3 Steps to Running Your Campaign Like Beto O’Rourke
The Texas primaries produced a surprising lift in Democratic voter turnout and is now pitting a new face in national politics against incumbent Ted Cruz.
Is there a method to creating that level of momentum? One that you can apply to your own campaign whether you’re running for school board or state representative or anything in between?
Regardless of your political affiliation, if you’re going into a campaign as the underdog, here are 3 steps you can take to run a campaign as successfully as Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke.
1. Hit The Road
Whether it’s your neighborhood or the entire state that you need to win over, get in front of as many people as possible by canvassing door-to-door, speaking at group events, or holding rallies.
People are always more comfortable and trusting of an individual if they’ve shook their hand and exchanged a few cordial words.
That personal connection will gain votes for your campaign at a higher rate than yard signs, billboards, and ads.
Know how many voters you need to have a personal interaction with, think about how many days their are until the election and calculate the time you need to put in to reach everyone in your district.
2. Listen as Much as You Speak
When it comes to politics, few people enjoy being preached at. While you certainly have your policy positions and want to inform voters of your viewpoints, what really wins over an individual is the feeling of their voice being heard.
While you’re interacting with all those voters from Step 1, your goal should be to listen. Even if the conversation isn’t about politics showing that you have a sympathetic ear for their life, concerns, and struggles, you’ll show them the respect that they want from a political representative.
In Beto O’Rourke’s case, he isn’t just addressing issues important to Democrats in the state, he’s showing that he listens to and understands the concerns of an oft overlooked population in an otherwise conservative state.
3. Individual Donations
Many grassroots campaigns live and die by individual donations. But to truly thrive on individual donations you need to make it clear that you are not accepting donations from PACs SuperPACs and other special interest groups.
Campaigns like O’Rourke’s and Bernie Sander’s 2016 campaign were highly funded because individuals saw that their donations were the lifeblood, that there was no turning to PACs if the public couldn’t contribute enough.
If you’re running for a smaller, local position, these groups may not even be on your radar, but crafting a story and a position around campaign finance may win over voters and get them to contribute to your campaign.
Win Your Election
The secret to pulling off a smaller campaign is to convince voters that their voice is rising above the crowd and reaching YOU, the person who has the opportunity to represent their concerns.
Focus on the individual and you’ll be able to win over the masses.
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