If you are going to raise money for your campaign you must have a remit envelope.
A remit envelope is a key fundraising tool that provides you a means of collecting required donor contact information and additional commitments from the supporter (please obtain professional accounting or legal advice to make sure you are including information required by the law and rules of your state and jurisdiction on a remit envelop).
The remit envelope makes it easier and more likely for a donor to send in a check to your campaign committee.
Remit envelopes are simple and should be one of the first things your campaign creates.
The remit envelope will cost you a few dollars to print, and there will likely be some graphic design fees involved, but the overall cost should not be too large.
These are the basic items that should or could include on the inside of your remit envelop:
- The donor’s name
- The donor’s address
- The donor’s place of employment or business and occupation
- Amount being donated – provide several options and “other”.
- Pledge to volunteer with you – walk precincts/make phone calls/send emails/deliver signs
- Pledge to place a yard sign at their house
- Option to learn more about upcoming events
- Pledge to to host an event or fundraiser
- Should include your website, campaign email, and phone
- Campaign committee information (check with your professional campaign treasurer or attorney to make sure you are including all required information)
- A place to affix required postage
How big are remit envelopes?
Remit envelopes are not large envelopes. You want to be able to carry them with you and fit them inside a standard sized business envelop.
Generally a remit folds down to about 3.5 inches vertical and approximately 6.5 inches horizontal.
Discuss this with your printer and graphic artist. If they have done any political work they probably know how to layout and print a remit envelope.
Here is what a standard remit envelope looks like on the front:
This is the back side of a standard remit envelop:
The inside can vary but here is an example:
A word on postage
You want to make sure that you have a location specified on the envelop, such as in the first example, to accommodate postage.
It is a good idea to have a handful – maybe half dozen or more – envelopes that already have postage attached.
For larger donors that are being incredibly helpful, it is good to make it easier for them to drop their contribution in the mail.
What do you do with remit envelopes?
Remit envelopes should always be included in any letter you send to someone asking for money.
When you go to a meeting, any meeting, always have remit envelopes with you.
If you are hosting a fundraiser, make sure they are at the door for people who want to write checks on the spot.
At a coffee or any other campaign event that is being hosted on your behalf, or that you are hosting for yourself, you should have remit envelopes.
When you are walking precincts, carry remit envelopes with you. Not a huge stack but a few that you can give to someone that may want to contribute.
Make sure you always have them in your car. And when you get out of your car make sure you have some with you.
Your staff, if you have staff, should always be carrying remit envelops.
Key volunteers, your kitchen cabinet, should all have remit envelopes with them at all times.
In short don’t be unprepared.
You should always have remit envelopes with you at all times.
**WARNING** Before you produce a remit envelope check with your campaign accounting and legal professional and make certain you are including all relevant information.