From time to time, we publish “hot tips” on specific subjects which don’t warrant an entire Special Report or which update or add to Special Reports we’ve produced in the past. This is our first compilation of such hot tips. I know you’ll glean lots of golden helpful information for your campaign from these nuggets.
GETTING STARTED
1. I often hear candidates and potential candidates say they think it’s “too early” to be making decisions on running. Au contraire. Ideally, such decisions should have been made the day after the last election (if not sooner). Especially if you’ve never run before … or are running against an incumbent. Don’t wait. Get moving.
2. If you’re on a limited budget to start, put your ego in check and simply get yourself some first-rate business cards printed for your early campaign activities. You need name ID and a way for potential volunteers and donors to contact you. You do NOT need a glossy, four-color, tri-fold brochure to get started.
3. It’s estimated that 90% of an undecided voter’s decision is based on name identification and image. So even though you only need business cards to start, and not a full-blown brochure, make darn sure those business cards are sharp and professional looking. Don’t go down to the local office supply store and buy those perforated sheets you can run through your ink-jet printer on your home PC. Get the job done professionally.
4. Again, image is critical, so cough up some dough to get a professional to design your business card logo (which can later be used on your campaign stationary). Just keep in mind that it’s best to keep it simple. Name ID is the most important element. For most folks, your name should be printed in upper and lower case lettering, RATHER THAN THE DIFFICULT TO READ ALL UPPER CASE.
5. You need to stand out from the crowd of all the other candidates who are going to be running at the same time, so it might be a good idea if you don’t go with the traditional and overused red-white-and-blue color scheme which a lot of amateurs naturally defer to.
6. If you really want to pick a color scheme that grabs attention, don’t try picking it out from those little color chips at your printer’s office. Instead, take a trip to the supermarket. Prowl up and down the aisles looking at all the various products . . . soup cans, spices, sauce mixes, beverages, cereals, snacks, etc. Proctor and Gamble and other major manufacturers spend gazillions of dollars every year testing color patterns for consumer acceptance. Do you think you can make a better decision than P&G’s professional and highly-paid market researchers? Probably not. So find a couple of products with color schemes you like and run them past your designer to find one that will work for you.
