Stop wasting your campaign dollars

In today’s data-driven world, there is no excuse for wasting money in political advertising. We know who we need to talk to and how we need to message them. Campaigns need to be spending now, and they need to spend smart.
 
North Carolina was the first state to mail ballots to voters, already sending more than 760,000 ballots to homes across the state. Voters are making their decisions earlier than ever.  If you have the money for multiple flights of advertising, it is more important than ever to start early- start now. Waiting any longer runs the risk of never contacting thousands of voters who are already sending their ballots in.  
 
Even more important, though, is not wasting your money trying to talk to every voter. Smart, data-driven campaigns will work to talk to the small number of persuadable voters across the state and to those they need to get out their vote. Casting too wide of a net wastes financial resources in a time where donor dollars are even harder to come by. 
 
How else can campaigns stop wasting precious financial resources? Make sure they are talking to the right voters on the right platform. There are several means for reaching voters: digital, mobile, mail, TV, etc.  Focusing on the platforms that allow direct voter contact give campaigns the best bang for the buck. Campaigns should focus their resources on platforms like direct mail, Facebook, connect3ed televisions and online video pre-roll—those formats that allow for refined targeting to make sure that you are reaching the people you need to reach.
 
Campaigns are always tough. There is never enough time or money to get everything done that you need to. That’s why, especially this year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that campaigns be excellent stewards of their donor dollars. In today’s day and age of data-driven political advertising, there is no excuse for unnecessary spending, and with the pandemic and increase in vote by mail, there is no time to waste in getting those ads up.
 
 
Patrick Sebastian is a State Strategist for Majority Strategies, a full-service data, digital, and print firm that specializes in influencing the opinion and behavior of voters, constituents, and consumers.