10 Tips for Running a Successful Political Campaign

If you've ever thought about running for office — your town council or school board, the state legislature, even Congress, this guide is for you. We'll tell you where to start and how to navigate everything from campaign fundraising to building a team.

State and local governments need new ideas and energetic leaders

Meanwhile, at the state and local levels, declining revenues have plagued many state budgets. This has caused cuts in education and local services.Whatever you believe is the most important issue facing you, and your community, you have taken the right step to look at how you can run a political campaign, and how you can be a successful candidate.

You don't have to know everything before you run. And you don't need to be rich

Ask a lot of questions

If you're running for local office, you're going to want to ask questions — to people who have run before, your local registrar, people who have done the job, even the person who currently holds the office. What was their day-to-day like? How big was their team? How much money did they raise? What did they do to campaign? Is the election a partisan race?

A number of organizations like Veterans Campaign, Run For Something, The Campaign Workshop and American Majority also run campaign bootcamps across the country for people to learn the basics of running for elected office, so that's an option if you want a place to ask questions and meet people who could be resources.

Nothing good happens without a plan. Build a game plan, own your message, and control the narrative, which is paramount to victory for campaigns and causes alike. Find someone who can help you with technology, data, and creativity to help run a cohesive campaign.

Figure out your win number and your vote goal

You're running to win, but that doesn't mean you don't need to get everyone to vote for you. You just need more votes than your competitor. How many votes is that?

Here's how to calculate it: Find the turnout numbers from the last few similar elections and average them. Then multiply that number by the number of registered voters in your jurisdiction. You'll want to aim for more than 50% of whatever that number is. Here's a worksheet, from the Conservative candidate training organization American Majority, you can use to calculate it.

Make sure you qualify for the office. Then get on the ballot.

Every elected office has qualifications that candidates need to meet, and ballot access requirements. States either have this information on the Secretary of State's website or a specific department for voting or elections.

Once you learn that you meet the qualifications for office, the next step, ballot access, can often be the hardest. States have different standards for different levels of office.

You'll also need to figure out how to get on the ballot. This varies by jurisdiction, but a good place to start is your state's secretary of state website or your own city/county elections website. From there, you should be able to download the forms you need and find the deadlines. Don't miss your deadlines!

Build your own campaign staff and don't ever turn down help

Your team should be a mix of people who know you well and people who know campaigns well. Every race is different, but you'll probably want to find someone to manage money, a media and/or marketing manager, communications director and a volunteer coordinator; and every team needs a campaign manager.

After the big roles are filled, there are plenty of smaller tasks that need to be powered by humans: literature drops, phone calls, building and installing signs, knocking on doors, making food, etc. When people offer to help, give them a job.

Political campaigns, even in this modern era, are won in person

From door-knocking to big gatherings, a five-minute conversation goes a long way. When people see your name on the ballot — you want them to know who you are and what you stand for. Your campaign should keep track of every interaction with someone who might be interested in helping you or voting for you.

In larger districts, you won't be able to meet everyone. So focus on the people who are most likely to support you.

Go to your local elections office and request targeted info. Contact your local political party and their Town Committee chair and ask them for their voter information. It might cost money, but you should be able to get the party registration and addresses of registered voters in your district so you know where to campaign most efficiently.

Fundraising shouldn’t be scary!

In a lot of cases, fundraising is the difference between a winning and a losing campaign. You might not think you need that much money, but think through your expenses — from a website to graphic design to digital advertising — and set a goal for how much you need to raise.

Then, ask.

In general, people won't just offer you money, you're going to have to be the one to make the ask. But remember, you're not asking for money for yourself, you're asking for money to support change that you and the donor believe in. People often feel more connected to your campaign and motivated to help if they have a financial stake, even a small one.

"Campaigning is all about asking," says Dennis Swanton, who has 10 years of experience managing campaigns. "Once you believe in yourself and your ability to serve, it becomes very easy to ask someone else to do it, too."

