Summer Reading Non-Political Books for Politicos

Non-Political Books for Politicos

by The Campaign Workshop

When you get into politics, it’s hard to resist the all too common tunnel vision of focusing only on politics. But be careful – binge watching Veep or The West Wing is not going to help you run a better campaign or organization; nor will reading solely political books. So Here are some of our favorite non-political books. 

a paper boy selling political newsletters

Newsletters Political Consultants Read Before Breakfast

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Political news moves at a breakneck pace, and while following along on social media can be a great way to keep up with the latest blips on the screen, we also like to read a handful of political newsletters before stepping into the office—sometimes even our own. These newsletters give concrete analysis and offer a little more depth than a tweet, without being quite as long as a full-length article. If you are looking for our list of state blogs, go here. If you are looking for Substacks we love, look here. 

A person steering a ship guided by core values

Core Values Shape Nonprofit Culture

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Over the years we have developed a list of The Campaign Workshop’s core values that align both with the company culture we want to foster and the staff members we want to attract.

ballot language

Why Ballot Language Matters

by Martín Diego Garcia (He/Him)

Ballot language for ballot initiatives matters more than anything else and can make or break your initiative from the beginning. It has long been said that ballot measure language can be the difference between winning and losing. Here are some basics on ballot measure wording and how it can make or break your measure.

Person holding up gold trophy

Do Awards Matter When You're Hiring a Political Consultant?

by The Campaign Workshop

Lookin for an award winning political consultant? If you’re reading this post, you may have just found out political consultant awards like the Pollies, Reeds, Goldies and, more specifically, political ad awards actually exist. So, now you might be asking yourself if it even matters whether consultants you might be hiring have won awards for the work they’ve produced.

political-consulting-firms

Hiring Political Consulting Firms -The Ultimate Guide

by Ben Holse (He/Him)

Picking a political consulting firms is not an easy decision. This is, after all, going to be your largest expenses, so it’s important that you get it right. Hiring the right consultants cannot guarantee you a win but hiring the wrong ones can guarantee you a loss. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to hire a political consulting firm.

political consultant

Political Consultant: How to Hire a Campaign Consultant

by The Campaign Workshop

For any campaign, it’s crucial to hire the right people—and in many cases, your team might include a political consultant. So, what exactly is a political consultant? How does a consultant differ from a campaign manager? Do you need a consultant? and if so, how do you go about finding a good one that you can afford? If these are the sorts of questions that plague you, this is the blog post for you: political consulting explained by political consultants.

An image of piggy bank with money coming out of it's head

A Guide to Budgeting for Your Digital Advocacy Campaign

by The Campaign Workshop

When you are setting up your digital campaign budget for advocacy, how much should you spend on digital advertising? Per unit, digital advocacy advertising is comparatively cheap – while you may spend several hundred dollars (or more) per point on TV, your cost per thousand impressions (CPM) can be as little as a dollar or two for digital advertising. That means that digital advertising can be a fantastic way to reach out to supporters and promote your advocacy campaign when you’re working with limited dollars.

7 Questions With Hal Malchow

Hal Malchow - No Popes in Heaven

by The Campaign Workshop

Hal Malchow has over thirty-five years of experience in politics, having worked for four Democratic presidential nominees and a long list of Senate, congressional, and gubernatorial candidates. Hal Malchow’s pivotal role in introducing data science to American political campaigns and measuring the impact of voter communication tactics changed the way campaigns are run. In his latest novel, No Popes in Heaven, Hal Malchow draws upon his experience to highlight the absurdities of our political system and the negative consequences of well-meaning reforms for our democracy. We sat down with him to hear all about his new book.

political consultant

10 Political Consultant Problems

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Do you hate or love your political consultant? As the world of political consulting has grown, so have issues that organizations and candidates face with their political consultants.

trump photos

Sourcing Great Photos of Trump Without Breaking the Bank

by Sophie Thurber (She/Her)

Digital advocacy in Trump’s America means (for many of us) a near unending need for Trump photos. Unfortunately, buying rights managed photos of our fearless Commander in Cheeto means running up an epic tab pretty darn quickly. But fear not (at least with regard to photos… I can’t make any promises regarding the rest of what’s going on at this point) – compelling photos of Trump are still available to those of us who don’t have deep pockets and an unlimited Getty account.

digital advocacy

Facebook and ActionSprout: Integration for Digital Advocacy

by Sophie Thurber (She/Her)

Digital advocacy is about engagement and capacity building—likes are just a starting point. Over the last few years, Facebook’s algorithm has evolved, as has its advertising options, making it easier than ever to capitalize on the audience you’ll find there and turn likes into actions that advance your advocacy goals.