OPINION: Successful Senators Must Know How To Campaign

(Source: via Flickr)

Knowing how to campaign is an important skill for a student representative. Those who can launch a basic, effective campaign can move others to action and rally support for their cause. Contrarily, those who do not know how to campaign effectively often go unheard and lack important support for their priorities. 

If you are going to be an effective student representative, then you must learn how to run a basic campaign.

In this post, I share steps for how to implement a successful campaign. While there are different types of campaigns (such internal and external SGA campaigns, or re-election campaigns and letter-writing campaigns), they all contain the same basic elements. 

By working on the fundamentals, these skill of knowing how to launch a successful campaign will follow you anywhere you need to go, whether in an internal election to support your senator project or an external effort to win re-election. Master these common fundamentals and you will be able to tailor the skill of campaigning to whatever context you need.

Now, the best way to learn how to campaign is to launch one! However, if you haven’t already done this, then here are seven steps to help you rally support for your cause through an effective campaign. Follow these and you will successfully move people to action and succeed within student government. 

1. Choose your position. Pick a side in a controversy. Make sure it is concrete. For example, are you for the plan or against the plan? Are you going to run for election or not? Pick a position. If you are running for election, then you want voters to vote for you.

2. Next, write down your reasons. Why do you take this position? These will also be the reasons you use to persuade others to join you. For instance, “I am against the plan [let’s say, for new student parking] because it charges new students additional parking fees for the parking lot’s construction. Students already pay enough.” Or, “I am running for election to see a coffee shop open at the campus library.” Write-up your reasons for your position.*

3. Develop a call to action. What do you want your audience to do? Vote for you as engineering senator? Send a letter to an administrator? Support your senator project? Think about what action you want your audience to take. Then, your campaign will focus on persuading your audience to take this step. 

4. Pick a campaign slogan. Everyone needs one, even if it is cheesy. It will usually model your call to action. For example, in the case of a student tuition referendum, if you oppose it, then maybe your slogan would be “Keep UT-Tyler Affordable”. In another case, say if you want to win election to the senate to open a coffee shop in the campus library, then maybe your slogan would be  “Vote for Jake For A Coffee Break." Slogans help frame how you want your audience to see you and they give them something that helps them remember you. So, pick a slogan. 

4. Create campaign materials. Fliers, social media graphics, tshirts—whatever! Campaign materials’ function is to call attention to your cause, campaign and call to action. Fliers are usually the simplest and often the most effective. They give people short, basic information about your cause and promote awareness about your campaign. Create materials that will promote awareness about your campaign. 

5. Recruit volunteers. To prevail in a democratic contest, you will need help. So, recruit volunteers! A good place to start is with those closest to you. Consider asking friends and roommates to help you. Make sure you have something for them to do, such as making buttons or designing social media. I’ve found that requests for help with specific things usually goes over better than an open-ended ask. Either way, recruit volunteers!

6. Now, get out the vote! In this phase, your efforts should be to get your supporters to take whatever action your campaign called them to do. For example, to vote for you in the student election or to send the letter to the decision-maker. This action is the reason your campaign exists! So make sure you have a mechanism to get out the vote.   

A good way to promote turnout is to measure whether your supporters have taken action. For example, If you create a pledge or a sign-up list for those who commit to support you, then with their permission, you can follow-up with them before the deadline and ask them if they already acted.

For example, in a student election, ask them if they already voted? If not, then how can you help them? Do they need the survey link?  Or in a letter writing campaign, Did they send a letter? If not, do they need the sample letter again? Help them do whatever they need to take that step. Remember, taking that step is the whole purpose for your campaign. So, make sure to get out the vote (in whatever context this applies)! 

7. Finally, be a good sport. People are always watching. The same people who saw you lose may decide to support you on your next campaign, mainly because of the way you handled yourself when you won or lost. So be gracious. There will always be other opportunities, and you will need their support then. 

Remember to 1) choose a position, 2) write down your reasons, 3) develop a call to action, 4) create campaign materials, 5) recruit volunteers and 6) get out the vote. Lastly, 7) be gracious! These are seven steps that will  help you run a basic campaign and be effective within SGA. 

Conclusion

To be able to move someone to action is an important skill for a student leader. The campaign does just this. Know how to campaign and you will be on your way to a successful time in student government!

*If you are running for office, then make sure you say what you want to accomplish in that position. 

Twitter: @Jhescock12

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Feature Image: Via Flickr. (Source unknown!)