Before you get started, remember to look up campaign finance laws for your state. How much you can raise? How much can an individual donate? How should you log your donations?

Focus on 3 to 5 core issues

While every political candidate will be expected to understand and have opinions on all the issues and topics that come before them, you need to have some core issues that become part of your campaign strategy, speeches and talking points.

To that end, focusing on a few core messages that you can repeat is better than having too many ideas and messages. Too many messages and ideas will only confuse voters about your purpose and goals.

Take a look at all the issues you care about deeply. If you zero-in on three core issues, choose one of yours. If you focus on five core issues, then choose two of your own. The others are the most important issues to your voters or future constituents.

Therefore, understanding your voting audience is essential to forming your solutions for the issues they care about. The issues will differ community by community, so it is important to do your research before you start knocking on doors.

A lot will depend on what office you are thinking about seeking. If you are running for Congress, the issues across your district can be very different. Whereas, if you are running for school board - you may find there is a lot of unity around what parents want.

One place to start is to run a Facebook poll, and sponsor it as an ad. The advertisement of the ad would target your voting audience by using the demographic options available in Facebook. The cost for doing this could be as low as $30, if you only need a small audience sample.

Never the less, it is a very effective way to understand how your fellow voters are thinking, and therefore, what issues you need to focus on.

Test your message on two groups: the people closest to you, and people who don't know you well.

Once you have your core issues down, you are going to want to test your message in a controlled way.

First, form a group of people who you are closest to. Tell them up-front that you want their honest feedback about what you say, and how you say it. If it helps them (and you), prepare some questions and have your closest family or friends interview you as if they are a reporter.

Second, form a group of people who may not know you well at all, but are willing to help. You don't need many people for this group. Then conduct the same exercise with them.

The point is - you want a couple of different audience types to see how your campaign themes and responses to questions resonate. Are they clear and strong? Or are they confusing?

The key thing to remember here is: do not take the feedback you receive personally. Focus instead on things you can control, like what words you saying, your tone of voice, and your body language. If you appreciate self-improvement, you will thrive as a candidate, because a campaign is a long process of self-improvement. While companies have brand name products, your campaign has... you. You are the brand. So, any problems with how you are packaged - or in other words - how you look, what you say, and how you say it - you will need to improve those things as the campaign progresses.

Another key point is that you need to develop patience and discipline during the initial stages of testing your message, as well as throughout the campaign. Reporters and voters will press you on topics, challenge your reasoning, insult you, and potentially worse. Be respectful, honest, and polite. There is no reason to be defensive.

If you are asked a question that you are not prepared to answer, say, "That's an excellent question. I am glad you asked that. Let me do a little more research, and get back to you directly with a response." Then - if it is a voter - ask them what their opinion is by saying, "In the meantime, I'd love to hear your perspective on this issue. What do you think?"

All of these steps will help prepare you for how to properly interact with voters, and how to present your case to earn their vote.

Build your team and attract grassroots supporters.

Every campaign, regardless of the level of office you are seeking, requires help.

You will need help managing the day-to-day of your campaign, ensure you comply with fundraising rules and meet deadlines, as well as knocking on doors, putting up signs, and supporting you in front of others when you are not around.

Here are some positions you need to consider for your campaign (paid or volunteer): Campaign Manager, Treasurer, Fundraiser, Media, Marketing and Communications, Grassroots Coordinator, and Neighborhood Captains.

The campaign manager’s job is to run the campaign, which includes overseeing all activities, events, deadlines, plans, and people.

The treasurer is responsible for ensuring the campaign complies with all local, state, and federal financial laws. The treasurer must have experience and knowledge, as well as time to complete all the tasks necessary, and in a timely manner.

The fundraiser works with everyone to help raise money to fund the campaign. Fundraising needs a point person, but for a campaign, it is everyone's job to assist in raising money.

Media, marketing and communications also needs a point person for the press and public communications. This person's role is oversee all outbound and inbound communication, the website, social media, managing the budget and all marketing for the campaign. This person also should be responsible for developing a rapid response program to reply to complaints, and attacks from political opponents.

