There are a host of ways to contact voters in our modern age. Over the phone, texting, through the mail, through social media, geo-fencing, and door to door contact to name a few. We see a lot of first time candidates’ heads spin as they try to wrap their minds around, “Do I have to…
Here’s today’s tip: Effective door-to-door campaigns are meticulously planned and methodically executed. If there’s one area of campaigns where the majority of my experience lies, it’s the ground game. Knocking doors, recruiting volunteers and calling voters. It’s where most campaigns live or die. Their ability to navigate the logistical hurdles and and tactical setbacks dog…
This week we’re airing the first of a two part interview with Drew Ryun and Kris Shafer. They’re partners in Campaign Sidekick and have nearly 4 decades of political experience between them. Drew hired me to my first full-time political job and Kris is my younger brother. I’ve worked in the trenches with these guys…
Here’s today’s tip: Answering hypothetical questions is a great way to lose ACTUAL elections. I hate hypothetical questions in campaigns. I’m not talking about things like, “If elected, would you vote to cut taxes and spending.” The worst offenders are more detailed and harder to square with circumstances you may face in office. They’re also…
This week we’re airing the first of a two part interview with Drew Ryun and Kris Shafer. They’re partners in Campaign Sidekick and have nearly 4 decades of political experience between them. Drew hired me to my first full-time political job and Kris is my younger brother. I’ve worked in the trenches with these guys…
Here’s today’s tip: Rejection on the campaign trail is a fact of life. Dust yourself off and get back on the horse. I don’t remember the first time I got cussed at while canvassing. I know it’s happened a lot but after careful examination by my bride, I can confirm that I don’t have a…
Here’s today’s tip: Projecting enthusiasm is critical. I don’t care how tired, stressed or far down you are in the polls. Smile! If you’re running for office or directing a campaign, optimism should simply ooze out of you. It doesn’t matter to me whether polling shows you down 15 or 25 points. If you’re in…
Here’s today’s tip: Free interns are awesome! Get all you can, train them well and keep them busy. As a former free intern, I endorse this message. The fact is that everybody wants free labor…but it’s the training and deployment where most people fail. The biggest surprise that I found once I started hiring interns…
Here’s today’s tip: All campaign documents and material should be secure and accessible. Use the cloud. It’s hard to imagine that just a few years ago, you had to make hard-copies of campaign documents in order to share them. Printing, collating and mailing important documents all too significant time. Now that’s not the case. Cloud…
There are a host of ways to contact voters in our modern age. Over the phone, texting, through the mail, through social media, geo-fencing, and door to door contact to name a few. We see a lot of first time candidates’ heads spin as they try to wrap their minds around, “Do I have to…