How to market a political candidate

Marketing a political candidate can be tricky to say the least

While there is plenty of information floating around out there that can help you to better market a particular product, service, or even your company as a whole – marketing an actual individual is a different story. For those who are pursuing a career in the field of politics and have preferred to take a more “behind-the-scenes” path, then you may be on the marketing side of things.

Marketing a political candidate can be tricky to say the least, as the climate is always changing and you need to be able to adapt to these trends and changing attitudes in a timely and effective manner. So, let’s lay out some specifics that can help you to market a political candidate.

It’s time to embrace social media

One of the best and most effective ways to market a political candidate in today’s digital-reliant world is to make full use of social media platforms. That doesn’t mean just one, but all the popular ones including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And it’s simply not enough to post campaign jargon and messages, it needs to be much more engaged, targeted, and timely.

Those embracing social media posts must keep things interesting by posting text, graphs, images, video, audio files – anything that helps drive home the message. Content should also be posted regularly, and there needs to be engagement with those leaving comments.

Live video is proving to be quite useful

While still somewhat in the realm of social media, live video is another option your candidate can and should consider. This is an opportunity to speak live to the public, allowing people to type in questions on the live stream that the candidate can then respond to. It’s incredibly engaging, it feels personal since it comes off as an intimate conversation, and it can reach a large audience at once.

From a cost standpoint, a live stream is a fabulous option over that of an organized in-person event.

Remember, making your candidate seemingly as accessible as possible to the voters is a must. Voters need to know the candidate is listening and is there to answer the tough questions.

Make use of software tools

Another tip is to make use of software tools wherever and whenever they can prove helpful. You can look into political SMS software such as Tatango, which is meant specifically for political SMS (text message marketing). Tools that automate processes always create a more streamlined approach, which often translates into better results.

Ease up on the overly-political messaging

The final tip has more to do with wording and messaging when it comes to your marketing efforts. Remember, not everyone is a political junkie; nor do they follow politics on a regular basis. This means you need to find ways to connect with them that don’t come across in a negative manner. If you bombard them with overly political messaging and political jargon, you can bet they will tune right out.

It takes creativity, drive, and consistency

Marketing a political candidate is no easy task, and it can be downright volatile at times. But with creativity, drive, and consistency, you’ll find that you get better results in the end.

The British Institute of Recruiters is the Professional Body operating The Recruitment Certification Scheme

Send this to a friend