TLDR: A clear strategy for promoting endorsed candidates is important for your member communication. This includes a clear endorsement process, plus paid and organic promotion of the endorsement.
To do member communications right, plan well in advance. In this post, we revisit the candidate endorsement process and outline ways to promote endorsements and set goals for them.
To do member communications right, plan well in advance. In this post, we revisit the candidate endorsement process and outline ways to promote endorsements and set goals for them.
Many organizations recommend or endorse candidates, but it's often unclear why or how. Make sure folks know why and how you endorse. A clear process gives your endorsement more credibility and authority. If your organization endorses but nobody hears it, you are not doing your job. Have a plan for promoting endorsements through social and free press. Campaign finance laws likely affect what you can and can’t do, but you have a lot of leeway in what you communicate to members.
Member Communications: Have a Plan for Endorsement Communications
Direct mail: Organizational recommendations can include legislative scores, member endorsements, and other organization-specific information to engage members.
Digital ads: Using platforms to target members can reach them in an engaging, unexpected way. Try featuring user-generated content with members talking to members. This may also include Work site targeting, but check with legal. With many digital ad formats, you can geo-fence worksites to reach folks inside; please check with your attorney to see whether this qualifies as member communications.
Flyers to members: Workplace flyers to hand out or post on a bulletin board are back in style; understand the worksite policy, but if you can, don’t forget this way to engage members.
Email: Email for member communication is underrated and underused for sharing recommendations. You have members' email addresses, and that can be a powerful tool.
SMS: Texting members is a clear, easy way to connect.
Telephone town halls: Getting members to connect with candidates virtually can offer greater flexibility and engagement than going to a forum (Zoom works too).
Digital slate cards: Great tools can feature endorsement slates.
Relational organizing: Many tools can help members engage with one another; use them to bring members into the endorsement process and promote your endorsements.
Collect assets for member communications: Know what assets you will collect beyond endorsement quotes from members and leadership about a candidate. Group photos and interviews can also help with your organization’s member campaigns and potential independent campaigns.
Member testimonials: Use members to talk about the candidate's record. You can use these to communicate with members, but we have also seen campaigns seek these kinds of testimonials for their own communication.
Member-to-member postcards: Having members send postcards to other members can also add a nice personal touch to your program.
Can your organization endorse? Check your bylaws and ask your lawyer whether your organization can endorse or recommend candidates. Just because you are legally allowed to endorse does not mean you should.
How early should you start? Being intentional about your endorsement process is critical. Start early with your planning. Executing a clear endorsement process means setting aside time to write questionnaires, interview candidates, hold forums, endorse candidates, budget for member communications, and allow enough time to communicate your endorsement.
A written endorsement process is key to keeping organizations on track and building political power over time. A consistent process lets you, your team, and your members engage and help every year, but many groups have used the same playbook and haven't changed how they communicate endorsements in a long time. Here are our ideas to help you up your game when it comes to communicating endorsements.
Know the races you will endorse in: You do not have to endorse in every race. If a race does not matter to your organization, don’t endorse. Yes, as a community member you may want to endorse in every race, but if you do, make sure you have the resources, time, money, and effort.
Understand what your endorsement means: Not all endorsements mean the same thing. Make sure you know what the endorsement or recommendation means for your organization; what you will do to help candidates, and whether you will do the same for every candidate. If there is a tier, make sure you are clear, internally and externally, about what it is.
What is your organization’s goal behind endorsements? Endorsers bring credibility and trust both for candidates and organizations. Make sure you communicate those goals clearly.
Can you remove endorsements? Yes, bad campaign behavior can cost candidates organizational endorsements. Organizations rarely rescind endorsements, but they may do so as a last resort. Make sure you communicate how this could happen and put it in writing.
Non-endorsements & dual endorsements: I would advise organizations to choose one, but in rare circumstances that isn't possible. Orgs decide they don’t have the votes, or they pick a couple of candidates they can support in a large field.
Know what you will do with the questionnaire: Why are you asking folks to fill it out? - We have read too many questionnaires over the years that have lost their strategy. Put real thought into the questions and make sure you know which questions will make a difference for you.
How will you hold endorsers accountable? Accountability has become a growing concern for organizations as folks get endorsements, use them, change positions, or stop being true advocates for causes they say they believe in. Groups are more actively tracking where candidates go after they endorse. Think about how you will do that.
Don’t forget to promote your endorsements and recommendations: Campaign endorsements don’t promote themselves. Voters will only know about endorsements if you tell them. Don't assume organizations or newspapers will publicize the endorsements. You need your own strategy to do it.
Measure your program's success through member surveys, creative testing, communication-tactic testing, and by collecting and comparing core metrics. There are many ways to measure your program's success.