Door knocking is one of the most valuable steps a political candidate can take in his election.  Meeting face-to-face with potential voters speaks volumes about the dedication and caring a candidate places in his campaign.  To a voter, this shows not only effort, but it also personalizes a candidate.  Most often, all voters see from potential office holders are their yard signs and mail pieces.

Many voters are “on the fence” about whose name they will mark on voting day.  As a candidate, showing up on the undecided’s door step might just be the impression that will get you their coveted vote.  But, don’t show up unprepared.  This can work against you.  So, here is what every candidate should arm himself with when going door-to-door.

Answers

This may sound like a no-brainer, but make no mistake, you will be asked questions when the door opens.  The two most common questions will be “What are your ideas and plans?” and “What qualifies you for this position?”.  These two questions might be wrapped up in the more broad question, “Why should I vote for you?”.

You MUST be able to answer these questions.  Simply put, if you can’t tell a voter why she should vote for you, don’t bother adding your name to the ballot.

Be prepared to share your platform (three issues you stand on) and qualifications (short resume of qualifications).  You can also talk about the neighborhood and history of the city or district.  You not only have to be qualified, you have to be personable and available.

Clipboard

You should plan on taking some notes while you are talking with voters.  If you spend even a couple of minutes with each household, you can ask questions of your own.  You can find out what is important to a neighborhood—crime, the school system, taxes, beautification, etc.  This is simply doing your homework.

Another important note to jot down is ‘who wants a campaign sign’.  Ask the question before you leave.  Write down the address of the home that agrees to display your political sign and give them a date that you, or a volunteer, will be back to place the yard sign in their yard, if you don’t have a stack with you.  This is a very effective and cost free way to drum up campaign sign locations.

Door Hangers

Door Hangers are all-encompassing pieces of literature.  One side gives qualifications and the other side will include your platform.  You can usually fit in a family photo and your campaign logo.

If someone answers the door, the hanger will help the homeowner remember you.  If nobody is home, hang the door hanger on their door as a way to say, “I was here and I missed you.  Please know that I care.”  In any case, you need to be remembered.  Don’t show without a free handout.

Campaign Signs

This may not be something that you must have with you while door knocking, but it is not a bad idea.  Clear out the trunk of your car and fill it with your campaign signs and wires.  After you have gone through a neighborhood and noted which homes request a sign, go back and erect your yard sign that very same day.  Campaign yard signs should be put up in clumps and all on the same day, if possible.  This tactic gives a strong impression that an entire neighborhood is supporting you.

Door knocking is not so much a political tactic as it is a campaign must.  Voters need to feel that their candidate can relate to them and has the time and drive to be personal.  Candidates can’t afford to be ill-equipped when meeting with constituents.  Face-to-face meetings can give a candidate the information needed to be an effective and efficient legislator.  Be prepared and be thorough.  This is YOU that you are promoting…do it well.

If you are running a political campaign, whether you are the candidate or the consultant, your list of campaign materials can be daunting.  You have to get the campaign signs, get the palm cards and make sure the staff has t-shirts and campaign buttons to pass out in the parade.  Add this to the never-ending list of other “to do’s” and your life just got complicated.

There is an easy and economical way to knock out the collateral materials.  Package them up.  There are a multitude of campaign suppliers out there that can get you political signs, or lapel stickers, or notepads, etc.  Find one, like CampaignPros.com, that can get you all of it.  You make one phone call and pay one bill.  Cross that off your list.

A typical campaign package will contain your name ID pieces (yard signs and car magnets), your handout items (lapel stickers, palm cards or buttons) and your traveling items, which are the items you bring wherever you go (t-shirts and banners).

It is not likely that a campaign package you find on the internet will encompass everything you need or want.  It may have too much of an item or may be missing some key items that you find useful in your area.  So, make sure the company you choose can customize a campaign package just for you.  In addition, do a few minutes of pricing to make sure the campaign package you choose does include a discount.  If you are going to order all your campaign materials from one company, you deserve a discount.

Running a political campaign needs to be efficient and cost effective.  Set aside 30 minutes and find a campaign package that will make your life easier and make sense for you campaign.

If you’re going to run for political office, you are going to need campaign signs.  There is no way around it.  Political signs are the single most effective way to raise voter awareness.  Signs are the most visible piece of marketing you can do, in politics and business.  So, be effective and smart with your money.

