It is true, junk mail stinks. It is also true that politicians…have to use political mail.

When running a sound, effective and thorough campaign, politicians need the mail system to spread their message. Word of mouth is good for creating buzz, yard signs only let people know you are running for office and websites only work if people know where to find you. A good mail piece—palm card or postcard—can accomplish all of this.

So, if you plan to run for office, you should send out mail. Fortunately, a campaign can create a mailer that voters will read. There are just a few simple things you need to know.

Postcards, palm cards, and brochures, oh my!

Each of these pieces can be used for different purposes, or to accomplish the same thing. For instance, a postcard can be used to send through the mail and as walking pieces. Brochures are most effective as handouts, but are easily stuffed in with other items you are packaging together. Palm cards, often called rack cards or walking cards, are great for door-to-door easy reading and can be placed in envelopes for mailing.

So, when having a piece, or pieces, created, first decide how you plan to use them. Also, do your research and check prices for tri-fold brochures, 4"x9" palm cards, and 4"x6" postcards. Don’t forget to factor in postage and handling, which will run between $.26 and $.33 per mail piece. Create a budget and a strategy. You will need to know how many voters you need to reach, how many households you can visit, and how much all of this is going to cost.

Fellow Citizens, Lend Me Your Eyes.

The tricky part is getting voters to read what you have spent your money and time on creating. You have probably noticed that most political mailers all look like they came from the same designer and printer. Admittedly, when describing a political platform, it can be difficult to be uniquely shocking and get your message across effectively at the same time. But, there are ways:

1. Use images and photos of you with famous or well-known people—the Governor or a local hero

2. Incorporate a tag line or slogan that creates a double-take: "These aren’t your Daddy’s Politics"

3. Include a call to action—"Vote Your Gut, Vote for Gus on November 3rd"

Limit the images to one per side and keep your text to a minimum. Voters have to be able to read the piece in under 90 seconds, closer to 60 seconds works well.

Go Professional or Go Home

Your kids may think you draw the best farm animals and build the best solar system models, but when it comes to designing political mailers for adults, use a professional. There are firms out there that do these pieces daily. Also, look for a political marketing company, like, that will design, print and mail your pieces for you. The best deals will come from places like this. These places will offer helpful advice and catch things that you may have missed, like leaving space for addressing, image quality and remembering to include your political disclaimer.

Believe it or not, your campaign can be won by the quality of your products and the image you project. Make smart decisions, choose the right pieces and include the content voters needs to know. Think fresh and informative, but remember to be brief and concise.

Now that you have gone postal…Good Luck!