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Beginner’s Guide to Political Communications

After an exhaustive recent conversation about setting up his political campaign, a first-time candidate for public office asked me, “What’s the most important thing I need to know that I haven’t asked you about yet?” I thought about the question for awhile…  He had asked about fundraising (he knew he needed to know about raising [...]

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Why Your Campaign HAS to go Door to Door

Door to door campaigning is an essential part of every political campaign.  Local campaigns realize the value of door-to-door efforts, and because they have limited funds incorporate this type of activity into their campaign plan.  Larger campaign sometimes fail to realize the power of door to door campaigning, and often include it only as an afterthought [...]

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Finding the Money to Start Your Political Campaign

If you’re running or thinking of running for office, there are bound to be lots of questions running through your head.  One question, though, is probably at the forefront.  First time candidates and political pros alike start each election cycle with the same query: where will I find the money I need to win this election? [...]

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When Should I Start My Campaign?

Whether you’re just thinking about running for office next year, or you’ve already decided to throw your hat in the ring, you may be asking yourself, “When should I start my campaign?”  The best answer anyone can give you is, “right now!” It’s never too early to start your political campaign.  While there are certainly [...]

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How to Win a Multi-Candidate Election

Multi-candidate elections are tricky affairs.  Most often they are seen in primary elections (but sometimes in general elections too, when there are strong third party contenders, in non-partisan elections, or in states like Louisiana that have run-off systems), multi-candidate campaigns are those elections where there are more than  two candidates in the running… that is, [...]

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The 3 Keys to Winning Any Local Election

Winning an election is hard work.  It takes time, careful planning, and very long hours.  When I tell people that I am a political consultant, many of them tell me, “Oh, I would love to run for school board (or town council, or the local planning commission) but I would never be able to win.”  [...]

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A Guide to Raising Your Name ID

I often tell candidates that political campaigns, at their heart, are marketing campaigns.  Like any marketing effort, political campaigns have products that need to be sold and consumers that need to be persuaded.  Unlike selling soap or soda, though, the marketing efforts of political campaigns have much higher stakes:  the product that needs to be sold [...]

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How to Beat Negative Political Press Coverage

Written exclusively for Local Victory by Guest Columnist Mark Macias, author of Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media There’s only one real way to beat bad news that comes out about your candidate: get out in front of it.  In the press game, you’ve got to respond to bad press, quickly and loudly.  [...]

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How to Keep Your Political Campaign Organized

Good organization is not only desirable for a political campaign, it is essential.  No matter what size campaign you are involved in, time and money are limited, and without good organization your staff and volunteers will burn out, crucial items will fall through the cracks, and momentum will falter. Smaller campaigns, in particular, have a difficult [...]

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Message: The King of All Political Tactics

On a used car lot, cash is king: every decision and discussion revolves around it.  How much car can I afford?  What kind of financing can I get?  Can I do a 1% down payment? In a consumer products company, market share is king: product, staffing, and budgeting discussions all revolve around it.  What share [...]

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How to Ask for Money for Your Campaign

Personal solicitation is one of the most important methods of fundraising for local campaigns.  This method involves having the candidate and key supporters solicit donations either face-to-face or over the phone in a one on one setting.  Because of the large time commitment it requires, this method is generally reserved for major donors; that is, [...]

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How to Get Involved with Your Local Political Party

I am often asked what the best way is for someone to get involved with their local political party (of all partisan persuasions). This question comes from people who are interested in someday running for office, or who simply want to help thier party’s cause in their town or county. The answer I give them is: “Just do [...]

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