I'm Keisha Carter Brown, your political and fundraising consultant, with the 10 commandments of campaigning:
- Know thyself. You must have a 30-second pitch about the knowledge, skills, values and experiences that make you uniquely qualified for this job.
- Know thy district. You must be familiar with the jurisdiction you want to serve in: its geographic boundaries, voters' political preferences and demographics, plus community leaders and media.
- Build a coalition of the willing. You must assemble a campaign team: staff (campaign manager, treasurer, fundraising director, communications), volunteers (friends, family and community leaders) and donors.
- Peak at the right time. Be prepared and plan out what you need to win, and when. Spend your money with the right messaging to ensure maximum impact.
- Have the gold to run a campaign. Closed mouths don't get fed. Make sure you have a fundraising plan of why people should not only vote for you, but donate to you to increase your chances of success.
- Know your opponent, don’t be your opponent. Do your research on your competition to develop a winning campaign strategy. Check your bio and follow your opponent for mistakes or exaggerations. Make sure you are setting the agenda and issues, not your opponent.
- Be in public to be a public servant. You must be comfortable talking to people and being on social media (Facebook, Twitter, digital ads, LinkedIn, etc.) to engage voters and ask for their support.
- Fundraise until you reach your goal. It's your job to raise the money. Successfully raising money shows your commitment and drive to your candidacy.
- Have your family on board. Your family must be aware and supportive of the resources (time, money and commitments) required to win an election.
- Know your timeline and budget. You must develop three budgets that will help you win your election: a Pinto, Honda and Cadillac plan. Also, you should have a daily plan (work, fundraising, phone calls, events, family time, etc.) of what you need to accomplish daily.
