Political campaigns are costly regardless of the position you are running for. Over the years this cost has been rising and this is why politicians have started looking for ways to raise additional funds. Raising all the money a politician needs can seem daunting, but there are various ways they can do so, and we are going to look at some of them below.
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Direct Mail Fundraising
Direct mail fundraising uses traditional mail or printed materials to direct people to a donation page. It also encourages people to donate by mail. Direct mail fundraising works very well for older constituents and voters who may not be familiar with online donations. Direct mail fundraising also provides politicians with the opportunity to explain why they are running for office, their positions on important issues, their platform and so much more.
Selling Campaign T-Shirts and Other Items
If you have a large group of supporters, you can raise a lot of money selling things like t-shirts, hats, socks, and more. Everyone loves comfortable attire and showing their support for their favorite candidate. You can hire a graphics designer to create amazing designs and then work with a wholesaler for the logistics. The best part of all this is that your supporters will be campaigning for you every time they put on their t-shirts and other campaign apparel.
SMS Messaging and Fundraising
SMS messaging and fundraising can be an important tool for political campaigns and politicians, especially at a time when they can go out to openly ask for or collect donations. One of the ways messaging is used to fundraise is when a person opts in to have the donation amount added to their monthly phone bill. This way they do not have to think about it since they automatically donate every month for a given period, until the elections are over or until they opt out.
The other way is SMS fundraising. This is where candidates send a message asking people to opt in. Once they do, they are sent an SMS with a donation link. They can follow the link, enter their payment and other details, and donate that way. Because of how effective it has become, political and Super PAC SMS fundraising is now being used by almost all candidates and parties.
To set up Super PAC SMS fundraising, you can use software like Tatango. Tatango is an SMS marketing software that provides targeted messaging and a 99% open rate. It also integrates various donation options to help politicians not only raise funds, but also track their donations and have all the data they need.
Start a Social Media Campaign
The first way to use social media to raise funds is by creating a hashtag or topic that tells people to donate. Answer all the questions in there and provide links for where to donate and instructions on how to do so.
The second way is using social proof to create fundraising momentum. Encourage those who donate to share the reason they do on social media and then ask people to share their posts. If people see others donating, they are more likely to donate themselves.
Political fundraising comes down to reaching the right people, connecting with, and making donating an easy and fun experience. With the tips above, politicians and volunteers can reach their fundraising goals and have a positive experience doing it.