According to Billboardsource.com, a full-sized billboard will cost between $1500-$5000, per month.  This is just the cost of the billboard rental, not the cost to design and erect the advertisement.  This is a large chunk of your campaign funds.  Factor in that you will most likely have to pay someone to design your ad and then pay someone to plaster it on the board, your cost will most likely far exceed these numbers.  Not to mention that you will need to find a prime location to make this venture a success.

So, what are your options?  Look into 4’x8’ highway signs.  For reference, this is the size of a standard sheet of plywood or drywall.

In terms of dollars and cents, this option will quickly become more appealing.  The cost for 100 4’x8’ plastic highway signs, with an attractive 2-color design, is less than $20.00 each.  This includes design and printing.  If you want to make them full-color, with your photo and an attractive background, your cost is still under $25.00 each.

The versatility of this option also adds value.  You can hand-pick your locations.  Family and friends with local businesses can erect your highway sign on their property.  With your purchase, you will own the signs, not pay rent.  You can throw a few in the back of a truck and travel with these signs.  They weigh a mere five pounds and are 100% weatherproof.  In addition, the presence of 100 of these signs placed strategically around your district will give a definite sense of power and support.

Sure, you will have to plan the installation of these 4’x8’ highway signs, but isn’t that why you have volunteers and staffers?

How many candidates have the funds to put all their eggs in one basket (or billboard) and hope for results?  This is a poor strategy and philosophy.  Make your voters proud and spend their contributions wisely.  Own your votes, don’t rent them.

When running for political office, your main campaign cost is definitely going to be marketing yourself.  Yard signs are probably going to be where you spend most of your marketing money.  In order for your campaign sign and logo to be effective, consider some of these tips:

1. Short, Sweet and to The Point: Think about the purpose of your yard signs and where they are going to be placed. Most yard signs are going to be handed out to supporters/volunteers and placed in yards or along streets and highways.  People driving by are only going to see your campaign sign for few seconds, so it is important for them to see the basics–your name and the office you are seeking.  You can add some “flair” to your signs, but remember, too much can actually hurt your sign.  One of the worst things someone could do is put a ton of text and symbols on their yard signs to simply fill up space.  Candidates tend to overuse stars, elephants, donkeys, check marks, gavels and the list goes on.  Also, portraits on political yard signs are a bad idea.  People driving by at 35 mph will never see what you look like.  What may work on a 4’x8’ sign will not always work on an 18”x24” sign.  The same goes for political slogans.

2. Color Choice: Color options are endless, however most printing companies offer a core selection of standard colors that are available at no extra cost.  The color(s) you use may not determine the election results, but there are some things to consider:

Know what your opponent is doing: The last thing you want is for your signs to be the same color as your opponent’s.  As mentioned above, voters may only see the sign for a few seconds and you don’t want them to mistake your sign for your opponent’s.  If your opponent is using the colors that you had your heart set on, there are other options so you can still get your way.  If your opponent got to the blue on white before you did, go with a blue reverse (blue background with white text).  If your opponent is using red, white, and blue, and you would like to as well, consider a different shade of blue.  Reflex Blue and Fire Red (red 186) is by far the most popular color combination, but there are many shades of blue that come standard—peacock, process and navy.

Make sure your sign “pops”: If you are going with a 1-color design, contrast is important.  Use a dark color, like blue, red, black or a darker green.  If you are using a 2-color design, make sure the colors contrast.  For example, it is a bad idea to use black and navy blue together.  These colors are similar when printed, so you could actually pay for a 2-color sign and get something that looks like it is printed in 1-color.  A 2-color design, though it will cost you more, is definitely a more attractive option.

Consider your elements: If you live in Wisconsin and have your yard signs out in the winter, make sure your sign won’t blend in with the snow.  An easy fix for this is to use the “reversed out” technique as stated above.

3. Think about using a template: Some companies offer online design templates you can choose.  This is a great idea.  These templates are usually proven, well thought out designs.  Also, check to see if a company offers free graphic design work.  Trust the graphic designers. They do this for a living and know what will be effective.

4. Fonts: You may include all the right text on your campaign signs, but make sure the fonts are legible.  You may really like the font from Harry Potter, and your name even may be Larry Cotter, but don’t use the same font.  It will be hard to read and cause confusion.  Stay away from Comic Sans.  It is probably the most generic, unprofessional font available.  Also, don’t use an extremely thin font if you want your sign to be legible.  Script fonts, a font that looks like cursive handwriting, should not be used for any words you actually want passersby to read.

