Election season is almost here, and to get a candidate’s message heard, political campaign printing services are key. Printed materials aren’t just marketing tools; they are an effective way to share your vision and platform for the office for which you are running. The messaging provides an opportunity to capture the hearts and minds of potential voters in a medium that stands out from the message saturation found in digital platforms.
Political campaign printing is your key to creating a strong and informed network of family, friends, supporters, and voters. However, before you hit the ground running, there are a few things you need to know.
9 Political Campaign Printing Services Needed for Success
Gone are the days when a professional printer’s job was limited to copying flyers. Today’s printing companies can be a one stop shop for political candidates, providing services that range from design conception to signage and merchandise.
Here are 9 political campaign printing services candidates need for success:
- Selecting the Right Printing Company
Individuals running for office find that printed materials are becoming a cornerstone for gaining recognition and getting their message heard. This is why the company you choose for your campaign printing services matters.
Look for a printer who has years of campaign printing experience because they will already know what works well and what does not. They also understand the importance of using American-made products since those products are a direct reflection of the candidate’s values.
Relying on social media to carry a campaign is a mistake that could cost you a chance to serve in office. While social platforms are frequently popular with younger voters, they also have the power to alienate older voters. In addition to missing an entire demographic, using a purely social strategy comes with other risks. Online media is so heavily saturated with digital messages that it can make it that much harder for one to stand out, much less be remembered.
Enter printed campaign materials. With a surge in online advertising and marketing, snail mail has become more sparse, which means direct mail campaigns is an effective method once again. Printed materials delivered to a mailbox do not have to compete with as much messaging as they would online. In many households, mail may sit on the counter for a few days until there is time to open it. This means that a person could be walking past your letter, push card, or mailer up to several times a day, which can reinforce awareness of your candidacy.
Designing Effective Campaign Materials
Designing a logo is a critical step in creating a logo that is simple, legible, and formatted in a way that lends itself to other print mediums. A professional campaign printer knows that an effective logo is simple in color, text and formatting, and that the images must be of excellent quality even when reproduced on other mediums. Reputable printing companies understand the importance of using the Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors to keep a logo’s appearance consistent, regardless of how it is used.
Aligning with the right printer before you develop a campaign logo can save candidates both time and headaches down the road when they expand their community outreach with additional printed campaign materials.
Letterhead and Thank You Cards
It is essential that a person opening up any type of printed communication from you instantly see the campaign logo and slogan to lay the foundation for brand recognition. Whether sending a personalized letter to a voter or a proclamation to supporters, letterhead adds a degree of credibility and professionalism.
While envelopes are essential for letterhead, it is optional to put the campaign logo on the envelope as well. Although it will come as an extra expense, this is an added opportunity to create campaign awareness.
Saying thank you has become a lost art, which is why when voters hear it, it leaves a lasting impression. Be sure to take advantage of adding your campaign logo to official thank you cards and envelopes to remind your constituents and donors how much you personally appreciate their support.
If you are utilizing postcards, brochures, door hangers or mailers, be sure to include the same logo and graphics that you display in other literature, such as letterhead and thank you notes. This keeps the message consistent.
- Push Cards
Push cards are the printed version of a candidate’s elevator speech. These two-sided marketing handouts are usually glossy, colorful, and concise. The cards typically feature brief talking points of a candidate’s platform, their logo, and the URL for their website. The best and most effective push cards give the recipient a call to action.
People running for office often order these by the hundreds so they can hand them out to voters at political rallies and speaking engagements. The relatively small size of push cards makes them handy and portable promotional items.
- Campaign Buttons
Campaign buttons can be worn on a shirt, jacket or lapel, making it easy for others to spread your campaign message. Not only campaign buttons create awareness simply by being prominently worn, but they are also reusable, and a relatively budget friendly item as far as political campaign printing goes. Candidates can hand these out to families, friends, and supporters to help spread the word of their candidacy.
While stickers can be used in much the same way, they are not reusable and could be less cost effective if it is difficult to fit the logo on a much smaller surface area.
- Banners
Wall banners and pop-up banners are widely used among political candidates. Both of these options are portable and reusable, which makes them a smart investment for recognition that can also be used as a photo opportunity with supporters.
Pop-up banners are normally tall and narrow and have fantastic social media applications. A candidate can take a picture with someone in front of the banner which then serves as the background for the picture that is added to social media.
Wall banners are large and wide, and as their name would suggest, they are made to hang on a wall or stage and serve as a tool for awareness for a political candidate. If made from waterproof materials, wall banners may also be used at outdoor events such as parades.
Campaign Shirts and Yard Sign Merchandise
People who wear campaign shirts become walking advertisements for a candidate virtually everywhere they go. For this reason, t-shirts and polos can be great investments. Shirts are generally provided to the campaign team, volunteers, and supporters. Whether a silkscreened t-shirt or an embroidered polo is your campaign shirt of choice, both accomplish the same objective.
Yard signs can be instrumental in creating neighborhood recognition of your candidacy. By providing supporters with these signs to display in their yard or windows, it is successful at getting the message out about your campaign and increases the chances that people will remember your name when they go to the polls to vote.
- Managing Printing Budgets
Professional printers who offer campaign packages should have a wide variety of options to choose from so that the right match can be found for a candidate’s budget. Reputable printers can make recommendations about the best low, middle, and high budget items to invest in to cultivate success on the campaign trail.
By being forthcoming with a printing company in the beginning about your campaign goals and budget, these professionals can help you choose the printed materials that will best serve those interests.
Whether you are running for office or are coordinating advocacy efforts for a candidate, political campaign printing can help increase the odds of a win when executed effectively.
