Haidan DongThis is the second article in our series 4 Steps to Successful Election Print Sales. In our last article, we covered Finding Prospects. In this article, we will focus on matching products to customer needs. This includes two main components:
- Identifying client needs
- Most popular campaign products and the needs that they meet
We’ll then provide some examples of buyer personas and their needs.
Identifying Client Print Needs
The obvious goal of an election candidate is to win the office that they are running for. Candidates have different strategies to reach this goal. A strategy can be broken down into various tasks. Within these tasks, you’ll find the print products that they need. The diagram below shows this.
To find out what a client’s needs are, it’s best to just ask them, but keep in mind that they may need a little help. For example, they may know that organizing a student rally requires a banner, but they don’t realize that stickers also make an effective promotional item for the event. Therefore, knowing why is important to cross-selling other products that bring them value.
Most Popular Election Print Products
Coroplast Signs
Coroplast signs are one of the most essential election print products because just about every candidate buys them. These high visibility signs make the candidate’s name familiar among voters, demonstrates their campaigning effort, and shows their popularity.
If you’re going to advise a client is invest more in one particular print item, coroplast signs are a top choice.
Postcards
Postcards are able to meet client needs mainly because they can be distributed in many ways. The most common methods are by hand at events or sent as direct mail. They also meet a candidate’s need to personalize their message.
Some third party advertisers and business trying to take advantage of election season will want to buy postcards too.
Door Hangers
Door hangers play a unique role in canvassing (door-to-door campaigns). For homes where nobody has answered the door, door hangers become absolutely essential to leaving important information. No other print product can be as suitable for this task as a door hanger can – after all, that’s where the name comes from.
As Election Day draws closer, door hangers are also an effective reminder to vote, and sometimes the difference between a candidate winning or losing is the Election Day turnout.
Stickers/Roll Labels
Stickers are excellent print items to distribute at events such as rallies or fundraisers. They popularize a simple message or slogan. Candidates who stand for a particular side of an issue can use this strategy to win voters by using stickers to position themselves as a champion for a cause.
They also show a candidate’s popularity when voters use their stickers to self-identify with that candidate.
Other Products
Other print products that campaigns often use are:
- Flyers
- Brochures
- Letterheads and envelopes (for direct mail)
- Notepads
- Magnets (small and car size)
- Numbered tickets (for fundraising events)
- Posters
- Banners
- Foam boards
- And more
Election Buyer Persona Examples
Now that you can match the most popular print products to a candidate’s needs, let’s look at a few candidate type examples (election buyer personas) and how you can meet their needs with print.
| Example 1: “Mr./Ms. Popular”
Their strategy: ride the the wave of popularity Print needs: high visibility signage and event giveaway items that show high voter support Main products: 4mm coroplast signs and polyester roll labels Cross-sell: glossy vinyl banners and car magnets |
| Example 2: “Change Champion”
Their strategy: promise positive change Print needs: materials for rallies and fundraisers that appear to a younger demographic Main products: paper roll labels and numbered tickets Cross-sell: posters and foam boards |
| Example 3: “Humble Hero”
Their strategy: win supporters through relatability Print needs: direct mail and canvassing materials Main products: postcards and door hangers Cross-sell: envelopes and brochures |
What if they have a printing need that I can’t meet?
SinaLite offers a huge selection of products so that you can offer them to your clients. Go ahead and check out products at trade-only wholesale prices to see what needs we can help you meet.
It’s better to provide for all their print needs so that they don’t go anywhere else for their printing. Try offering what your competitors don’t so that candidates who print with you know that they’re getting something special.
Conclusion
We’ve given you plenty of pointers here on how to match products to your customers’ needs, but it’s up to you to find out what their needs are. Become the most trusted local printer for election campaign needs by knowing your customers and knowing your products.
It’s great that you’re on board with our series 4 Steps to Successful Election Print Sales. Our next article in this series is Closing the Sale.
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