5. Disclaimers: Make sure you know your local disclosure laws for yard signs.  For example, Texas has a “right-of-way” disclaimer that is required on all yard signs.  Most states require you to have information on your signs stating who paid for the signs (Paid for by….), or even your campaign address and campaign treasurer’s name.  Candidates running for a federal position require a thin box around the disclaimer.   Some locales even have regulations on the font size.  It is very important that you know the laws before you order your signs, otherwise you could be forced to remove all of your signs, have them reprinted, and even be fined.

This may seem like a lot of information just to make sure your political signs are effective.  But, if you keep in mind that your yard signs need to be legible, unique and professional, it will all fall into place.  Remember to seek the advice of the professionals.

At CampaignPros.com, we do campaign materials.  Our staff has over 20 combined years of experience designing, selling, consulting on and printing campaign supplies.  Some would say we are experts.  On a daily basis, we talk to both political candidates and campaign consultants who are hired to work out the details of a campaign.

Generally, we prefer to work with consultants.  In many cases, a candidate has little time to spend working out details about their yard signs, palm cards, banners, etc.  This is what the consultant is hired to do.  A campaign consultant can significantly lighten the burden of a candidate by setting appointments, coordinating events, rounding up volunteers and lining up a candidate’s printed materials.

However, there is one thing any budget-minded candidate must have faith in…that his consultant is getting the best deals on the campaign supplies.

Too often we have conversations with candidates that go like this:  “We hired this consultant to purchase all of our campaign signs and we ended up spending $9,500.00.  It looks like I could have gotten the same thing from you for $4,000.00.”

The fact is consultants need to consult, too.  There are experts, like CampaignPros.com, who know what a campaign needs.  We have designers to do the graphics and sales people to get you the most for your money.  Stretching your campaign dollars is extremely important to a candidate.  Look into getting campaign packages, which include discounts.

So, one thing to ask your consultant, before hiring him or her, is “Do you know where to get the cheapest campaign supplies?”  He may not know right off, but it is important that he spends significant time talking with someone in the printing industry.  Considering that half, if not more, of a campaign budget will go toward printed materials, this is an important task.

Simply put, make sure your consultant’s priorities are yours.  Make sure you have the best people working for you.

Yard Signs don’t do you a whole lot of good if they are laying on the ground.  So, to protect your lawn sign investment, you need to make sure you have the right stakes to hold them up.

CampaignPros.com has invented a relatively new sign stake for the yard sign market, called the Beefy Stake.  The unassuming, simple design of the Beefy Stakes leaves consumers scratching their heads, wondering if this product can really do the trick.  The total length is 26″.  There is a “dimple”  6 inches from the top that acts as a stopper, so the signs do not slide to the ground.  This leaves a full 19″ of straight wire to push into the ground, which is more than enough for an anchor.

These wires are to be used with the same industry standard 4mil corrugated plastic signs that reign supreme with political candidates, the real estate market and businesses across the country.  The element that makes these Beefy Stakes more sturdy than the run-of-the-mill H stands (or step stakes) is the steel.  They are made from a higher carbon steel, a byproduct of titanium.  When compared to other known sign wires on the market, such as the H stands, the Beefy Stakes are notches above on performance, in terms of overall strength and resiliency (bounce back).

In addition to the structural benefits, the Beefy Stakes have an industry-low price point.  This is of particular interest to politicians since they order campaign signs by the hundreds and run their campaigns on tight budgets.  The H stands typically sell for $.65-$1.00 in the retail market.  You can purchase a pair of Beefy Stakes (which is needed for one sign) for $.54.  Furthermore, the product weighs a mere .14 lbs per stake, making it a cheap ship.

The Beefy Stakes are best used as a pair per corrugated plastic sign up to 24″x24″.  For larger signs, up to 24″x48″, four stakes are recommended.  They are typically not suited for signs larger than this.

Visit CampaignPros.com and see that the best deal in the industry is to pair up the Beefy Stakes with your corrugated plastic yard signs.

