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 Campaign
• Goal setting Resources
• Voter targeting • People
• Research • Money
• Message • Time Image: www.pixabay.com

• Voter contact • Info

• Budget
• Fundraising
• Election day
Image: www.pixabay.com
 KEY TERMS
• 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
• Written
• Flexible
• Understandable
• Includes the obvious
• Research-based
• Has clear goals and objectives
CAMPAIGN STEPS
 RESEARCH
Knowledge is power!

•Electoral context
•Self research
•Opposition research
•Issue research
 RESEARCH: ELECTORAL
CONTEXT
• 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
• 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 Soft Soft True

Opposed Opponent Undecided Supporter Believer
EXERCISE: VOTER TARGETING
800,000 citizens and 500,000 eligible voters

50,000

60,000

RURAL
70%
5,000
300,000
30,000 55,000
URBAN
30%
 MESSAGE
• 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 What they say about
themselves 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 Electronic
• Newspapers • Television
• Magazines • Radio

Photo: Sanja Gjenero for rgbstock.com Photo: A. Elwallani, NDI

COMMON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
• 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
 INDIRECT VS. DIRECT VOTER
CONTACT
• Direct requires more
time and people
• Indirect requires more
money
Photo: Amy Hamelin, NDI
 DIRECT VOTER CONTACT
Manpower
Tactic Cost Time Efficiency Effectiveness
Needed
Door-to-door 1 5 5 1 5
Small personal
1 4 4 2 4
events
Town meetings
1-3 3 3 3 3
and other events
Candidate “meet
1 2 2 4 2
and greets”
Distribution at
1 3 2 3 3
gathering places
Phone banks 3 5 4 3 3
 INDIRECT VOTER CONTACT
Manpower
Tactic Cost Time Efficiency Effectiveness
Needed
Literature
3-5 1-3 1 4-5 1-2
distribution
TV, radio and
5 1 2 5 1
newspaper ads
Letters to
1 1 1 4 2
newspaper
TV, radio debates 1 1-2 2 5 2-3

Big events 4-5 3 3 3 3-4

Posters and
2-3 1-3 2 2 1
billboards
Mail and e-mail 2-1 1 1 3 1-2

Social media 1 1 1 3 2
VOTER CONTACT PLAN EXAMPLE
Method # Voters When Where Cost # Volunteers
3,000  May Homes $500  50
Door to door
Weekend
6,000 April Homes $2,500 10 
Direct mail

12,000 June $5,000 3

TV ads
Evening
10,000 June $4,000  2
Newspaper ads Sunday
paper
1,000 May Host’s Covered  35
Small Events
Evenings  home by host
TOTAL  32,000     $12,000 100
EXERCISE: VOTER CONTACT
PLAN

Photo: Amy Hamelin, NDI

 DELIVER AND PROTECT
• Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
• Poll watching

Photo: NDI
 CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
• People
• Money
• Time
• Information

Photo and images: www.pixababy.com

 CAMPAIGN TEAM QUESTIONS
• What activities?
• What skills?
• What functions?
• Where can I find the right people?
• Who is responsible for what?
 CAMPAIGN TEAM POSITIONS
• Manager
• Field organizer
• Communications officer
• Volunteer coordinator
• Fundraiser
• Press officer

Photo: Amy Hamelin, NDI

 CAMPAIGN TEAM POSITIONS
• 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
• Phone banks
• Door to door
• Internet research
• Mailings or leaflet drops
• Event organizing
• Data entry
• Press clips
• Thank you letters and other
correspondence
 BUDGET
• 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 400 300 400 800 1000
Supplies (paper, pens) 100 100 100 200 300
Equipment rental 150 150 150 150 150
Printing          
Flyers/Leaflets 150  150 250 500
Paraphernalia       500 
Fundraising          
Events 1500  800 200 1000
Meetings   200 200  500
Voter Contact          
Canvassing   250 250 500 1000
GOTV         2000
Media          
Radio Ads         1000
Website 200 200 200 200 200
TOTAL EXPENSES 2500 1200 2250 2800 7650
EXERCISE: DEVELOPING YOUR
BUDGET

Photo: NDI
FUNDRAISING
 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  1000  500

Political Party
contributions 5000    1550 
Donations 500 250 500 1000 2500

Fundraising events
income 2000  600 300 
           
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 RESPONSIBLE RESOURCES
After Finalize all tasks, pay Campaign Manager, Office Money
Election workers Manager, Finance Director -Venue, food, small
Day -Appreciation party -Campaign Team gifts

Election GOTV – door-to-door -Campaign Manager/Field GOTV leaflet

Day Director Script for volunteers
-Database Manager Lists of target voters
-Volunteer Coordinator Maps of areas
200 Volunteers

Observation at polls -Campaign Manager and Check list

and vote count Field Director 50 Volunteers
-Volunteer Coordinator
Candidate Press -Campaign Manager and Press packets
Events Press Officer Election day speech
-Candidate
Election Voter Contact Field Director and Volunteer Persuasion leaflet
Day Coordinator 150 Volunteers
minus 1 Candidate Visits to Candidate and Campaign Small thank you gifts
community leaders Manager for leaders
Candidate Press Candidate and Press Officer Press packets
Events Speech
EXERCISE: DEVELOPING YOUR
TIMELINE

Photo: NDI
 DATA AND LIST MANAGEMENT
• Lists of: • Sources of
– Supporters information:
– Potential donors – Official voter list
– Volunteers – Candidate
– Press contacts contacts
– Persuadable – Supporter’s
contacts
voter
– Opinion leaders – Party lists
DATA AND LIST MANAGEMENT
• Full name • Polling station
• Gender • Party affiliation
• Age range/date • Voting intention
of birth • Voting history
• Phone number(s) • Donor history
• Mailing address • Volunteer history
• Email
 CAMPAIGN PLAN REVIEW
Steps Resources
• Goal setting • People
• Voter targeting • Money
• Research • Time
• Message • Info
• Voter contact
• Budget
• Fundraising
• Election day
Photo: NDI