The 10 Step Guide to Crafting a Winning Political Campaign

If you are working on a political campaign, success is the ultimate goal. But reaching victory takes a lot of work, planning, and expertise. It requires smart strategizing to launch a successful campaign that captures the imagination, engages with voters and rallies donors. So where should you start when crafting your perfect political campaign?

At MFStrategies we believe success is determined by strategy, not luck. Here, we have developed a 10-step guide to building a winning political campaign.

1. Establish a Clear Vision: Before anything else, discuss with the campaign team and key stakeholders to create a shared vision for the campaign that is cohesive and inspires decision-making. A well-defined vision not only informs strategy, but serves as an anchor for the team throughout the campaign.

2. Assess Your Resources: Assess the resources that are available to you. This includes money, volunteers, resources like voter databases, and of course, time. By strategically allocating these resources towards tasks that are most critical, you can make the most of your campaign.

3. Set a timeline: Time is the most important resource your campaign has, and without management of the team's (and especially the candidates!) time, you can lose track of the campaign’s progress. With an established timeline, the candidate or campaign manager can ensure that tasks are completed on time, and milestones are reached.

4. Develop a Budget: Knowing what resources you have available to you leads to the next step of creating a budget. This budget should also include everything the campaign plans to spend money on from now until Election Day. That includes simple things like stamps and big things like direct mail and ad buys.

5. Choose a Theme: A campaign should have an overall theme which is reflected in their message and communications. The theme of the campaign should accurately characterize the candidate’s values, goals and policy objectives.

6. Measure Your Message: To ensure your message resonates with audiences, it’s important to assess and refine key ideas. This understanding will inform your campaign’s communications and content. Tools such as opinion polling or surveys can provide valuable insights and feedback. If your campaign doesn't have those resources tracking message success can be as simple as listening to how voters respond on the doors and phones.

7. Craft Your Narrative: Narratives are sometimes more important than specific policy positions. A successful campaign tells a story that resonates with the electorate, so figure out how you want to connect and engage with key constituencies.

8. Organize the Field: Ground game efforts such as voter outreach and voter registration are essential in a campaign. Take advantage of grassroots efforts that mobilize supporters and optimize the use of volunteers.

9. Conduct Your Media Strategy: Digital engagement such as creating an email list and creating a social media presence is essential. Establish a communications strategy that is consistent with the campaign’s message and goals. Bigger budgets will allow you to get on television. If you plan on taking that step, make sure you're talking with professionals who can help you make the most of your budget.

10. Monitor & Adjust: As the campaign progresses, remember to track its progress and adjust accordingly. Be prepared to respond to changes in the environment, and expectations of your target audiences.

By utilizing these 10 steps, you can build a winning political campaign that effectively reaches voters and give you the best chance of getting to a WIN on Election Day!

At MFStrategies, we are experienced strategists with a passion for beating the odds and helping our clients reach their desired results. Get in touch today, so we can help you craft the winning strategy you need to make an impact in your community.