There is a vast amount of items a candidate can purchase to promote his or her campaign.  Some of these items will simply drain a campaign account.  Light up doo-dads, glowing what-nots and shimmering doo-hickies look nice in their packaging.  But, will these items actually work for you?  Nope.

Voters want to know a couple of things about potential candidates.  They want to know a candidate is qualified, that he is putting in a serious effort to win the election and that he cares about his voters.

Listen up, Candidate.  Going door-to-door better be a part of your campaign strategy.  Nothing says you care more than actually meeting with potential voters on a face-to-face level.  Can you expect voters to check off your name on a ballot if they have never seen your face, asked you tough questions or classified you as one of them?

Now that you have decided to go door-knocking, don’t show up empty handed.  Inevitably, you will come across many homes where the homeowners are not at home.  Don’t settle for that.  Leave a door hanger.  This piece is perfect in a few ways.  The door hanger can encompass information that would normally be split into a few pieces—business cards, brochures and palm cards.  This trick is not a secret.  Tree trimmers, lawn care services and carpet cleaners have been doing this for years.

The front side contains your message and a couple talking points.  The back side displays your contact information and a call to action.  You can even drum up yard sign locations and campaign donations on this piece.  And since it is a hanger, it is perfect for attaching to a door knob or mail box.  Did I mention these are also inexpensive?

Little Billy has been doing this for his summer window washing job.  Now, he has a new bike and a Play Station.  You know how to reach Billy.  Can his parents reach you?

Phil Van Treuren blogs about political campaigning on Killer Campaigning.

Campaign brochures from local political candidates are something that most of us are accustomed to getting in the mail around election time, and frequently they fit the same mold: too much information jammed into too small a space.

In the last decade, I’ve seen dozens of variations of the same ineffective theme from candidates on many levels.  While aesthetics might vary, this kind of campaign literature always has two things in common: it includes an overabundance of text, and it gets tossed in the garbage before voters read even a small portion of it.

In political campaigning, much as in other forms of marketing and advertising, there’s an old adage that can help you create memorable, effective literature: the more you write, the less they read.

Does that mean that your campaign literature should only include one sentence about your qualifications and agenda?  Not at all.

But it does mean that you should focus what you do include on the central themes of your campaign, and forgo the rest.  While you may think that voters will be impressed with a long list of every civic organization and club you’ve ever been a member of, this type of information is rarely digested by the average reader.

Instead, design your campaign literature using short, to-the-point paragraphs that can be quickly read and comprehended by everyone.  I’ve always recommended that candidates focus on no more than three distinct concepts in their campaign literature, devoting only a few sentences to each topic.

Make your writing brief, interesting and relevant.

If there’s more that you want to let the voters know about, then touch on it in a future mailer or door card.  By boiling down your message and writing less on your campaign literature, you’re making it more likely that the voters remember the most important qualities about you as a candidate.

*Guest Writer

We all have bad days.  Sometimes things don’t go as planned.  Sometimes people tick us off.  Sometimes we get so agitated we want to tell the cable company representative where to stick his DVR remote.  It’s human nature.  Sometimes we just feel it is necessary to tell people how it is and scream our frustrations to the world.  But, we are not all running for office.

Let’s be honest, when campaigning for a political office, most of the voters have never met you.  You may have painted the town red and blue with your yard signs and delivered the county your exquisite biography with your postcards. But the fact is most of these folks have never had a personal encounter with you.  There is a good chance they never will.  But, if they do, it is absolutely crucial that they like you.  As obvious as it may seem, most people do not like crass, angry lunatics.

My friend Jeff works in the catering business and is a darn nice guy.   His company was selected to provide appetizers for a local candidate’s fundraiser.  The candidate, a four-term city council incumbent was facing stiff competition for the first time in her career.  This fundraiser was intended to thank her loyal voters and raise money to run a few radio ads.  Everything was going fine.  The candidate wore her happy-face throughout the evening and every attendee left the event ready to elect her to another term.

However, the evening did not go without crisis.  Unbeknownst to the guests, Jeff’s company had the audacity to run out of Swedish meatballs half-way through the evening.  While typically prepared for such an event, he was simply unable to predict the crowd’s passion for meatballs.

