Campaign yard signs are typically the first form of advertisement voters see from a political campaign. Having a successful sign placement strategy is vital to make sure the money spent on signs has a substantial impact on the voters.

Name recognition is a high priority for candidates and political lawn signs are very effective if used properly.

Use voting area maps to determine sign placement

Acquire a map of the voting area. Useful maps are typically available from government planning and printing offices. Often, the maps can be downloaded off the internet from government websites. These maps are useful in determining important road intersections and busy traffic locations where campaign yard signs should be placed.

Most state and county transportation departments provide maps and data indicating the average daily traffic numbers in the area. Mapping software is also available which provides census statistics plotted on political districts. The software makes it easier to locate the important voter blocs.

Follow the rules in using campaign signs

Cities and counties have their own rules regarding signs, including the placement of them. Make sure everyone involved with the campaign yard signs is aware of the rules.

For example, most areas require that election lawn signs be placed at least ten feet from the road. Also, some homeowner’s associations have rules and limitations concerning political signs.

Finding good locations for your signs

An effective initial strategy is to contact your political party, retired politicians and candidates from the same political party who are campaigning in the district and ask them for names of supporters who allow political lawn signs on their property.

High traffic areas are obvious locations for campaign yard signs. It provides a lot of visibility to those who pass by. Intersections are also good because signs are noticed by stopped motorists.

There may be specific private properties that have high visibility. Have volunteers call those property owners and ask for permission to place a sign on their property.

Reducing visual blindness

After a while, voters driving by the same signs at the same locations tend to not pay attention to the campaign lawn signs. Campaigns can shake things up by exchanging a large sign at a location for an existing small sign. Adding more signs to the location can also grab the attention of voters.

Another useful strategy is to place some of your bigger election signs next to your competitor’s small signs. It has the effect of making the candidate with the big sign look more powerful and important.

Placing a vast number of election lawn signs in the candidate’s voting area is an effective strategy for increasing name recognition, however if too many signs are crammed in a specific area, voters can become annoyed by the bombardment of signs, and it can have a negative affect on them.

Even in these days of high technology, campaign yard signs are an effective way of increasing name recognition and improving the chances of winning the election.

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Homemade political signs can be useful for small to medium-sized campaigns. They are often used to supplement tradition printed yard signs. Making them requires little more than some materials, paint, stencils and time.

Most campaigns purchase the bulk of their yard signs. However, local campaigns with a limited budget may not have funds for purchasing a large number of signs.

Most signs created as DIY efforts are done in limited numbers. It’s difficult, but not impossible to mass produce your own yard signs. With some cardboard, a stencil and spray paint, you can make your own campaign signs. For your sign stakes, you can either make or purchase them.

Elements of a DIY political sign

All signage have common elements that you want to include:

• Logo: You may or may not have a logo. If you can add a copy of the logo, do so. If not, stencil in your name and office as large as can fit.
• Copy: Keep additional copy to a minimum. Depending on the size of the sign, you might be able to add a slogan or website domain.
• Colors: Keep your color scheme simple to only a color or two. More colors or photographs on a sign make it hard to read, especially for drivers on the road.
• Borders: A simple design element is to border the edge of the sign with a solid color.
• Size: Larger signs are easier to read and will stand out from others. You may be limited in how large a sign you can publicly post, even on private property.

Advantages to making your own campaign signs:

1) They give your campaign a more ‘grassroots’ look. Anyone can have hundreds of yard signs printed up, but with homemade signs, people can tell that actual people took real time in supporting the candidate.

2) They can be made in any size. Homemade signs are not constrained by the typical printed yard sign sizes. But before you decide to make giant billboard-sized signs, check your local laws to find out how large they can be.

3) They can break up the monotony. As Election Day approaches, voters become blind to the myriad political signs dotting the landscape. Homemade signs, especially when deployed close to Election Day, will definitely stand out.

4) They can rapidly  spread a message. One clever use of signs is to have a number of them in sequence create a message for drivers to read. This technique works well on straight roads with a low speed limit. Simply split up your message into a few words and post them on large, readable signs in the order you want them read. For example, “Want Lower Taxes? …. Smarter Growth? … Better Schools? … Vote Smith for Mayor!” These can be placed on multiple yards over a quarter mile or more to be read by everyone who passes.

How do you make your own political campaign yard signs?

Making a do it yourself political campaign yard sign is a great way to show support for a candidate, political party, or to raise awareness about an issue. There are many ways to make signs of different sizes and shapes.

Here is a list of materials that you will need to make your own signs:

• PVC or Styrofoam board
• Vinyl backing, if you are making a banner or a sign that hangs
• Marker pens or paint
• Ruler
• Adhesive
• Stencils
• Stakes, if you are creating yard signs

There are even kits that you can purchase to create your own signs. The cost varies depending on the size, material, and complexity of the design. They can range from $1 to $5 each.

One downside to DIY signs is that they can make your campaign look ‘amateurish’, especially if the signs are crudely designed. They can also signal that you could not raise enough money to purchase signs from a vendor.

Hopefully, your homemade sign looks more professional than this.

Like traditional yard signs, homemade election signage should be readable and get the message across in a few seconds.

And as always, seek permission before placing any signs on private property.

Related: Common Campaign Sign Questions

Super Cheap Signs currently ships over 10,000 yard signs, banners and other printing products to 50 states every week. If you are an Online Candidate website client, we can provide your original hi-res website graphics to make your signage and website look seamless.