Secrets from the Campaign Trail

Guest post from Elizabeth Sanford, a veteran local political operative who has consulted on dozens of winning non-partisan competitive races and is known for her low-key approach to delivering winning results. I’m a Republican political advisor with a 90 percent win record in California and Oregon, and I’m going to let you in on a secret. I have built a career advising political officials and making my guidance central to victory so by divulging this secret, I’m not doing myself and other political professionals any favors. I’m doing it because I cannot watch one more political cycle go by and see good candidates crash and burn for failing to understand this fundamental concept: Campaigns are won or lost based on the message. No fancy website, social media expertise, extensive position papers, yard signs, endorsements, or political infrastructure will save a campaign if it can’t articulate its message. Granted, there are endless other ways to lose an election, but very few are successful without thoughtful and well-developed messaging.

Let’s recall the 2008 election for a moment. Illinois Senator Barack Obama carefully crafted a simple yet compelling message around hope and change. Obama defined himself before anyone else could. He wasn’t the young, inexperienced junior Senator from Illinois with a weak legislative record. No, he was the guy who was going to change America. And he employed cutting-edge campaign techniques to deliver his message. This is how he beat Hillary Clinton’s campaign machine and ultimately won the presidency. His message was clear and it resonated with a majority of Americans. Far too often smart, qualified candidates fail to connect their message with voters. Why? It’s not because voters are lazy; they aren’t. It’s because voters are busy. I design direct mail pieces around the 10 second rule; convey my candidate’s message in the time it takes someone to walk from their mailbox to the recycle bin. Sounds cynical, doesn’t it? While it is true that some voters will devour every word from a candidate, most will not. You must find a way to communicate effectively to these two extremes and everyone in between. Think of political messaging in terms of marketing and branding. You are the product and voters are the consumers. Would you buy Xerox floor wax? Crest shoes? Heinz chewing gum? You know Xerox copiers, Crest toothpaste and Heinz ketchup because these products have very strong brands. Most consumers hear these name brands and associate them immediately with a product. Your message should do the same thing. You want your name on the ballot to be strongly associated with your message in voter’s minds. The majority of the world’s seven billion people living in nearly 200 countries, speaking 6,500 languages all have something in common. People want what’s best for them and their families. When you run for political office, you must answer the fundamental question of how you will benefit people’s lives. If your campaign has it in the budget, polling and focus groups will provide insight into voter attitudes on the issues for you to craft your message around. For lower budget campaigns, talking with voters as you go door-to-door will also give you a good sense of what is important to the electorate. Political messaging is the art of understanding what voters care about most, then demonstrating that you are the one who will meet those needs. Are you convinced yet that developing your campaign message is the key to victory? I hope so, because I will again divulge a few secrets in order to help you create your message. Step 1: Find a quiet place to sit comfortably with no distractions. Step 2: Grab a pen and paper (electronics will lead to distractions). Step 3: Answer these questions honestly, without trying to sound smart or impressive. You will fine tune them later.

• I am running because…
• You should vote for me because…
• I am going to win because…

These are simple questions, but very hard to answer. You should be ready to answer each in one sentence then go into greater if needed. It is important to feel comfortable with your campaign. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. One of my political clients had been elected to three prior offices and didn’t think he needed to answer these fundamental questions. I pushed him to do so, and when it came time to communicate with voters, he was very comfortable with his message, stayed on point, and won by a landslide. You will greatly increase your chances of winning if you follow these important first steps to developing your message. A sure sign you’re trying to be someone you’re not is to drift into any form of the following phrases: “It’s my next logical step.” “I’ve always wanted to run for office.” “I’ll do better than my opponent.” A sure sign you’re fitting in is to use humor. Humor – when used judiciously – can be an extremely effective messaging tool. During the 1984 presidential debates Ronald Reagan was asked if at 73, he was too old to be president to which he famously quipped, “I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” Reagan didn’t let his opponent or the media define him as being too old. He controlled the message, and he won. The secret is out. Now go win. Elizabeth Sanford is a veteran local political operative who has consulted on dozens of winning competitive non-partisan races and is known for her low-key approach to delivering winning results. Since 2005, she has been a frequent lecturer at campaign schools in California and Oregon. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree (MPA), Bachelor of Art’s Degree in Global Studies and a Certificate from L’Institut d’Études Françaises pour Étudiants Étrangers in France. Elizabeth is an alumna of the American Council for Young Political Leaders, and recently completed a political exchange with New Zealand. She is a public policy analyst for a jurisdiction with an annual $5.2 billion budget and is an appointed municipal planning commissioner. Elizabeth volunteers as an advocate and mentor for women in crisis and victims of domestic violence.