Yard Sign Tips for Winning Elections

Are you a candidate in an upcoming election? Or, are you pushing an issue that will benefit your organization? If you want voters to support you in the next election, yard signs can be some of your best marketing tools. The following details why yard signs are so powerful and offers yard sign tips for winning elections.

Do yard signs work?

Yes! In fact, studies have proven how yard signs influence voter behavior. One of the most important factors is name recognition; many voters are not well-versed in every candidate or issue, so they vote for the most familiar options. The name recognition afforded by yard signs can earn you the swing votes you need to win your race.

Yard signs also lend credibility. A Vanderbilt University study found that voters were likely to consider a candidate worthy based on yard sign placement alone – even when that candidate was fictitious. Again, name recognition influences voter mindset.

Yard signs are contagious; one study found that when one person in a neighborhood puts out a yard sign, neighbors are likely to follow suit – often in support of the same candidate or issue. This makes sense, particularly since many neighborhoods share demographic traits that favor certain candidate platforms and issues.

This snowball effect of yard signs also means they can help you earn media coverage. When it appears a large number of people (aka newspaper and magazine readers, radio listeners, and TV viewers) support you or your cause, media members are more likely to cover your campaign. That coverage lends even more exposure and credibility, which can result in more name recognition and more votes.

So, the question isn’t whether yard signs work; it’s whether you know how to leverage the power of yard signs to get the biggest bank for your campaign dollars.

Yard sign tips for winning elections

The following tips will help you get the most out of your yard sign marketing campaign, win more voters, and (hopefully) win your election.

Distribute strategically

You want your yard signs to be placed on every lawn, certainly, but you should start by targeting neighborhoods most likely to win votes. In hotly-contested races, consider seeking out prominent community leaders for yard sign placement; they already have influence, after all, which can extend to their public support of your candidacy.

High-traffic intersections and road are also great places for yard sign distribution. A well-placed yard sign can yield thousands of views every day and vastly increase all-important name recognition.

Once you’ve distributed yard signs to targeted locations, you can work on getting your yard signs on as many lawns as possible.

Keep it simple

Your yard sign design should be simple yet attention-getting. Keep your message short – even just your name and perhaps your website URL – so voters can read it at-a-glance. Use large fonts so your yard sign can be viewed from a distance, and employ attention-getting images and/or contrasting colors to make sure your yard signs get noticed.

Make sure your yard sign design stands out against your competitors. A more attractive, easier-to-read, attention-getting yard sign will help increase name recognition.

Enlist help

Ask supporters for help with yard sign distribution via social media. A single Facebook post might yield hundreds of opportunities for yard sign placement, as well as volunteers to distribute your yard signs for you. Don’t wait until it’s too late to ask for help – if you have willing supporters, put them to work to help you get the word out about your candidacy.

Enlisting help not only allows you to multiply your efforts and gain more each, it also allows you to focus on the things you alone have to do: prepare for debates and interviews, for example, and get out in the community to shake hands and explain your platform.

Invest in high-quality, discount yard sign printing

Premium yard signs are attractive and attention-getting, and they hold up to sometimes-harsh November weather. You don’t want your yard signs to become sun-faded or torn, which will reflect negatively on your campaign, so only print yards signs on premium materials to make your candidacy more attractive.

Go big – up to 36-in. by 24-in. – to command more attention for your yard signs, and consider purchasing heavy-duty stakes to keep your yard signs standing no matter the weather. Or, have grommets placed in your yard signs so you can attach them to poles, trees, buildings, and other structures.

Take advantage of yard sign printing discounts to keep your investment low and stretch your campaign dollars as far as you can. Get elected with yard signs – plan your campaign now!