While she kept her cool in front of her voters, the candidate was fuming about the oversight.  She could not fathom how a company that specializes in appetizers could possibly underestimate the guests’ meatball consumption.  Whether it was the stress of her campaign, a lack of sleep or simply an unsatisfied meatball pallet, she had a few choice words for Jeff.  Once the room cleared and it was time to write out the check to the food providers, she could contain her frustration no more.  Words such as “unacceptable,” “incompetent” and “infuriated” flew off her tongue as she scolded her caterer.  In short, she greatly over-reacted and made it her mission to make Jeff feel like a failure.  After all, he was just some random chicken wing slinger, right?  Why not let him have it?  She certainly did.

While Jeff was a stranger to the candidate, she was not a stranger to him.  What she didn’t know is that Jeff lived a block away and had voted for her in every previous election.  Conveniently for Jeff, he also shared the same neighborhood with his mother-in-law, sister, two best friends and of course all of their spouses.  Still distraught from the tongue-lashing he received on that fall evening, he shared his tale with all of his acquaintances in that ward. Unfortunately for the candidate, all were active supporters and voters—ten votes in all including Jeff and his wife and not including any other neighbors who may have heard the story.  Since Jeff was a real swell guy, he gained sympathy from all who heard the tale. The candidate, meanwhile, gained a small reputation as being an insensitive, demanding hothead.  Maybe she was, maybe she wasn’t.  But she sure presented herself that way on one evening.  Jeff’s best friend actually removed the yard sign he proudly displayed in his yard.

Election night came, and the beloved incumbent candidate lost by 9 votes.  I think we can do the math.  Did her 60-seconds of catering frustration cost her the election?  Well, frankly, yes!

As stated earlier, we all have bad days and probably some moments of frustration we are not proud of.  But, we are not all running for office.  As a candidate, you must find the inner-strength to present yourself as the nicest, most sympathetic and compassionate individual at all times.  Even if you want to shred someone to little pieces, your outward perception must always be that of Santa Claus, because…..you never know who they know.

If you have decided to run for political office, whether for school board or Governor, you are going to need a war chest.  The simple fact is that running a campaign takes money.  Of course it takes a solid platform, voter interest and dedication, too.  But, without funding, you can’t accomplish much.

This fact makes raising funds the first step in campaigning.  As you may know, for most people, asking others for money can be uncomfortable and down-right embarrassing.  Get over those feelings quickly.  Voters know you need money.  They see the yard signs, receive the mail and hear your radio spots.

Fortunately, there is a way to make fundraising more efficient.  Go for the big bucks!  If you are familiar with the term to “nickel and dime”, you will understand why getting large donations can ease some of the stress.  Large chunks of money coming in will free up your time and allow you to do more in a shorter period of time.  If you are running for County Clerk, you will need between 250-500 yard signs, on average.  Delivered to your door, the signs will cost about $750-$1500.00.  Simple math tells you that getting three donations of $500 will put signs in yards quicker than getting 75 donations of $20.

I bet you think there is nobody in your life that will give you a $500 donation.  Well, familiarize yourself with a few other sayings—“you never know until you try”, “what is the worst they can say?” or “it’s worth asking”.  If you have decided to run for office, you must have already concluded that people like you and believe in what you stand for.

With the big bucks in sight, you now need to get your foot in the door.  This does take some time and preparation, but the payoff is sweet.  Here are some guidelines and tips:

-Bark up the right tree

Who you ask is as important as what you ask and how you ask.  Check newspapers since they often gives clues as to which candidates are getting the money from the big donators.  Check your local FEC commission for disclosure records.  Of course, ask family, friends, your doctor, your lawyer, etc.

-Schedule a meeting

Sending an email or a letter won’t cut it.  Big donors need, and deserve, face-to-face time.  It goes without saying that if you aren’t granted a meeting on the first try, you ask again…and again.

-Present yourself

If you are going to ask for large sums of money, be prepared to explain your platform (campaign issues) and tell them why you would serve them well as a political figure.  Also, tell them why voting for you is the right choice.

-Ask

Now that you are there, don’t chicken out.  Say the words, “I am here to ask you to donate money to my campaign fund.”  If you want $500, say it.  If you want $1000.00, ask for it.

These steps are easier to approach if you truly believe that you are worth voting for.  If you don’t believe that and portray that, donors and voters will see right through your pressed shirt, perfect hair and cute family photos.  You also must realize that you cannot move forward with your campaign unless you have the funds to do so.

Yes, this is the hardest step, but losing your campaign is the worst result.  Remember that.