Selling to Political Campaigns (Join the Race: Election promos provide seasonal selling opportunities)

A hotly contested presidential race coupled with charismatic candidates has brought new life to American political involvement. Young voters, especially, are becoming more involved in this election season, and that means more voters for candidates to reach. This is great news for you if you want to jump on the political bandwagon and increase your business. But look out before you dive in head first. From legal disclaimers to complicated political philosophies, be sure you know the ropes.

First things first: You don’t necessarily have to support a politician’s campaign philosophy to work with him or her, but it might not hurt, either.

With election promos comprising 20 to 25 percent of business at Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Acme Printing and Advertising Specialties, second-generation owner Ron Swart leaves his personal feelings out of the equation. He believes the most important factor in gaining campaign business is trust.

“Often times we’ve done printing for both candidates — both the Democrat and the Republican candidate for the same position,” he says. “You have to separate your personal opinion when it comes to business. You don’t tell your favorite what the other one’s doing.” Swart has a long history of personal involvement with local politics, and he suggests that those who want to break into this market be active in their community.

Carol Muller of Proforma APC in Denver, Pa., agrees that it is not important for a vendor to agree with a politician’s platform; however, she cautions that when you become more involved as an advisor, your personal beliefs may be more relevant. “It is my personal preference to work with candidates I support politically,” she shares. “In the heat of a campaign, I may be working with members of the campaign committee to communicate campaign messages on a daily basis, and I might also become publicly associated with the campaign communication. If it’s a message that I can’t stand behind, it might diminish my candidate’s credibility and my passion for the work.”

Especially in local elections, expect to work closely with the candidates themselves; however, there may be a designated staff person or a campaign manager who handles promotions. Due to the personal nature of this market, buyers often want to support local companies.

“Most of the candidates like to buy local to show that they’re promoting the local economy,” Swart says. “That said, candidates are aware that bulk buying for multiple areas in a larger election will save them money, as well.” While Democrats may be more likely to prefer a union shop, both sides of the aisle tend to choose local vendors. But Swart has occasionally heard of politicians buying products online to avoid state sales tax — a damaging faux pas for a local politician.