The winning political campaign is usually the one that identifies target voters, develops a persuasive message, and follows a practical plan to reach those voters consistently. Although every campaign is different, some basic principles apply to all elections.
The core of any campaign is simple: repeatedly communicate a persuasive message to people who are likely to vote. Politics is fundamentally a communication process—find the right message, deliver it to the right voters, and repeat it often.
For this reason, the candidate, campaign manager, and key advisers should carefully review this manual together during a strategic planning meeting. That meeting should produce a written campaign plan. Many politicians believe the strategy is “in their heads,” but without a written plan, there is often no real strategy and confusion can arise among campaign leaders. A written plan ensures that everyone agrees on the same goals and methods. The rule is simple: if a plan is not written down, it does not exist.
