The “Pre-Game” to Running for Political Office
5 tips of what potential state, county and city political candidates should do BEFORE actually campaigning.
Not gonna lie, I didn’t know that there was a term that defined eating and drinking before going to a party. In my collegiate days, we did it because we were on a budget and we didn’t want to spend a lot of money buying drinks and wings at the party. “Pre-gaming” ensures that you are ahead of the other party-goers in that you can enjoy the same party, same music, same atmosphere but you have the advantage of spending a lot less.
There is a pre-gaming of sorts in politics. Who knew? You did. You’ve seen it but may not have known what it was. Things such as public figures with exploratory committees, little known folks authoring books that have a biographical slant, and seemingly “all of a sudden” seeing viable contenders at very prominent events and in the media.
If you are considering a run for office, know this: Candidates begin the run for office LONG before they are campaigning for office. I don’t care WHAT they tell you. Real contenders know (or have been told) that early preparation is key. The election you are interested in might be 2, 3, 4 years away, so you think you have plenty of time. WRONG. You should already be in planning and strategy mode…pre-gaming. Why? So you can enter the race with as much advantage as possible.
As a political consultant and brand strategist, there have been several campaigns that I’ve been engaged in where I thought, “Geez…I wished you brought me on board a year ago, or these three things should have been thought about BEFORE engagement…we could be so much further ahead.” Things like what, Camille? I’m glad you asked. Here are my top 5 political pre-gaming tips!
- Make the decision, that you are going to decide. This is not a play on words. But you need to know and commit that this the season where you are gathering information, strategy, intel, and data so that you have what you need to make the best decision about whether to run for office AND what office is best suited for you. The most important part of this is to give yourself a HARD deadline to actually commit to the race. This should be (best case scenario) at MINIMUM a year before active campaigning starts. But twist it not, some long term goals are 5, 10 years in the making. There are junior state reps, local Senators, city mayors, business leaders and community organizers that are already plotting their path to the White House via their next political office.
2. Set up a consultation with a Political Consultant. This is and is not a shameless plug. It is because that’s what I do of course, but it is not because it's TRUE. Sit down with a professional (even if you cannot yet afford their services long term), share your interest and get their honest feedback about the potential opposition, fundraising needed to run, paperwork deadlines, and their recommended next steps should you be serious about running. Nothing takes the place of viable experience. You can run a grass roots, novice, newbie, fresh-faced campaign. BUT everybody in your circle cannot be wet behind the ears. PERIOD. You must tap into someone that has been there, done that and can shine a light on a very muddy and confusing path to your goal. You need honesty and transparency. You can only make a decision based on the quality of the information that you have. The better the information, the better the decision. If a potential candidate told me for example, that they have a problem asking for money, I would tell them to reevaluate their desire to run for office. You need money to run your campaign. YOU need to ask for it. You can’t pawn that off on staffers. Until you get over your shyness in that area (practice with volunteering with a non-profit and asking for donations), don’t attempt a campaign. You will frustrate yourself and all those around you if you won’t do the hard work necessary of funding your path. (That little tidbit just saved someone some frustration — thus our value in a nutshell)
For more information on the history, role, and evolution of Political Consultants, see this study done by the Brookings Institute.
3. Do a tribe assessment. Know whom you have in your circle already, what role they can play in a potential campaign and what the holes are (people you are lacking). For example, should I ever bump my head and run for office, my husband would be my treasurer. Why? NOT because he’s my husband (DO NOT choose leaders because of relationship). But instead, because he is an engineering genius, a great steward over finances and a brilliant budgeter. Now, I would make sure that as treasurer he has a financial secretary working with him or a well-rounded campaign manager that has a backdrop in the finance and reporting of political campaigns. Because that’s the “hole”, he knows money, but not campaigns. Knowing this in advance, when I get ready to choose a campaign manager, I know that they should not only be a brilliant strategist but have strong financial experience. Also, during this tribe assessment, be sure you look at the dynamics of your immediate family. Do you have young children, an ailing parent, or a new marriage? These things do not prevent you from running, BUT will restrict your availability and need your attention. Take them into account. That’s a “hole”. Will your siblings need to step up with mom? Do you need to establish a date night with your spouse? Will you need a temporary housekeeper? Have the discussions with your inner circle first so everyone that loves you can prepare to support you with what you need.
4. Build and repair your brand. No one has to prove any longer that social networking is an incalculably systematizing tool when used correctly, can be powerful. The stability of your online presence is critical in building a brand and platform that will carry you through a campaign. This goes beyond just setting up a Facebook fan page, RT’ing other people’s thoughts and posting pics of you and your dog. Using your online brand effectively in the pre-game means building a viable online community that you will actively and consistently develop, engage and grow from now until your announcement and through election day. Building a following or community takes TIME. So starting now is important. Post relevant information about the issues. Do polls to get an idea of what people are thinking. Show yourself in the community already active and serving. The other part of this is cleaning up your brand presence. Make sure old websites and “MySpace” pages have been deleted and that you aren’t tagged in any inappropriate pictures. Do a google search and see what is attached to you and why. Begin the work to move any negative or irrelevant press down in the search by adding positive press, media, releases, and engagement. [Insert shameless plug for consultants here] Another reason to get a consultant on board sooner rather than later.
5. Do the job that you are running for. Wait, what? How can I do a job I am not hired to do, Camille? To a degree, you can. For example, If you are running for State Senator, figure out:
• What are state senators doing right now? You can start by asking your own representative, gleaning their website, press statements and social media for clues. What issues are they studying? Study the same ones on both sides of the table.
• What lobbying firms are in their faces? Do the research on the state capitol movers and shakers. Figure out who owns them and what corporations they represent.
• Who is in their circle? Look at their followers and friends on social media LinkedIn etc…How can I meet them? Start making a list of 25–50 that you need to know prior to your campaign kick-off and begin the process of reaching out with simple coffee meet & greets.
• If you were in their spot on an issue, how would you respond and why? Which way would you vote on certain issues?
• If you had to do a press statement on an issue that didn’t go your way, what would it say? Practice saying it with conviction.
Weekly, if not daily during pre-gaming, you should be running hypothetical scenarios, building and practicing the pillars of what YOUR platform will be.
This is literally a small portion of what my pre-gaming strategy would be for a candidate. In totality, it runs the gamut between diet and exercise (campaigning is HARD work and the look of a healthy candidate is easier to brand, period) to building a platform of what you care about to rounds and rounds of meticulous and intentional community engagement. However, these 5 things above should get you started on your journey and give you a solid scope of data to decide…to run…or not to run.
####
Camille D. Jamerson is a global speaker, author & entrepreneur. She is the Senior Consultant and CEO of CDJ & Associates a boutique management consulting firm and The Camille Company ( a lifestyle brand for moguls and HNW entrepreneurs). Known as the Olivia Pope of the Midwest, her roles as a political brand strategist, publicist, and consultant has made her a sought after expert for clients seeking their very own Gladiator and Kingmaker.
Her amazing assistant, Reema handles her wacky calendar and about 76–94% of the rest of her life as well. Reema can be reached at info@cdjandassociates.com to book CDJ for consulting or as a speaker for your next event, conference or workshop!
