3 cheap ways to get your campaign message out

As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, the cost to run for a political office can be staggering. Fortunately, thanks to the technological age that we live in, there are a few ways to still get your message out to the public with little to no financial cost.

Grassroots

Grassroots is a popular term these days, and for good reason. Past elections have shown that a grassroots campaign can turn the tide of an election. A grassroots campaign is simply a group of volunteers who support you and your campaign. They use their time and resources to get your message out and to get you into office. Grassroots campaigns can work, but only if they’re organized. By organizing them into a movement they can be your microphone to their neighborhoods. A grassroots campaign could easily turn the tide of your election, but only if it is clear what your message is before they get started. Hold a training session and be sure to get them the proper materials before setting them loose on your district.

Social Media and the Web

In today’s modern era, it may seem like a bit obvious to utilize the internet to spread your campaign message. Unfortunately, for many candidates, “utilizing the internet’ involves having some sort of web page and maybe a social media outlet, but they stop there. They don’t stay on top of their social media, and their website gets updated infrequently at best. If you’re going to really use the internet to promote your campaign, it’s going to take more than simply a “web presence”. Your website needs to be updated on a weekly basis, and your social media pages need to be updated at least 3-4 times a week. By having multiple social media applications you can ensure that you connect with as many voters as possible. Too many candidates make the mistake of thinking that social media is for informational purposes only. Check out our post on leveraging the power of social media for ideas on how to capitalize on the free resources social media can offer.

Press Coverage

Press coverage is typically perceived as being for only those in the big time political races. Just because you’re running for mayor of a city of 60,000 in central Florida and you’re obviously not going to be in the New York Times, doesn’t mean you should give up on media coverage. Talk to your local radio stations and set up interviews on the news programs and local newspapers that are viewed in your town.