How to Create a Winning Campaign Plan: A Step-by Step Guide for First-Time Candidates
4 min
Running for office is 20% passion and 80% planning. Behind every candidate standing on stage to deliver that captivating election night speech, there were hours of behind-the-scenes work to make it all happen.
That’s why we here at the National Democratic Training Committee believe every campaign, big or small, needs a written campaign plan so you can hit the ground running with confidence and a clear direction.
Why Campaign Planning Matters (Especially When Everything Is Falling Apart)
Every day, candidates and their staff must make high-stakes decisions about where to invest their time, money, and resources.
With so many moving targets, having a strong campaign plan is critical: it keeps you grounded when everything else feels unpredictable. It also answers questions like:
How many votes do I need to win?
Where are my voters?
How do I reach them?
What’s my message?
What budget, staff, and volunteers will I need?
What Is a Campaign Plan?
If the term “campaign plan” sounds like some combination of a deeply boring AND overwhelming project – don’t tune out just yet. It doesn’t have to be that way!
In the simplest terms, a campaign plan is your roadmap to winning. It will keep you on track so your campaign stays organized from launch to Election Day.
A campaign plan includes:
A profile of your district and voters
Your field strategy (# of doors knocked, # of calls made)
A fundraising plan
Your communications and messaging guides
A campaign budget
Legal and compliance steps
Download NDTC’s Free Campaign Template
To help you get started, we’ve created an easy-to-use Campaign Template. It’s structured into six main sections:
District Overview
Field Plan
Fundraising Strategy
Communications Plan
Budget Summary
Compliance and Legal
It includes prompts, formulas to automate calculations, and flexible space to outline your goals. Combined with our online trainings, you’ll lay the groundwork for a well-structured plan and a successful campaign.
How to Use the Campaign Template
Every candidate and race is unique, and your campaign plan should reflect that. We encourage you to make a copy of the template, so you can tailor it to best serve your needs.
After copying the template, you can either fill out sections as they appear or focus on the sections most relevant to you. Once you’ve gotten started, you can review your notes and guidelines for each section and begin building out your plan.
Each section will guide you through key elements of your campaign such as anticipated expenses or district demographics, helping you build a well-rounded plan
By following these prompts, you’ll create a plan that can be shared widely with your team and keep everyone on the same page.
Pro Tip: Once your plan is drafted, revisit it weekly. Don’t be afraid to update it along the way, letting it evolve with your campaign.
Learn from a Campaign Expert: Jordan Berg Powers
Want to go deeper? Watch NDTC’s YouTube Training featuring campaign strategist, Jordan Berg Powers. Jordan will walk you through how to set realistic voter goals, stay on-message, fundraise like a pro, and more.
It’s the ultimate crash course in creating a campaign plan, so click here to check it out, and check out these trainings and resources below.
