At a time when American politics has become as contentious as ever, one positive that has come from it is the influx of regular, every day citizens running for office. However, developing a winning strategy at the grassroots level can be a daunting task.
Here are six key tips to put yourself in the best position to succeed with your campaign, as told by Ray Neuberger, a two-term councilman from Fairfield, CT, and former candidate for the Connecticut House of Representatives:
- Take A Stance: Once you reach the point where you’re mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, put your words into action. “I feel that a lot of people tend to stand on the sidelines and complain about civic policy,” said Neuberger. “To not have a hand in the matter…would be inappropriate for someone to complain without contributing.” Before anything else, figure out what inspired you to become a public servant and create a platform.
- Find A Party: Once you focus on where your core principles and values lie, you then need to identify which political party is more in line with your positions. From there, reach out to the party chairman and become active on a local level. Attend meetings and familiarize yourself with the people in office, along with those who attend.
The trickier part comes for those who are unaffiliated with either of the major parties. “Unfortunately, it is hard,” said Neuberger. “When you look across the spectrum, there aren’t many people who can run independently and win the office.” In addition to achieving name recognition through their backing, it is also a critical fundraising component — especially on a state or national level. However, Neuberger noted, once that’s established and if you’re looking for a long-term seat, it becomes less challenging to then break away, a la Bernie Sanders or Joe Lieberman, “but only after you can build a grassroots coalition along with the ability to work with both sides of the aisle.”
- Get Out There: Mastering the art of guerrilla marketing is essential, Neuberger said. “One of the most important aspects of [candidates] running a successful campaign is boots on the ground.” There is no better way to reach your electorate than to literally get in front of them!
“The most important thing is to become involved in your local community,” like local fairs or farmers markets, he added. “Have facial recognition and find out what’s really important… so you can tailor your message and your agenda to meet the expectations of your electorate.”
Neuberger most candidates who go wrong do so by underestimating “the power of pressing the flesh and knocking on people’s doors.” Some may find it intrusive and undesirable but, just by law of averages, it works. “The more you get in front of, the better the result,” he said, adding that people are generally receptive and willing to voice concerns they have about their community.
Neuberger most candidates who go wrong do so by underestimating “the power of pressing the flesh and knocking on people’s doors.” Some may find it intrusive and undesirable but, just by law of averages, it works. “The more you get in front of, the better the result,” he said, adding that people are generally receptive and willing to voice concerns they have about their community.
- Brand Yourself: People love their swag. Neuberger strongly encourages that you always have something tangible to hand out to voters that features your name, like a pen or button, that people will take and put in their homes as a constant reminder. “Put a face to a name and a name to an agenda,” he said. And when the time comes where they have to consider who they want to vote for, hopefully they’ll find your merch conveniently right in front of them.
- Leverage The ‘Net: Although it may seem like most viable political candidates already come into the campaign with a treasure trove of funds, not everyone has to have Donald Trump’s net worth to succeed. Nowadays, there are myriad tools that can be effectively used online, and on a shoestring budget. “A lot of elections are won and lost in social media,” Neuberger said. “There are only so many doors you can knock on and so many people who will be home when you knock on them. But if you have a good team in place that can get you advertised in the appropriate places, you can’t underestimate the value of that.”
- Have a Thick Skin: Unfortunately, one of the harshest realities in modern politics is its cutthroat nature. Therefore, be prepared going into it to endure your fair share of mudslinging. “Politics is not for the faint of heart,” Neuberger said. “People will make personal attacks and you need to stand firm in your beliefs.” Don’t be afraid to engage in the hot topic issues, but don’t be goaded into sinking down to the level of the lowest common denominator. What it will require is having the courage to hold your ground and defend your beliefs and track record, regardless of the backlash.
TRACKBACKS
- Political Campaigning Solutions says:February 13, 2019 at 2:49 pmDigital media has become a significant influence for most people today. Check it out more info from Raymond J Neuberger. If you’re planning to run for a political position anytime soon, then you should know that.
- Political Issues says:February 13, 2019 at 2:51 pmWhen it comes to running for election, you should keep in mind that you can’t just do things all by yourself which is why you’ll need the help of professionals. If you want your campaign to succeed, you’ll need every help that you can get especially the help of a professional digital marketing team. For the digital marketing division that you’ll have, you should be aware that it’s important to have certain professionals such as photographers to help you come up with the right banners and slogans for your political goals. It’s necessary to hire such professionals if you want to have a solid digital marketing strategy that you can use against your competitors. For example, if you have a professional article writer for your campaign, then you’ll have an easier time conveying your political projects so that you’ll gain more votes in the election. Check more info from Raymond James Neuberger.