As we approach yet another Election Day, all politically-minded eyes are focused on this year’s big races. There are a small number of people, though, who have already begun to look beyond Election Day: next year’s candidates. For them, while this year’s campaigns are important, the most important campaign, their own, is just beginning.
Registration is the best get-out-the-vote tactic around: in 2004, 82% of registered 18-29 year olds voted. If you’re in a tight race and need a way to create more votes, register young adults. It’s cost-effective and it works.
In getting ready for next year’s races, we should all take note of what is going on right now on issues voters are seeing play out right now. Issue campaigns in off-years can provide clues as to what might drive voter decisions on Election Day – even if it is over a year away. Remember, voters always remember your positions and so do your opponents.
In getting ready for next year’s races, we should all take note of what is going on right now on issues voters are seeing play out right now. Issue campaigns in off-years can provide clues as to what might drive voter decisions on Election Day – even if it is over a year away. Remember, voters always remember your positions and so do your opponents.
Effective communication has always been the key to a successful election campaign and in the electronic age, email has increasingly emerged as an efficient, low-cost medium for doing just that. Unfortunately, if your campaign staff is not sufficiently aware of the pitfalls posed by spam filters, your carefully crafted email message may simply end up in the intended recipient’s Junk Folder.
In many Presidential campaigns, there is one major blunder that is hammered home by the media, and that incident often ends that person’s presidential bid. Some classics: Governor Dukakis wearing a helmet and riding the tank; Senator Muskie crying at a news conference after a newspaper printed derogatory statements about his wife, and the classic, Senator Gary Hart and his playboy antics on that aptly named boat, “The Monkey Business.” This year it was the Howard Dean Iowa pep rally, now dubbed the “I Have a Scream” speech.
Running a political campaign is one of the most challenging and exhausting activities possible. Running a typical campaign will mean 12+ hour long work days for several months. On Election Day, either you win, or you and your entire campaign team are fired. As you approach the final days of the campaign, this creates a huge amount of stress and pressure for success.
Hiring campaign consultants can be tough on a candidate or manager, and the wrong initial choices may start a campaign into a death spiral. Fortunately, there are some common-sense guidelines to help your campaign gain altitude.
Studies show that contact from campaigns significantly increases a young person’s likelihood of turning out to vote on Election Day. Plus, it’s cost-efficient and easy to integrate with your overall campaign strategy.
Studies have shown that an audience bases their judgment of the quality of a speaker as follows:
Body Language: 55%
Vocal Qualities 38%
Words 7%
Over 93% of your perception as a speaker is from factors other than what you say!
