Building Your Political Campaign

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Building Your Political Campaign
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I. Research Organize Your Campaign

• Who is your political candidate?
• Why will people vote for your candidate?
• Who is on your campaign staff?
• Campaign Manager
• Fundraiser/ Treasurer
• Public Relations
• What tasks will each person be responsible for
  during the campaign?

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II. Define Campaign Platform

• What are the key issues of your campaign?
• Why will these issues get your candidate elected?
• Does your candidate have personal connections to
  the issues or to the target population?
• Why will people care about these issues?
• Research the demographics of the target
  population.

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III. Outline Campaign Strategy

• How will you get your message out?
• Advertisements, Facebook, Blogs, Youtube, Twitter
• What forms of communication will you use?
• Start thinking of concise way so voice your
  platform.
• Create campaign slogan.
• Start to identify target audience and potential
  supporters.
• How will you fundraise?
• Who will you ask for campaign contributions?
• Why will they donate to your campaign?

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IV. Incorporate New Media

• What strategies will you use during your
  campaign?
• How will you use new media technology?
• Media, news outlets, online tools (ie. Website,
  Facebook, Blogs, Twitter)
• Create handout.
• Be sure to take your target audience into
  consideration

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V. Develop Public Relations and Public Speaking

• Compose campaign speech that incorporates
  campaign platform and shows that your candidate
  is in touch with the needs of the population.
• Highlight key differences between your platform
  and the platform of a potential opponent.
• Outline plan for governance if your candidate is
  elected.
• Be explicit about why your candidate is the best.
• Include an outline for a plan of governance
  should your candidate be elected.

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VI. Determine Resources, Assets, Allies
Opponents

• What are your resources and assets?
• Who are your allies and how can they help?
• What are the agents of change at your disposal?
• Who will benefit from your campaign? Will they
  help you in your campaign?
• Individuals, Local groups, NGOs, Institutes?
• Identify the key characteristics and issues that
  determine who is your allies and who is your
  opponent.
• How can your ideological allies assist your
  campaign?
• How will you counter actions by opponents?
• Who are your opponents?
• Meet with advocacy campaigns to determine if your
  campaign aligns with their platform.
• Will you support a candidate?
• If so, how?
• Will the success of a particular candidate
  benefit your campaign?

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VII. Final Group Presentation

• How will your short term goals contribute to your
  long term goals?
• Summarize the mission, infrastructure, and
  strategies used by your campaign.
• Incorporate skills you have gained throughout the
  Academy.
• Present using at least one method of new media
  technology.

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Helpful Hints

• Begin networking early and maintain details
  database of supporters.
• Fundraise, fundraise, fundraise.
• Be image conscious.
• Use new media in spreading your campaign message.