Grassroots coordinator is someone who can help organize people. This role can be as broad or narrow as you want to define it, and may be large or small - depending on the office you seek.

Neighborhood captains are an under-used, but highly valuable resource. When you connect with people out on the campaign trail who want to help, see if they will be willing to be neighborhood captains. Keep the job simple. It involves putting a sign in their yard, and handing out some flyers saying, "I'm your neighbor. Here is why I am supporting [your name], candidate for [office you are seeking.]" This kind of personal touch is great. If you coordinate these activities, you can then time your door-to-door efforts and GOTV operations more effectively.

Create local captains.

We mentioned "neighborhood captains" above, but we are going to mention them again, because they are critical piece to every independent campaign for office. Showing you can win broad support and support from people in your community, is going to help build that trust.

Give people a reason to donate.

There is an old adage in politics that when someone gives money to your campaign, they are more likely to vote for you.

Create a budget first. This should include all expenses, such as mailers and hiring a campaign manager. The amount needed depends on the race. It could range from $35,000 for a state representative to much more. The competitiveness of the race, presence of a primary, and limitations all factor in. Once the budget is set, fundraise to that amount.

Don’t use online fundraising platforms for smaller campaigns. Those platforms often take some cut of the money raised, and if you’re not raising that much, you can’t afford that. Go out to your network of friends and family. Sometimes that’s the hardest ask, but they usually always want to get involved and will often give you a good head start.

Find potential investors for your campaign in your network. Have face-to-face meetings with them to connect and talk about shared interests and values. Explain the benefits of investing in you and ask for the resources you need. Be direct when asking for what you want, as not asking means you won't receive.

To locate political donors, review FEC.gov campaign finance reports. Research potential donors and determine if they own a business. Determine an appropriate donation amount based on their giving history. Reach out to the candidate they donated to or contact the donor directly via cold call. Schedule a meeting with the donor to discuss your cause.

To save money, consider holding a fundraiser at a friend's house or community center. For smaller campaigns, charging $50 to $100 per couple to attend is a reasonable amount. Check your state's campaign finance laws to ensure compliance with donation limits. Understanding these laws is crucial to avoid any violations, which your opponent will likely use against you.

Research shows that women may face challenges when requesting funds, which can make fundraising more challenging. Nonetheless, it's essential to recognize that there are fewer female candidates and donors. Therefore, reaching out to one another and providing support is crucial. Having confidence is important when seeking investments from others. Self-confidence is important for gaining the trust and belief of others.

The truth is, when people make an investment in you, that want to see that investment pay off. The same is true in business. A donation or investment creates a connection wherein the voter / campaign contributor and you, the candidate, are linked. People who donate want you to succeed.

Thus, you need to give people a reason to donate. And that reason must be positive and connect to the needs of the voter. Listen to what people are interested in - and what their concerns are. Make finding a solution to your community's needs paramount, and sell the solutions and value you bring to them.

Marketing Strategy

Be Yourself: A woman who is a top foreign affair policy expert and head of the women's congressional caucus grew up poor. She talks about being a Chicana and hanging out with the wrong crowd. She turned her life around and encourages women to feel like they belong. This is movement messaging - an authentic expression of passion, value, or cause.

Be Clear: Taglines and hashtags that are clear and simple tend to be more effective. Branding slogans such as "We Care" and "We Do Belong" effectively communicate their stance, whereas the "Occupy" movement faced confusion as people held varied interpretations of its core message, ranging from anti-establishment to anarchist beliefs.

The power comes in simplicity. Your first draft is long and bulky. You finesse that down. “We want to do more.” Okay, great, let’s work with that. And then you take it down to “Do More.” Does it match your original intent? That’s an effective slogan.

Be Hopeful: Presidential campaigns frequently utilize slogans that promote change from the current state, while women and marginalized community members may secure positions through advocating for reform. Words such as "change" have a hopeful and inclusive connotation.

