I have no clue how to win elections. But it sounds so much better than “Observations on Winning Campaigns”. I think elections are far too fickle to be so certain to draft a winning playbook. There are too many campaign gurus out there with terrible losses on their names. However, I have analysed and been part of dozens of campaigns, so if nothing here is merely my observations on winning campaigns.
- Start early unless you are the incumbent. There is so much power in starting early. Because you have the time to build up a profile, raise cash and start testing the waters. A good example is Macron who started his first run more than a year before the elections took place. However, Macron did exactly the opposite as an incumbent, he entered the race extremely late. So does Mark Rutte, the prime minister of the Netherlands. It seems for the incumbent you want to limit the time you can actually make mistakes.
- A well-defined audience. Identify and target a clear base or constituency: In order to win an election, it is crucial to understand who your potential voters are, what matters to them and what the channels are to reach them. Make sure it is a base with a clear and strong identity. The “innovation constituency” doesn’t exist. Bikers, schoolteachers or ethnic minorities do! You can also define your audience through a geographical scope and identity. That’s why regional candidates perform so well. Tailor your message and campaign strategy to appeal to their interests and concerns. Also, start early with building mailing lists, you will need them in order to stay in touch with your well-defined audience.
- Message discipline. Develop a clear and compelling message and stick with it: Your message should be simple, straightforward, and easy to understand. It should highlight your unique strengths and experiences, and explain how you plan to address the most important issues facing your community. Don’t be like Hillary Clinton. Clinton’s campaign slogan had been “Hillary for America”, “Breaking down barriers”, “Fighting for us”, and “I’m With Her,” before finally settling on “Stronger Together”. Nothing is so auto-destructive then flip-flopping in campaigns.
- Hitting national media. Elections are a ruthless numbers game. 50.000 followers on Twitter will do absolutely nothing for you. Only a fraction of those 50.000 will see your message, even less will care and even less will be mobilised to vote for you. This means you will need to leverage the power of national media to your benefit. National media do hit numbers like 200.000 to 2 million. That is what we are after.
- Get organized and stay focused. A successful campaign requires careful planning and execution. This means setting clear goals and objectives, developing a detailed action plan, and staying focused on the tasks at hand. It also means staying on top of the latest developments and adapting your strategy as needed. Avoid a chain of command which is too rigid. You don’t want to have someone (or God-forbid- multiple people) sign off on Tweets. Better to mandate someone you trust to do social media and trust that person completely.
- Build an energetic team with time on their hands. In order to win an election, you need to have a team of volunteers that have the energy and most importantly, the time to help you out. In practice, this means that you need young people/students that don’t have too many commitments. witnessed how a campaign failed because the team was stacked with extremely knowledgeable political junkies with no time to spare. If you need to trade experience vs time, choose time. Try to find people that are intrinsically motivated.
- Mobilise people to actually vote. You would be surprised how many people forget to vote. Therefore, on election day, it is crucial to get as many of your supporters to the polls as possible. This means providing them with the support they need to vote, such as information about locations, deadlines and simple reminders. Remember, people are lazy, forgetful or simply have their hands full with errands and obligations. But for you this is a life or death situation, so make sure you escort people to the ballot box if needed.
- Bonus – Budget. No elections are won without something of a budget. Someone once told me 1 Euro for one vote more or less. I am not sure about this but I think it is close enough. You will not be able to pay for a website, flyers and all kinds of materials. Start saving money early or invest in having a good fundraiser on the team.