“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”
— Thomas Jefferson
A recent study found people’s attention spans are a mere eight seconds – that’s one second shorter than a goldfish’s.
Eight seconds: The goal of a bull ride and the time you have to draw a voter in to persuade and turnout.
How do you deliver a concise, engaging and memorable message in eight seconds?
One one thousand …
Cover Art
This is it, your chance to immediately catch the eye of a voter amid the clutter of the day’s mail and the bombardment of images on their mobile device. The art itself needs to deliver the message and be immediately recognizable with enough smart details and realism to make voters want to stop and look closer.
Two one thousand …
Name ID
Your candidate’s name needs to be prominent, bright and easy to read – it’s what voters will see and remember on the ballot. That means choosing fonts that are visually appealing in sizes that work well with the overall dimensions of the piece or screen.
Three one thousand …
Photos and Captions
Voters’ eyes are drawn to photos quickly, which is why we put such a heavy emphasis on hiring a professional and capturing great photos of the candidate. Simplicity is important in both text and visuals, and one great, large image is often far more powerful than multiple smaller images.
Four one thousand …
Headline
The tagline or headline needs to compliment the art and hammer home the message. Here’s where short and sweet is exceptionally important. The tagline is the opportunity to define the issue in just a few memorable and well-chosen words. A professional copywriter will find the right mix of words that ring true.
Five one thousand …
Footer and Call to Action
Strong copywriting will leave voters with a message that resonates and a clear call to action. More often than not, that’s encouraging voters to head to the polls and providing the necessary dates and times for early voting or Election Day.
Six one thousand …
Subheads
Repetition of message is key, and subheads provide the opportunity for copywriters to dive deeper into an issue while giving voters the quick hits their eyes and memories will be drawn to.
Seven one thousand …
Engagement
Don’t forget to tie your work together. In voter contact mail, we can drive voters to your website or social media accounts to learn more, donate or sign up as volunteers. On targeted mobile ads, clicks can take voters to a specific area of your website or to the local or state board of elections to register to vote, find their polling location or confirm early voting hours.
Eight one thousand …
Body Copy
Yes, body copy is last. It takes the art, photography and tagline to draw the reader this far into the piece. Now copywriters can dive into the details, but it’s important still to keep it short and sweet. Less is more, and professional copywriters can ensure the best words are chosen to deliver your message in a way that relates to your target audience.
It can be tempting to fill a mail piece with words or pack as much information onto a device screen as possible.
Resist the temptation.
Remember it’s an eight second bull ride before a voter “bucks” whatever mail piece or mobile ad you’ve put before their eyes – unless you rein them in.
The average reader reads approximately 300 words per minute. In eight seconds, that’s less than 30 words, and that’s why the art of copywriting, choosing words carefully and keeping copy short and sweet is so vital to creating powerful voter contact mail and mobile advertising.
Want to Learn More About the Art of Voter Contact?
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