DU needs a direct mail campaign

[adolfo]

Just received information that legally formed 527 or 501 entities (like MoveOn) can get access to voter lists from various states. If the MSM wants to hide important issues (like election fraud and the Blair memo) we should inform the voter directly with a mailing campaign. We can also target the states that are politically advantageous. Perhaps DU can partner with an organization or form one for this purpose.

I’m sure there must be other legalities on obtaining and using voter lists. Do you think it is a viable idea? any alternatives?

[Liberty Belle]

1. Big kick! This is an excellent idea.

I wouldn't want 60,000 individuals here all e-mailing voters, but a slick direct-mail campaign to target voters in key areas could be very effective. We'd need a few volunteers with solid writing/PR/political experience to draft up direct mail pieces aimed to suit each audience. Very lefty-sounding literature would only alienate Republicans in Red states.

I'd suggest a name other than Democratic Underground, to appeal to the broadest number of people.

[Atman]

2. Direct mail is outrageously expensive

Is DU there yet? Administratively, financially? Direct mail response is notoriously small; greater with a "motivated" audience such as DU's. It is a great idea, but I imagine that just like most of us, DU has for more great ideas than it has dollars.

But don't get me wrong...it IS a great idea! Are you listening, Soros?

[kster]

3. I remember

someone talking about orange postcards?

[stopbush]

5. I've done a lot of direct mail in the past...still do.

Yep, it's expensive. You've got to figure 60¢ - $1 per piece to mail, and that's only if you do a large quantity that spreads out your creative costs and gets you to critical mass at the printer. If you have non-profit status, you'll save on postage...as long as you follow the guidelines pretty strictly.

If you were looking to do a 60,000-piece drop, figure at least $30-40,000 in expenses.

Your response rate?

Well, 50% of those things go in the trash, unopened. Overall, you'll be lucky to pull a 1-2% response from the mailing, which translates into 600 responses from your mailing of 60,000. I assume you're looking to raise money through donations with this piece. If you're sending it out strictly as an informational device, then you can assume more than 2% of the people getting it will read at least part of the package, but without any kind of response device, you have no way of knowing. And you'll want to know, because the whole thing is a worthless exercise in burning money if you have no way of judging its effectiveness.

The best way to cut production costs is to develop a profile of your target audience (this could be achieved through a survey of DU members, for example) and then take that profile to a list broker who can match your "selects" (that's another expense). One of the rules of DM is to *dominate the mailbox.* That simply means that with all the junk mail a person gets every day, they are more likely to open the things that catch their eye. That might mean bigger or flashier...or a more-substantial "presence" to the piece...which costs more to produce. Or, you can hope that some Dem-oriented logo catches their eye.

It's tricky. The biggest mistake people make with DM is that they only do it once, usually over-spending in the process. That puts them off future attempts which are really necessary if you want to confirm results and not make decisions based on possible abberations. Or, they get results that didn't meet their pre-conceived ideas and they don't know what to do next.

[Atman]

7. You could do better with a targeted list

Overall, you'll be lucky to pull a 1-2% response

1 or 2% is certainly normal with a generalized mailing, but if you were able to target our specific audience, you'd have a better return. (I know, you did point this out). But then, you'd be spending money to "preach to the choir," unless it was a fund drive. But why bother, since you can do one with almost no additional cost through the vehicle DU already has...DU! Conversely, you could see a WORSE return than 1-2% in this politically charged market if the addressee just sees your mailing as a partisan hack piece, which is highly likely...would YOU open a plea from "Conservative Underground?" You might just out of curiosity, but you sure as hell wouldn't take it seriously or respond, unless it was to fire off a nasti-gram.

I think direct-mail is an anathema to what the internet community is all about. This media is a great equalizer, giving "the people" power of a form of "press" which has never been available before. Used wisely, you can reach far more people far more effectively.

I'd almost think a better idea would be to create a sister web site with a bullshit name like the GOP does (hey, just taking Big Dawg's advice!), something like "American's For The Constitution." Something it would be hard to immediately define as left or right.

[adolfo]

8. Quick Estimate

Since the mailing list contains registered voters, wouldn’t
the response rate be much higher? 

Here are some quick estimates with S&H of materials and
employment costs omitted. The results are also assuming full
retail price.  Is there anything I’m missing?

==FULL COLOR 10k Postcard Campaign==

Postage….....…..: $0.23 
Postcards.......:  0.05
Addressing….....:  0.01
-----------------------
Total ….......……: $0.29 ea.



