“NAME” is not just there to give you $20 – they are a voter, a stakeholder, and part of your path to victory
Campaigns should invest in real email programs, powered by experienced Digital staffers and firms. A real email program, implemented with a strategic approach, has the capacity to generate real money, rally voters, and establish political power. So when asked “Does this bring money or votes?” We emphatically say: yes–if you do it right.
Building email into your broader comms strategy: Get the plan right, and the rest will follow.
By integrating email fundraising into your broader communication strategy, campaigns can leverage this powerful medium to spread their message, rally supporters, and raise serious cash. Emails can and should be unique to your campaign, tailored to fit your campaign’s needs and tap into local networks effectively.
However, in order to tap into these potentials, campaigns also need to give their email programs the necessary resources for them to grow. Email programs should not be seen as another line item in your finance plan and not just more copy to approve. You need a talented, transparent team with a plan for success.
Early acquisitions (like list purchases and swaps) that add local voters, stakeholders, and potential donors ensure your campaign gets off to a solid start – then you can build up from there through ads and texting.
I need to tell you the truth though. Countless programs barely cover their retainers. Countless more only net a little over the costs. When you couple this with staff time and candidate headaches, there just isn’t an added value. You don’t have to get stuck in this cycle of not investing, not raising enough, and firing and hiring firms multiple times.
With the right email partner, quality programs continue to bring in more money than ever. The Biden/Harris campaign in 2020 (which I worked on) saw emails that raised over $1 million as the norm, high-profile statewide races crafted narratives over email that became pop culture, and many more programs continue to fund campaigns and causes of all sizes.
Some of our competitors don’t like to show you behind the curtain – gatekeeping this info because they think it makes them more valuable. We don’t believe that. We are happy to share what we do because we know it helps you understand the value we provide.
Build your list fast! (But build it smart!)
Not all lists are created equal, and the costs associated with this type of acquisition vary based on quality. List purchases don’t run cheap, so it’s important to weigh with your team what the best option is – folks who have recently engaged cost less, and people that are active and regularly donate cost more.
An important clarifying note: when doing a swap, both you and the original owner of the list will be in the audience’s inbox. It’s an incredibly affordable option (free!) but comes with the price of getting a list that has been over-asked and is experiencing donation burnout.
And on the compliance side, make sure the names are eventually returned at the end of the cycle, otherwise you might have to report the names you received as an in-kind contribution!
Over the last couple of cycles, more and more direct-to-donate programs have brought in less money than it took to run the campaigns. However, there certainly are situations where ads make sense and can work. COMPETE is a full-service firm, and in these situations, we can work with our in-house creative and tech teams to ensure your ads are going to the right audience and raking in whatever dollars the internet has to offer.
Emails and acquisitions are tricky. We’re here to help.
The acquisition world is tricky to navigate. Our team is here to help ensure that your campaign works with the best vendors, pays competitive prices, and that your campaign’s precious emails are not going straight to spam and trash folders.
COMPETE is taking email as seriously as we take the rest of our services- that’s why I decided to join the team. Before this, I worked at the Biden campaign, ran his own email program for a voting rights organization, and worked with 15 of the biggest House races. I have helped raise millions of dollars for some of the most inspiring candidates and causes around – and I am looking forward to raising a lot more.
If you are interested in hearing more about what we can do for you campaign or just want to chat about deliverability, reach out:
