Political printing is a critical campaign support, as it can reach voters wherever they are. And wherever they are, political printing can drive name recognition and persuasion. The challenge is determining what political printing initiatives to invest in. Most political campaigns have to operate within budgetary and manpower restrictions, so it’s important to maximize impact with your political printing.
What political printing initiatives make the biggest impact?
There are many ways to allocate your campaign’s political printing budget, but the options that maximize your impact include:
- Direct mailers: Direct mailers remain one of the most effective forms of political printing, for several reasons. They can be geographically or demographically targeted, or targeted based on voting history/party affiliation. As such, mailers are extremely precise and can be used to either inform or motivate voters to the polls. Research shows that people trust print more than digital, so direct mailers are a proven way to get high-trust messaging in front of voters.
Direct mailers can be formatted in several ways. They can be printed as postcards with at-a-glance information on your candidate or their issues. Direct mailers can be formatted as issue-focused documents (like brochures) or as comparison pieces to differentiate your candidate. Direct mailers can also include voting reminders to facilitate get-out-the-vote initiatives.
- Yard signs: Yard signs are a must-have part of any political printing strategy, as they are extremely effective at improving visibility and name recognition for candidates. On their own, they aren’t effective at changing minds or convincing people to vote. However, yard signs generate strong name recognition and build the perception that your candidate is receiving strong community support. They’re momentum builders, in other words. And in campaigns where name recognition is essential, yard signs are essential. This includes local and municipal political races, school board campaigns and ballot initiatives.
- Door hangers: Door hangers are similar to direct mailers in purpose and impact, as they reach voters without the need for direct contact. They can also be demographically or geographically targeted, ensuring your political printing campaign delivers maximum impact. Even better, door hangers are among the most cost efficient political printing initiatives, so campaigns can stretch their budgets further with them in the mix.
Door hangers are best for local campaigns and to facilitate neighborhood-level outreach. They’re also effective for get-out-the-vote (GOTV) strategies, as they can provide reminders or galvanize loyal voters by detailing issues.
- Push cards: Push cards are a popular takeaway for political campaigns, as they can be handed out while canvassing, at community meetings, at campaign rallies and at other events. They’re effective for introducing a candidate to the public and for establishing the candidate’s position on various issues. Push cards can also be used to recruit volunteers and solicit campaign donations if framed properly.
- Large format signs and banners: Large format signs are a powerful medium for getting attention, as they’re particularly effective at drawing eyes wherever they are installed. As such, they are an awareness tool and a good option for building name recognition, especially in high-traffic corridors.
Large format signs and banners are available in several forms, including roadside signs, fence wraps and banners for buildings.
What should campaigns prioritize in their political printing partner?
If your candidate is in the thick of a political race, a political printing partner can give your campaign a valuable edge. You’ll need a printing partner, though, that can meet the dynamic nature of a political race. That means prioritizing the following:
- An expanded range of political printing products: Ideally, you’ll only have to work with a single political partner to execute all of your expected campaign initiatives. This keeps everything efficient and streamlined. To ensure you can keep everything in one shop, pick a printer that can develop a full range of campaign products. This includes direct mailers, yard signs, push cards, banners, signage, buttons and apparel.
- Experience supporting political campaigns: Political printing campaigns are unlike any other print job, as expanded volumes are expected and things can change quickly, like event schedules. If your print partner has experience working with political campaigns, they will be better prepared for the natural ups, downs and zig-zags that come with every political contest.
In particular, your political printing team should have extensive experience managing direct mailer initiatives. Direct mailer campaigns require voter list integration, postal sorting and presorting, variable data printing (VDP), addressing/personalization and tracking services. That’s too much to expect out of a printing partner without political campaign experience.
- Proven timeliness and deadline reliability: Election deadlines don’t move for the printer, so there’s no room for error with deadlines or bad printing runs. Your partner, then, will need a history of strong deadline compliance. Further, your printing partner should be able to handle rush orders, scale production as needed, provide clear turnaround times and be a proactive communicator if there are any deadline-related concerns.
- Consistent, vibrant printing quality: Consistent quality is a must with your political printing partner. They should be able to deliver accurate colors and sharp text without issue. A reputable print shop should have well-established quality control and production processes in place, and they should be able to execute those processes on durable materials.
- Security and scalability: Political printing involves handling sensitive data, including voter files. Access to these files must be limited and secure, and your political printing partner must account for this.
Scalability is also an important feature for political printing experts, as output varies greatly depending on what stage the campaign is in. At the campaign’s outset, print orders may be small. As the campaign moves toward the finish line, GOTV initiatives may place extreme demands on the printer that they have to adapt to. Your print partner must have the equipment and expertise in house to drive this scalability when it is needed.
Political printing services are a vital campaign support
No matter what office you’re running for, you’ll need to get the word out and convince voters. That’s where political printing comes in. An expert political printer can deliver a full range of print products, including direct mailers, door hangers, large signage, banners, yard signs, push cards, apparel and more. And they can deliver on this while adhering to tight deadlines and quality standards. Look for a political printing partner who has a history of working with political campaigns, and one that has the means to scale as the campaign dynamics develop.
Politics is a communication game. A political printer ensures your communications are compelling and on message.
Carroll Printing & Promotions handles union and political printing for campaigns in Houston and nationwide. Call 713-228-9331 or request a quote to get started.
FAQ’s for Political Printing
Q: What political printing products have the biggest impact on a campaign?
A: Direct mailers, yard signs, door hangers, push cards, and large format signs and banners. Direct mailers are the most precise, since they can be targeted geographically, demographically or by voting history. Yard signs and large format signs build name recognition, door hangers support neighborhood-level outreach and GOTV, and push cards work as a takeaway while canvassing.
Q: Why are direct mailers so effective in political printing?
A: They can be targeted by geography, demographics, voting history or party affiliation, and research shows people trust print more than digital. They can also be formatted several ways, including postcards, issue-focused brochures, comparison pieces and voting reminders.
Q: What should a campaign look for in a political printing partner?
A: A full range of campaign products in one shop, direct experience with political campaigns, a record of meeting deadlines and handling rush orders, consistent print quality, and secure handling of sensitive data such as voter files. Scalability matters too, since print volumes rise sharply as get-out-the-vote efforts ramp up.
