DEVELOPING A
CAMPAIGN PLAN
Campaign Skills 101
The National Democratic Institute
INTRODUCTIONS/
GROUND RULES
• Introductions
• Ground Rules
• Ice Breaker
Photo: NDI
CAMPAIGN PLAN OBJECTIVES
• To become familiar with the main
elements of a campaign plan
• To practice using tools to identify and
manage campaign resources
CAMPAIGN PLAN TOPICS
Campaign Steps
• Goal setting
• Voter targeting
• Research
• Message
• Voter contact
• Budget
• Fundraising
• Election day
Campaign Resources
• People
• Money
• Time
• Info
Image: www.pixabay.com
Image: www.pixabay.com
KEY TERMS
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Constituency
Message
Voter contact
Field plan
Paid media
Earned media
Door-to-door/canvassing
Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
CONGRATULATIONS!
You decided to run!
Now what?
Photo: NDI
WHAT IS A CAMPAIGN PLAN?
• Roadmap that outlines what you are
going to achieve, when, how and with
what resources
• Management tool
• Measures progress
• Keeps you organized, proactive,
focused and on track
NO PLAN = PROBLEM
Photo: www.pixabay.com
Photo: Michal Zacharzewski / RGBstock
Image: www.rgbstock.com
Photo: www.pixabay.com
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
EFFECTIVE PLAN
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Written
Flexible
Understandable
Includes the obvious
Research-based
Has clear goals and objectives
CAMPAIGN STEPS
Research
Goal
Setting
Targeting
Message
Voter
Contact
Deliver
and
Protect
RESEARCH
Knowledge is power!
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Electoral context
Self research
Opposition research
Issue research
RESEARCH: ELECTORAL
CONTEXT
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Election system/rules
District characteristics
Voter characteristics
Past elections
Main factors affecting
election
Image: www.rfairfaxdemocrats.org
OPPOSITION RESEARCH
• Identify viable opponents
• Research
– Personal and professional
background
– Previous statements/positions
– Resources and support base
– Weaknesses AND strengths
GOAL SETTING
• Goal is usually to win election
• How many votes do you need?
• Example: Majoritarian
– 100,000 eligible voters
– 60,000 likely to vote
– Need 30,001 votes
TARGETING VOTERS
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Can’t please everyone
Don’t need 100% of voters
Maximize time and resources
Focus on “persuadables” not strong
supporters or opponents
TARGETING VOTERS
Choosing the right target means aiming
for the middle
Target Audience
Firmly
Opposed
Soft
Opponent
Undecided
Soft
Supporter
True
Believer
EXERCISE: VOTER TARGETING
800,000 citizens and 500,000 eligible voters
50,000
60,000
70%
300,000
URBAN
30%
RURAL
30,000
55,000
5,000
MESSAGE
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Single idea/theme
Your values
What you repeat over and over
What you want people to remember
How you connect with and persuade
voters
Why am I asking for your support?
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
EFFECTIVE MESSAGE
• Clear and concise
• Compelling
• Contrasting
• Connected
• Consistently delivered
• Credible
• Clear
MESSAGE EXAMPLE
“It’s time for a change: time to support
our schools, time to address government
corruption, time to bring jobs back to
our town. As a teacher and community
activist, I want to lead that change.”
EXERCISE: MESSAGE BOX
What we say about us
What we say about
them
What they say about
themselves
What they say about
us
MESSENGERS
• Use real, relatable people
• Use credible people
• Trustworthiness and sincerity are key
DETERMING ISSUE IMPORTANCE
AND POSITION
• Tying issues to your message
• Example: Clinton: “Change or more of
the same?”
Photo: AP
EXERCISE: DETERMINING ISSUE
IMPORTANCE AND POSITION
• Issue selection
–How important is the issue?
–Who has the better position?
GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT
• Media
• Print
• Electronic
• Social
• Voter Contact
Photo: Susan Markham, NDI
TRADITIONAL MEDIA
Print
• Newspapers
• Magazines
Photo: Sanja Gjenero for rgbstock.com
Electronic
• Television
• Radio
Photo: A. Elwallani, NDI
COMMON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
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Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Personal/organization
website
VOTER CONTACT
Getting your message out
Strategic and organized
Many delivery methods
Choose most convenient methods to
target voters
• Use resources wisely and efficiently
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INDIRECT VS. DIRECT VOTER
CONTACT
• Direct requires more
time and people
• Indirect requires more
money
Photo: Amy Hamelin, NDI
DIRECT VOTER CONTACT
Tactic
Cost
Manpower
Needed
Time
Door-to-door
1
5
5
1
5
1
4
4
2
4
1-3
3
3
3
3
Candidate “meet
and greets”
1
2
2
4
2
Distribution at
gathering places
1
3
2
3
3
Phone banks
3
5
4
3
3
Small personal
events
Town meetings
and other events
Efficiency Effectiveness
INDIRECT VOTER CONTACT
Cost
Manpower
Needed
Time
3-5
1-3
1
4-5
1-2
5
1
2
5
1
1
1
1
4
2
TV, radio debates
1
1-2
2
5
2-3
Big events
4-5
3
3
3
3-4
Posters and
billboards
2-3
1-3
2
2
1
Mail and e-mail
2-1
1
1
3
1-2
Social media
1
1
1
3
2
Tactic
Literature
distribution
TV, radio and
newspaper ads
Letters to
newspaper
Efficiency Effectiveness
VOTER CONTACT PLAN EXAMPLE
Method
Door to door
# Voters
When
Where
Cost
# Volunteers
3,000
May
Weekend
April
Homes
$500
50
Homes
$2,500
10
$5,000
3
$4,000
2
Covered
by host
$12,000
35
6,000
Direct mail
TV ads
12,000
10,000
Newspaper ads
Small Events
TOTAL
1,000
32,000
June
Evening
June
Sunday
paper
May
Evenings
Host’s
home
100
EXERCISE: VOTER CONTACT
PLAN
Photo: Amy Hamelin, NDI
DELIVER AND PROTECT
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Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
Poll watching
Photo: NDI
CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
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People
Money
Time
Information
Photo and images: www.pixababy.com
CAMPAIGN TEAM QUESTIONS
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What activities?
