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Political Candidates
GOP Campaign Guide |
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CAMPAIGN ISSUES TO CONSIDER
FOUR SIMULTANEOUS CAMPAIGNS RUNNING
THROUGHOUT YOUR MAJOR CAMPAIGN
EARNED MEDIA
PAID ADVERTISING
FUNDRAISING
VOTER CONTACT
Each of these four things should be happening simultaneously from the minute you start seeking office until the campaign is over.
FOUR BASIC ELEMENTS OF A CAMPAIGN
TIME
MONEY
PEOPLE
TALENT (KNOWLEDGE)
Usually candidates do not think about how these elements play a major role in a campaign, but generally think in terms of "Hot Issues and Cold Cash" to have a successful campaign.
TIME
Time puts you and your opponent on a level playing field. There are only seven (7) days in a week and twenty-four (24) hours in a day for all candidates. It is how you utilize this time that will determine the outcome of your campaign.
A candidate should start in August or September in the year preceding the Primary Election. You should start formulating ideas about your campaign, how it should function and learning as much as possible about the office you are seeking. During this time, a candidate should reflect on his/her strengths and weaknesses.
The priorities you set early in your campaign will have a tremendous effect on your ability to win.
In today's busy world, we all have great demands placed on our time. I have seen very few, if any, candidates who have not felt stressed or overwhelmed at some point during their campaign. Stress is a part of life; how we handle it is important.
Make a list of every activity that requires some of your time and how much time each activity requires. In the very early portion of your campaign, do your activity list a month at a time. As your campaign begins to peak, start doing a weekly or daily activity list.
This list is not a "one size fits all" list. This is a personal list that reflects each candidate's personal circumstances and the activities that govern their lives.
Some of the things that may be included in this list are:
JOBS
FAMILY
CHURCH
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
HOUSEHOLD PROJECTS
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
CARING FOR ELDERLY PARENTS
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
PERSONAL TIME
Update this list regularly. Some of these items will require more time as the weeks go by and some will require less time. ALWAYS BE REALISTIC IN YOUR TIME EVALUATION!
Allow for personal time. A stressed out candidate is not a good candidate. You must be able to think on your feet and make decisions with a clear head. By understanding and writing down your own time restraints, you will be able to select the correct people for the various jobs, manage them effectively, make decisions, coordinate volunteers, raise funds and report them correctly.
By putting this time chart on paper, you will be able to see who and when people are needed throughout your campaign.
A candidate will need to spend about 50% of the available time allowed for their campaign to raise funds. People are more responsive when a candidate makes a personal request for support, whether it is money or to volunteer for the campaign.
The very best way to raise money is a "one on one" or "face to face" solicitation by the candidate. A spouse or personal representative may be able to raise funds or act as a surrogate for the candidate, but this not does eliminate the responsibility of the candidate. (Sometimes well meaning spouses are not an asset to a campaign).
Fundraising events are very different from "one on one" solicitations. These events can be managed by a fundraising committee, staff person, a trusted and talented volunteer or the political party.
When a person contributed because a candidate has made a personal request, the voter:
1. Feels he has access to the candidate
2. Feels he has made an investment in the campaign
3. He feels ownership and feels his voice will be heard
4. He has pride of ownership and will follow through and vote for you
TIME IS A COMMODITY WE CANNOT CHANGE. WE CAN ONLY UTILIZE IT, PRIORITIZE IT, SPEND IT WISELY OR WASTE IT. EVERY MINUTE WASTED IS TIME WE CANNOT RETRIEVE.
YOU CAN RAISE MORE MONEY, HIRE MORE PEOPLE AND FIND PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL TALENTS OR KNOWLEDGE, BUT YOU CAN'T EXTEND TIME.
All of your time during your campaign will be used in two ways:
1. Raising money
2. Contacting voters
Voter contact is found in many forms:
1. Personal contact with the voters
2. Fundraising events
3. Town hall meetings
4. Speeches
5. Debates
6. Targeted mailings
7. Media outlets
8. Door to door blitzes
Time is crucial in your campaign research, strategy, tactics, planning and budgeting. Time and timing is important in the development of your campaign in every step of your
MONEY
Money is necessary! Your campaign tactics....that is all the tools you will be using to win your election such as brochures, overhead, paid media, yard signs, billboards, targeted mailings and many other things....will require money.
Money can be raised by utilizing the following:
1. The candidate (remember the 50%)
2. The candidate's spouse/family
3. A fundraising committee
4. The local political party
5. An event planner or volunteer
There are many fundraising methods. Some are:
1. The candidate going "face to face" with the donor
2. Events: dinners, receptions, golf outings, coffees
3. Private parties hosted in homes of supporters where friends, neighbors, business associates meet the candidate
4. Telephone solicitation requesting pledges. You must always follow up to be sure the pledge is received
5. Targeted direct mail solicitations
ALWAYS CHECK TO SEE THAT YOUR SPENDING DOESN"T EXCEED YOUR FUNDRAISING CAPABILITIES.
PEOPLE
WITHOUT PEOPLE THERE ARE NO ELECTIONS! They may be people working on your campaign or they may be the voters participating in the election.
All the people working in your campaign to get you elected have different roles or responsibilities.
CANDIDATE: Raises money, has personal contact with the voters, engages in earned and paid media and is always in the public eye.
CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Decision maker, plans best use of resources, including money and time, keeps candidate on target with the written plan, prepares media statements (This person must have the trust and confidence of the candidate)
This person (sometimes along with the steering committee) may make the decision to take the offensive and attack, or take the defensive and defend, or do nothing and ignore a situation.
STEERING COMMITTEE: A committee made up of people from various groups of people who are familiar with the issues and demographics of the district. They can be business leaders, professionals, former office holders and trusted party leaders. They actually do what their name implies; they help steer the candidate to make the right decisions at the right time.
PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES: These people raise money, do research, plan events and help build coalitions.
VOLUNTEERS: This is a very important group of people. It is difficult to have a successful campaign without a loyal group of volunteers. They help with door to door literature drops, make phone calls, drive people to the polls, plan events, get out mailings and help spread your campaign message by word of mouth. They can be your strongest advocate. They work on Election Day, knock on doors and register voters.
EVERY PERSON YOU OR YOUR SUPPORTERS TOUCH OR COME IN CONTACT WITH ARE FORMING AN OPINION ABOUT YOU! BE SURE IT IS A POSITIVE ONE!
TALENT
(SPECIAL SKILLS OR KNOWLEDGE)
Listed below are some of the special skills you must have to make your campaign a success:
1. Manage day to day operation
2. Conduct research
3. Prepare communication material
4. Train volunteers
5. Coordinate campaign activities and schedules 6. Raise money
7. Do campaign finance reports
8. Computer skills
9. Phone skills
10. Knowledge of district
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Floyd County
Republican Party - Floyd County, Indiana 2008
This website paid
for and authorized by the Floyd County Republican Central
Committee
Dave Matthews, Chairman
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