We teach a lot about campaign research, and most candidates see the benefits and try to make room in the budget for polling. But although many candidates will research their opponents, many first-time (and second- and third-time) candidates don’t do a self-research book on themselves. Why, one may ask, would I need research done on me? Whether you dedicate your own time, have a campaign team member help, or employ a professional to dig in, here are our top 3 reasons why self-research is much more important than it may seem.

In the modern digital landscape, amid social media storms and viral moments, email remains the undisputed queen of direct political communication. It’s a necessary channel, but its power is contingent on strategic use. The goal is no longer simply to blast the largest list possible, but to cultivate a dedicated, responsive community. Learn more here!

Employee retention is hard. When an employee is leaving your business, as the proprietor, there is an instinct to feel rejected and think “I must have done something to make them leave."  When people leave my business, I have these thoughts as well. An employee moving on is never easy, but having good employees ultimately means opportunities will come knocking. With that said, here are a few tips I have used over the years when an employee is about to leave.

Here, we give immediate and ongoing strategic tips on how to build and sustain your board, including identifying the traits you want in a board member, defining board terms, focusing on growing recruitment, and developing a board culture as part of an organizational culture. 

When folks started creating targeted communication, sophisticated voter selects were the beginning of microtargeting. Voter modeling was soon to follow, and the age of advanced microtargeting began. These days, voter models are everywhere. No matter the campaign, you have access to voter modeling, but many folks don’t know what to use or how to use it. We’re here to help!

Digital programs are not a "set it and forget it" tactic. The organizations that get the best return on their digital investment are the ones actively monitoring performance, identifying opportunities, and making strategic adjustments in real time. If you’re working with a digital firm, that means learning to read a digital report with confidence and knowing which metrics actually matter for your specific goals.

Power mapping is a very useful advocacy tool, especially when you and your organization have limited time and resources. Power mapping can be used to target the key decision-makers or influencers needed most to achieve policy wins, allowing you to map those with voting and decision-making power over an issue you are advocating for.

It is critical to complete the power map BEFORE you plan out your strategy, including how resources are being spent. Using time, money, and people on the wrong targets often results in a failed campaign. Check out below to learn how!

Every year, advocacy and issue-based groups go to Washington, D.C., or their state capitol for lobby days to connect with legislators and impact legislation. Very often, there can be competition with dozens of other groups for attention, making it hard to stand out. Lobby days can be complicated, but we’re here to help.

Advocacy strategies can be time-consuming to create and difficult to execute. We have often written about the core elements of an advocacy plan, but taking the time to develop your advocacy strategy is an important step. But where do you begin? Try using strategy tools.