What skills?
What functions?
Where can I find the right people?
Who is responsible for what?
CAMPAIGN TEAM POSITIONS
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Manager
Field organizer
Communications officer
Volunteer coordinator
Fundraiser
Press officer
Photo: Amy Hamelin, NDI
CAMPAIGN TEAM POSITIONS
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Researcher
Technology officer
New media officer
Office manager
Database manager
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT
AND MANAGEMENT
• Family and friends
• Local schools/universities
• Local civic/religious organizations
VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENTS
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Phone banks
Door to door
Internet research
Mailings or leaflet drops
Event organizing
Data entry
Press clips
Thank you letters and other
correspondence
BUDGET
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Anticipate costs and timing
Manage expenditures and revenues
Research costs
Track cash flow
Ensures no money left on Election Day
and no debt
EXAMPLE:BUDGET
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5
Office
Phones/credit
Supplies (paper, pens)
Equipment rental
Printing
400
100
150
Flyers/Leaflets
150
Paraphernalia
Fundraising
Events
Meetings
Voter Contact
Canvassing
GOTV
Media
Radio Ads
Website
TOTAL EXPENSES
300
100
150
400
100
150
800
200
150
1000
300
150
150
250
500
500
1500
200
2500
200
200
800
200
1000
500
250
250
500
1000
2000
200
1200
200
2250
200
2800
1000
200
7650
EXERCISE: DEVELOPING YOUR
BUDGET
Photo: NDI
FUNDRAISING
Candidate
Time
Personal
Ideology
Ax-to-Grind
Viability
Power
FUNDRAISING
• Who can give, when, how often, and
how much?
• Other fundraising tools such as events
• In-kind contributions
• Say thank you
EXAMPLE:FUNDRAISING PLAN
REVENUE
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5
Candidate
contributions
1000
Political Party
contributions
5000
Donations
500
1000
500
1550
250
500
1000
600
300
2500
Fundraising events
income
2000
TOTAL EXPENSES
2500
1200
2250
2800
7650
TOTAL INCOME
8500
250
2100
2550
3000
CASH FLOW
6000
-950
-150
-250
-4650
CASH-ON-HAND
6000
5050
4900
4650
0
TIMELINE
• Start from election day and work
backwards
• Refer to campaign plan
• What needs to happen?
• By when?
• By whom?
• With what resources?
• Include key dates and deadlines
EXAMPLE:TIMELINE
DATE
ACTIVITY
Finalize all tasks, pay
After
Election workers
-Appreciation party
Day
RESPONSIBLE
Campaign Manager, Office
Manager, Finance Director
-Campaign Team
RESOURCES
Money
-Venue, food, small
gifts
Election GOTV – door-to-door
Day
-Campaign Manager/Field
Director
-Database Manager
-Volunteer Coordinator
GOTV leaflet
Script for volunteers
Lists of target voters
Maps of areas
200 Volunteers
Observation at polls
and vote count
-Campaign Manager and
Field Director
-Volunteer Coordinator
Check list
50 Volunteers
Candidate Press
Events
-Campaign Manager and
Press Officer
-Candidate
Press packets
Election day speech
Election Voter Contact
Day
minus 1 Candidate Visits to
community leaders
Candidate Press
Events
Field Director and Volunteer Persuasion leaflet
Coordinator
150 Volunteers
Candidate and Campaign
Manager
Small thank you gifts
for leaders
Candidate and Press Officer Press packets
Speech
EXERCISE: DEVELOPING YOUR
TIMELINE
Photo: NDI
DATA AND LIST MANAGEMENT
• Lists of:
•
– Supporters
– Potential donors
– Volunteers
– Press contacts
– Persuadable
voter
– Opinion leaders
Sources of
information:
– Official voter list
– Candidate
contacts
– Supporter’s
contacts
– Party lists
DATA AND LIST MANAGEMENT
• Full name
• Gender
• Age range/date
of birth
• Phone number(s)
• Mailing address
• Email
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Polling station
Party affiliation
Voting intention
Voting history
Donor history
Volunteer history
CAMPAIGN PLAN REVIEW
Steps
• Goal setting
• Voter targeting
• Research
• Message
• Voter contact
• Budget
• Fundraising
• Election day
Photo: NDI
Resources
• People
• Money
• Time
• Info