5 Steps to Get your Campaign off the Ground

When starting a campaign for office, there are a couple of things you need to know to get your campaign off the ground.

Save the date

Knowing when things are due is half the battle. It’s not just the date of the election that matters. Find out the filing deadlines, add them to your calendar, and work backwards to make sure you have everything done before it’s too late.

Find out what paperwork is required for candidacy. Filing periods before the election can vary, so make sure no dates are missed or overlooked. If you are filing for a local election, try checking the state board of elections website for the forms and filing dates.

With any project, knowing when it’s due is half the battle. Savvy campaign planning revolves around dates–one of the most important being filing deadlines for candidacy. Don’t miss it!

Know your people

Knowing your district means knowing your people. Research is important. Familiarize yourself with the local issues that are important to the community you are running in. Even if you don’t agree with public sentiment on these issues, they are worth noting. Knowing your people is all about understanding the area’s needs and interests.

Write down everything you currently know about your chosen or targeted district. Then check it against the facts. Be sure to include physical characteristics of your community (boundaries, major roads and highways, neighborhoods, large employers). Don’t forget demographics either: ethnic make-up, political party registration rates, economic snapshots, and past election results are all important, too. Compile your knowledge of the district starting with your personal experience, but be sure to back it up with data and statistics.

This research can be crucial, but don’t forget to go out into the field and meet with people. Go to community events, talk to as many people as you can, and listen to what they have to say. The numbers and the data can tell you quite a bit, but personal relationships can give you crucial insights. Learn more about what it takes to research and plan your campaign.

Ask for money and keep track of every penny

Most campaigns, especially at the local level, operate on shoe-string budgets. As the candidate, you’ll need to raise money and be responsible with it. The candidate with more money doesn’t always win, but it sure does help. Identifying donors is crucial: personal relationships, shared ideology, opposition to the opponent, and social interaction all play role in getting people to donate to your campaign. But by far the largest factor in getting people to donate is the fact that they are asked, either directly by the candidate or by someone they respect. It may be uncomfortable at first, but get used to soliciting donations. Asking for donations can be awkward at first, but there is no way around it.

Once you have money for your campaign, make a plan to use it wisely. Know what you want to invest your hard-earned campaign financing in. Don’t blow campaign dollars on lavish steak dinners or wasteful campaign swag. Be realistic about what can be done with the amount of money you have. Spend it, but also keep track of where it is going so you can see what resources your campaign is using are having the most impact. Then, invest in the strategies that work. Our course on Campaign Finance provides a deep dive into tested tactics and important regulations you’ll need to know.

Know your message

Campaign messaging is all about building a consistent brand. Goals seen from a 30,000 foot view often look different when implemented on ground level. First, make sure you have written out the overall picture of what you stand for. Then, develop a plan to translate that picture to the general public. Work out the nitty-gritty details of the message your campaign is trying to send on a daily basis.

Messaging needs to be consistent across platforms. Make sure the message is clear across your campaign, whether that’s in person, online, or in-print. Communications can be a difficult area to understand, but our Online Course on Communicating Effectively is a powerful tool to help you get started.

Know the opposition (and yourself)

Doing opposition research early on avoids pitfalls later. Learn as much as you can about your opponent so that you can create clear contrasts between them and yourself. You don’t need to sling mud and insults back and forth, but do understand, there must be a clear difference between you and the opponent.

Don’t forget, they’ll be doing the same thing to you. Any business deals gone bad or public misstatements can be brought to light. Before you even begin your campaigning, take a long, hard look at your past records and even the history of your friends and family. Many of us fail to make an honest assessment of ourselves, but it’s fundamental to the process. Plan out responses to each and every point that could be lobbed against you. Don’t let yourself be caught off guard without a readymade counter attack.

Are you ready to get campaigning?

Are you ready to be a leader in your community, to make positive, conservative change? Check out our “Should You Run for Office” quiz and find out if you have what it takes.