidate’s name, so it should stand out. This can be done with both font and font size, but also remember that including too many graphics or additional words will take away from the sign’s clarity.
- Position. Include the position or office the candidate seeks. While the name should be the focal point of the sign, candidates may also want to include the office for which they are running. This is particularly helpful if there is another candidate with the same first or last name that is running in the same race or a separate simultaneous race.
- Uniqueness. Keeping all of the above in mind, it is essential to make your sign stand out from the rest. This can be done through font, font size, font color, background color, and graphics. It may be wise to ensure that your branding and signage look significantly different from competitors’ who are in the same election cycle to keep constituents from getting confused.
Whether for a yard sign or other political printing tools, it is critical for a candidate’s branding to be consistent across all mediums. One of the best ways to ensure this is to work with a professional printing company with experience in political campaigns. These experts can help candidates design their branding and logo from the ground up and use Pantone Matching System colors for easy and exact replication.
The Benefits of Political Yard Signs
The benefits of political yard signs can be abundant when care and expertise are used to create just the right look. But the work is not over yet. Creating the yard sign is the first step and getting them out into the community is the second. Once the signs are in place, it requires little to no upkeep (other than removing signs from public places and roadways after the election is over), and these signs will keep candidates’ names visible for the duration.
Some benefits of designing and using yard signs in a political campaign include:
- The signs can be distributed and showcased specifically within constituents’ voting boundaries. Be sure to concentrate the signs in this area so the people voting for your position become familiar with your name and brand.
- Yard signs can go out early. The earlier a campaign puts signs out into neighborhood yards (with permission of course), the sooner passersby will see them daily, and it can increase the odds of recall when those same people cast their ballots on election day.
- People who want yard signs can come to you. So much of election work is done on a grassroots level with boots on the ground, but with a simple social media post or advertisement, campaigns can let supporters know how to get a yard sign.
- It is possible to canvas an entire neighborhood. A candidate’s name could potentially be on almost every street via neighborhood yards if granted permission. The practice may be just as effective, if not more so, than posting on social media platforms or paying for digital advertising.
- Yard signs lend themselves to roadside advertising. While it is important to first make sure the campaign is abiding by city and state laws, some areas may allow candidates to place signs at high-traffic intersections or heavily traveled roadways for increased visibility.
- Political yard signs might help you gain more percentage points and votes on election day. Some studies have shown that well-designed and frequently displayed signs could potentially give candidates the proverbial leg up on election day when every vote counts.
- These signs can help a candidate stand out, especially in crowded races. When five or more candidates are running for the same office and the voting location is overwhelmed with signs of every shape and color, voters may remember the signs that were visible in their own neighborhood leading up to the election.
- If you run out, it can be easy to start up production again with the help of a printer that has experience with political yard signs and can offer a fast turnaround.
If you plan to run for office or are working on a campaign for an established candidate, consider the benefits of political yard signs now and make them a part of your strategy to win. Just be sure to work with a reputable printing company with experience in political yard signs.
