Get your engagement strategy started

Once an election is called and campaigns kick off, time is of the essence. Setting up your Australia Post election mail account today can give you access to a range of benefits – and help you make the most of a valuable channel for connecting with constituents.

Key points

  • The letterbox is an important part of your campaign strategy because Australians prefer candidate information by mail.
  • With an Australia Post mail account, you can access special assistance and rates.
  • It’s a good idea to set your account up now – before elections are called and peak election season begins.

Reaching all Australians

Despite the rapid adoption of digital communication, around 2.5million Australians are still not online.1

  • 40% of Australians surveyed (who prefer to receive information via addressed mail), say they don’t want to go to candidates’ websites – making addressed mail one of the few ways they can see your policies and details.2
  • 41% of Australians say addressed mail sent by an election candidate or political party helps inform their voting choices.3
  • 54% say such mail would introduce them to candidates they may not have heard of.3

Planning your mail campaign

It’s clear that mail can present a great opportunity to communicate and connect with your constituents. And the first step in making sure you’re ready to get the most out of this always-on communication channel? Setting up an Australia Post election mail account.

“Getting set up early ensures you can get your mail campaign started quickly when an election is called and access all of our tools to reach your constituents easier,” Australia Post Senior Manager of Segment Development – Government David Parr says. “It saves you a lot of time when the pressure’s on.”

The power of an election mail account

An Australia Post election mail account can remove a lot of the manual admin that comes with running an effective mail campaign – so you can spend that precious time and budget elsewhere. With your account ready to go, you’ll have access to:

  • Special rates – Make sure you’re getting the correct election mail rates, with the right pricing linked directly to your account.
  • Printing integration – Link your election mail account directly to your printing partner, so they have access to your rates, barcodes and electorate addresses.
  • Electorate information – Check the number of people in your electorate, to accurately inform your campaign budget and strategy.
  • Online bookings – Once you have your account set up, all nominated team members can book your unaddressed mail campaigns quickly and easily with our online booking tool.

Working with Australia Post gives you the power to reach more potential voters. We deliver to more than 12 million addresses across Australia, including PO Boxes, apartments, “No Advertising Material” letterboxes (for community notices)4 and rural and remote areas that other services don’t have access to.

3 ways to use election mail

Australia Post’s extensive range of bulk mail services can help you build your campaign strategy. But Christine says three types of mail typically form the bulk of every election campaign, and can be used strategically to support key phases.

Reply paid mail

Build your database and talk to your constituents about their voting options, including postal voting. A reply paid envelope makes it simple for them to feel included – and provide valuable information to inform the rest of your campaign.

Unaddressed mail

This can be a cost-effective way for you to target specific areas with core campaign messages that help build your brand and engage your supporters. Campaigns typically deploy unaddressed mail during the middle phase of the election cycle to send letters, flyers and pamphlets.

Promo Post

Addressed to the household or individuals, promo post is a more personalised option. It is the most likely type of election mail to be read – 90% of Australians surveyed say they would read or skim addressed mail sent by the federal government. (3) Once you have learned more about your constituents, you can use promo post to narrow your focus and target specific locations in which you need to increase support.

How to get started

Whether you’re running your first campaign, looking to retain your seat or need to make sure new team members are all on the same page, the first step is setting up your Australia Post election mail account.

To set up your mailing account, please contact your Australia Post Account Manager.

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This article is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to be specific advice for your organisation’s needs.

1 Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2020 n=50,000 Australians.

2 Bastion Insights Research Report, April 2021.

3 Effectiveness of Mail for Government, Bastion Insights prepared for Australia Post, 24 Jan 2020 n= 2020.

4 Community notices by or under the authority of, local, State or Federal government or their agencies, political organisations, religious or educational institutions, or charitable bodies.