Don't Be Generic: It's important to avoid generic statements that are too vague and inclusive. Instead, being specific about personal experiences or concerns can lead to a more meaningful issue. For example, stating "my family has special needs" or "as a Navy veteran, I want to improve access to care for other veterans like myself."

Curate your social media

Remove from your history as well as anything not consistent with the image you want to present. “Have your significant other do the same,” says strategist, writer and producer Cyndi Simms, of Vote Red.

Sorry, no selfies as your profile pic. Instead, get a professional headshot. Make your pic the same across all platforms to convey a unified message, says Tony Mazzarella, Executive Producer at Vote Red Media.

It is recommended that you make personal accounts private and thoroughly check followers. In addition, applying for verification on each social platform can establish authenticity. That will prove you’re the real deal.

Introduce yourself in your own voice (if that includes humor, use it!) and list a few key components of your personality, says Gordon. For example, “Candidate. Sister. Speed walker. Scrabble champion.”

Facebook is often utilized for political campaigns because of its widespread user base. Twitter is a useful platform for engaging with media and donors.

Simms advises posting once a day on all platforms and increasing frequency as election day near. To promote educational improvement, retweet leaders, share news, and make a video explaining why it matters to you. Mazzarella suggests engaging in a two-way conversation by tagging people and retweeting them, and sharing positive experiences from events or meetings.

Design a successful campaign

Once your entire campaign has its team, plan, and is ready to get moving, you need to come up with some initial campaign materials that fit a design and theme for your campaign.

Do not rely on Kinkos or retail chain stores to handle your printing. For some, this is an easy mistake to make, because they seem quick, easy, and affordable. In truth, a professional printer can produce better quality materials, in larger sums, for less money.

You have choices when it comes to managing your campaign's need for working with vendors. You will need design, lawn signs, door hangers, social media posting, video production, digital ads, SMS/MMS texting...

1. You can have your campaign manager reach out to 3 to 4 vendors to obtain competitive quotes. Finding the lowest quote of the company with the best reputation will require one person's full time job to manage those vendors and their associated budgets. This can be time consuming and sometimes disappointing. Or...

2. You can hire a company like Vote Red who will provide you access to all of these solutions in a one-stop shop, giving you wholesale pricing and will manage all of the projects, deliverables and budgets for you.

Create a well-polished, and consistently branded online and social media presence.

It is important they are consistent in look-and-feel, and branding - although we do recommend you handle Instagram and Twitter directly from your phone.

Facebook, Instagram and YouTube will be the most important tools you can use for your campaign. Some campaigns still use Twitter. You are welcomed to use it as well but we recommend you stick with the networks that will reach the largest share of your voting audience.

Get out there and introduce yourself before your first kick-off rally.

Before you hold a "campaign kick-off rally" we highly recommend you get out into the community and introduce yourself.

Spend a few weeks meeting and listening before you have your first rally.

In fact, it might be a good idea to invite interested voters together for a "listening" session to hear what people think. Hold some "Facebook Live" sessions. Advertise - use paid advertising to promote your listening events.

Once you have a voter file, gotten out into the community, and then conducted some listening sessions, then you can properly kick-off your campaign will something closer to a rally.

And finally, get out the vote before the election

This is really different depending on how your district votes. Whether it's in person on election day, or early, or by mail. The important thing is that you don't assume everyone you talked to is going to get out and vote for you — you have to ask them to.

Need more help? Reach out to these organizations

• All in Together is a bipartisan organization that aims to amplify women's voices through various means such as op-ed writing and lobbying.

• Ignite is a nonpartisan organization that provides leadership opportunities for young women in high school and college.

• She Should Run offers nonpartisan campaign e-courses.

• The Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University offers a comprehensive database of local organizations to assist with campaigning, along with Ready to Run trainings held nationwide.

• Women2Women is a political action committee that offers assistance to female candidates of the Republican party.

• Vote Red is a Republican media company that will help you find vendors at the lowest prices and will help you control the narrative.