== FULL COLOR 10k Flyer Campaign==

Postage………...….: $0.37
Folded flyer…….:  0.10
Envelope……..…..: not required
Addressing……..…:  0.01
-------------------------------
Total………...……..: $0.48 ea.


==Misc. (quantity unknown)==

Letter Folder………..............………….: $260
Postage Stamp machine..............:  ?
Registered Voter Mailing List….....:  ?
Laser Printer(Addressing)........….: 200

References:

http://www.vistaprint.com
http://www.usps.com
http://pcworld.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=629661/
http://www.officemax.com/max/solutions/product/prodBlock.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&expansionOID=-536907398&prodBlockOID=537463540

[stopbush]

9. You bring up a salient point about a DM campaign:

what's the point with such small numbers?

There are, what, 280-million people in the country. What would DU accomplish with an expensive DM campaign that reached only 10,000 - 60,000 homes?

A betrter way is to rent an opt-in e-mail list and do a cheap e-mail blast. It has as much of a chance of succeeding at a fraction of the cost.

[adolfo]

10. Cheaper but not as effective

I agree an email blast is cheaper but here is a basic question;

What grabs your attention better? Is it the color postcard from your local political candidate or their emails?

Unfortunately, it is usually the uninformed that don’t take advantage of the Internet. These are the voters we need to reach out to.

As for it being expensive, that would be subjective. How much would you pay to provide a public service to your neighbor? 30 cents.. 49 cents…?

I’d gladly pay $20 to tell 66 or 40 others about the Blair memo or Election fraud.

There is no need to pay for the whole mailer when it can be done gradually. A “mail out as donations are received” system would probably be easiest.

[andyhappy]

4. its time we organize!

there are lots of people on the DU who want to do something!

Its hightime that we speak as one!

Come on skinner! Lets use your hits for something positive!

Our strength is in our numbers!

[Sweet Freedom]

6. I think it's a great idea

but that could be very expensive.

Maybe the admins could start e-mail campaigns. It could be sent to all DU members--as a "did you know" or even a call to action e-letter-- and we could then pass it on to others.

(But if DU went with a direct-mail campaign, I'd be happy to donate the layout/design of any of the pieces.):)

[helderheid]

12. it would be expensive but didn't DU raise$50000 for Andy?

We can raise the money if we all come together just like we did for Andy.

[helderheid]

11. YES

[drm604]

13. If your goal is simply to inform people of issues

that the corporate media isn't covering, wouldn't it be easier to just buy ad space for an article in national publications like USA Today? You could use the space for a short article on, for example, the memo and include a URL for more details.

Heck, why not just buy banner ads on places like Yahoo and Google?

Or maybe a publicity stunt like auctioning off our country's future to the highest bidder on eBay. The ad could state that there is no actual physical item for sale and that the proceeds will go to some worthy cause such as injured Iraqi vets. Of course it would also contain info about the memo, vote fraud, etc. along with informative links. (Are links allowed on eBay auctions?) Unusual eBay auctions sometimes get LOTS of publicity! I'm not sure if it's workable or if eBay would allow it but it's inexpensive and worth investigating. It would have to be carefully designed and planned so as to get maximum info out to the public because it probably wouldn't work more than once.

[drm604]

14. Kick

:kick:

[andyhappy]

15. great ideas!

damn...you are good! Great ideas! I would totally throw in money to buy an ad! Are there laws about that? Would that make the DU a 527? Or a pac? Same dif?

I completely agree. Ya know, it is frustrating as there are so many people here on the DU and many other sites out there that want to make a difference. We need to speak with one voice.

I am shocked at how disjointed our side is!

[drm604]

16. I'm not sure about the legal aspects.

Maybe it would be better to try to do things like this through some existing organization, someone like moveon.org for example. I really like the idea of satirical publicity stunts like the auctioning off of our country's future on eBay by a group with some name like "Republicans For Enriching Republicans" or "Senatorial Corporate Toadies" or "Conservative Action to Eliminate the Middle Class". I think the public, and hopefully the media, would notice these things. And maybe they would even get the point!

[andyhappy]

17. du member that is a lawyer?

seriously ...our side needs to get creative and our side needs to get organized. Your ideas are great! I wonder if the billionaires for bush people would want to do that ebay thing?

I wonder if we could get skinner to make an 'action' section so people can get involved!

There are so many voices here and everyone is always asking what they can do!

We need a leader!

[andyhappy]

18. kick!

[drm604]

19. Kick

:kick: