Imagine a world where you decided to run for office and at the very mention of your intent, your campaign was fully funded, your field plan perfectly laid out, and you were given an extra few hours in the day to get everything done. (Running for office would be so much easier with 32-hour days, right?). Until that fantasy becomes [...]
Every campaign is looking to save money. You may have a friend who will cater your events for free. Perhaps a supporter who wants to donate t-shirts for all of your volunteers. Maybe a local car dealer wants to lend you a car for use on the campaign trail. These are all wonderful, but each is an in-kind contribution and [...]
It’s impossible to operate in the political sphere for long before Political Action Committees, aka PACs, come up in conversation. And while you probably hear about them all the time, you might still wonder, “How do Political Action Committees work?” but are bit embarrassed to ask. Or maybe you’re running for office and are curious as to how they can [...]
Every day we’re impressed by the incredibly diverse and talented group of candidates who we support through training. Their passion, commitment, and dedication to changing their local communities is inspiring. That’s why we’re starting our new series, Trainee Spotlight. Every month, we’ll feature one of NDTC’s trainees that’s going above and beyond to improve their communities. Today we want to [...]
We joke about yard signs (don’t get me started!), but you’ll have no idea how many you can afford without a proper campaign budget. This isn’t the sexy campaigning we envision when thinking about running for office, but it’s a vital and necessary step. While it may seem intimidating, it isn’t. Every good campaign, big or small, knows how much [...]
February may be the shortest month of the year, but that didn’t stop hundreds of energized Democratic candidates, campaign staffers, and activists from joining us at NDTC live trainings across the country. In the span of just four weeks, over 500 Democrats across five states came out to learn the skills and tools needed to drive the blue wave in [...]
Message box. Story of self. Public narrative. Your campaign message. These are all terms you may have heard before that will help you create your message in your attempt to connect with your voters and fellow citizens. You’ve got wonderful reasons for running. You've got passion. You’ve got amazing qualifications. You have developed complex opinions about the issues that face [...]
You’ve got a committee name. You have a kitchen cabinet. You've got a fundraising plan. You have a field plan. You have a website and Facebook page. It’s time to start hosting campaign events! You’re going to host events for several reasons: meeting voters, building relationships, and raising money. Tip: Make sure you know your goal before you start planning the event. Some events can serve [...]
Sending emails will not win your campaign for you. Sending emails will not mean you will eclipse your fundraising goals. You’re still going to have to knock on doors, call people, and have face to face conversations. However, you probably won’t win your election if you do not include email as a part of your overall digital strategy. Sending emails [...]
We get it. It is so easy to get distracted on the campaign trail. When you’re talking about the same issues every single day, it’s tempting to go on a tirade about the current administration or your opinions on our relations with Russia. Resist the temptation! Focus on your campaign message. But if you do give in, here’s one piece of [...]
Your kitchen cabinet is a strong asset to have in a political campaign. Whether you’re running for Congress or your local school board, having people with different points of view giving you advice can be enormously helpful. Every successful business has an advisory board, and your campaign should be no different. Typically a kitchen cabinet is made up of close [...]
If you’ve taken the NDTC Digital course (online or live), you know we encourage candidates to focus when it comes to creating a social media presence for their campaigns. Do one, do it well. For most people, that means have a presence on Facebook. With all the changes Facebook has been making, it’s only natural that many people are nervous [...]
Most people don’t schedule their week’s worth of social media content ahead of time — but then again, candidates aren’t most people. While it might sound a bit tedious, planning out what content you’re going to post, what platform you’re going to post it on, and what time of day that content will go live is a great way to stay on [...]
If you’re not on social media, you’re missing a HUGE opportunity to engage supporters, spread your message, and build your persona (btw — these are not the only reasons you should be on social media). Post content regularly. Staying active on social media is essential to sustain a great social media presence. You want to post as often as possible so your [...]
Websites are crucial to political campaigns for a couple of reasons. They are a form of media that you control as the candidate. While you can control social media accounts, they’re usually a short form of content and not the best place to go into detail about who you are and your stance issues. Websites are a great place to [...]
