Big or small, be effective for less
There are some districts for state house representation so large that campaign drives to visit every community can be measured in hundreds—if not thousands—of miles. Some districts are very compact, and the ability to travel them can be done within walks or bike rides. Whether your district is big or small, getting around a district has a cost—be it in time, money, or resources. How do you make sure your campaign is doing the right thing and being effective? Let’s go through the process!
Keep track of how your campaign uses time
There are some incredibly important items in a campaign: time, money, and message are at the top of any list I make out for a candidate, with time being the most important. You can always raise more money, and get more people to spread the message, but once the time is spent, it is gone and you can never get it back.
The larger your district is, the more precious time becomes. This is because you will need to drive a distance and that drive can take away valuable time that you might need for other tasks. Is there a way to improve your use of time? Here are a few tips every campaign uses, but if you aren’t being told, take advantage of these basics.
- Driving somewhere? Have someone ride along with the candidate. Put the candidate in a back seat with a cell phone and let them run call time on the way to your destination.
- Don’t drive just a straight line and turn around and go home. If you are going to travel any distance, stop and make the most of your travel. Pre-schedule stops along the way to meet with donors, local newspapers, media, or anyone you want to touch base with. It’s okay to stop and use time if the time is effective. Using time to just go somewhere and come home? That’s not effective.
- Think about the money you are spending along the way. Too many campaigns waste money on their time and travel. Think carefully about how you spend and what you are spending on. If you make the most of your budget, you can get a lot more miles under your belt and meet many more voters.
The message on the road matters
Going out on the road? Every job you will take if you’re elected is about representation. In order to be a representative at any level, you have to actually understand and appreciate the people you want to represent. When you travel your district, think about your message. Here are a few tips:
- Participate in community events and understand them. A big district can have major events everywhere. Find a few and attend them and brush up on what you know about the community. Appreciate the people around you. Don’t just rely on a communications person to write what you say and have it work. Compassion matters.
- Brene Brown has said that being vulnerable is its own power. Think about this in terms of a campaign and in terms of successful politicians. We remember moments when political leaders have cried, when they have called us for help, or when they have offered a hug or comfort to those in need. Your message should be based in part on honest vulnerability. Don’t fake it. Be open to the fact that you can sit and listen and embrace the problem. Joe Rand, an author, lawyer, and realtor, notes to his crowds that one of the best conversations he has had regarded a friend’s wife. He and his wife and another couple went out to dinner. Rather than do a lot of talking, Joe listened to the conversation, and asked follow-up questions like: “can you tell me more about that?” “I want to make sure I understand, are you saying..” Active listening is about repeating back what has been said and showing you are paying attention to the conversation. He notes that he spoke less about himself or his business and let his friend’s wife talk. After the dinner, they were complimented for what a great conversationalist he was, despite the fact he rarely talked. Why? Because people like to talk about themselves and share, far more than listening. Allow people in your district to feel heard. Alone, that is a powerful message.
- Your message cannot contradict you anywhere you go. This isn’t the 1800s. If you are going to talk about one issue in a community, you cannot go to another community and offer a different point of view. Not only is it unacceptable (and, in my opinion, sleazy) it shows that you do not actually believe in the message you are advocating.
- Don’t let others shape your message for you. Your beliefs need to be something that you actually advocate because you actually believe in them. If you don’t, then you are wasting your time.
Ready to get out there and start sharing some food, walking a few parades, talking with community leaders and advocates? Tell me how you plan to do that this fall in the comments!