1) Get your political profile in order
Are you a sharp businessman, a West Jutland fisherman always ready with an opinion, a pipe-smoking cultural radical painter, a cozy primary school teacher, a family man, an economics nerd, a socially conscious nurse or a hipster cocky radio host on P3?
Both the big picture of your career and elements of your personal background can be highlighted and deselected to determine whether it’s craftsmen, business school students, the elderly or the hipsters of Vesterbro you need to rally support from.
2) Position yourself in relation to fellow candidates
Consider your position in relation to your fellow party candidates and assess whether there is room for your profile. Maybe you need to cut something and add something to reach your target audience. Because there may not be room for two liberal ball busters in the same party – because it’s the same voters you’ll be competing for in the end.
You need to stand out: If you don’t stand out from the other candidates, voters won’t remember you in the voting booth. So make a point of highlighting your special traits and strong opinions – especially when they compliment your political profile (see below!).
3) Find up to three key issues
Be careful not to drown in brand issues.
Between your many opinions, you should choose up to three core messages. They should be as concrete as possible, and both you and your potential voters should agree with them. The best causes both attract and repel voters.
Avoid catch-all phrases that are hard to define or disagree with, such as ‘more solidarity’ or ‘better conditions for all’.
Candidates appear most authentic when voters see a connection between their profile and key issues.
A liberal leader who wants to cut top taxes makes sense. A pipe-smoking painter who wants to focus on culture also makes sense.
But make it more concrete: Copenhagen should be European Capital of Culture, public libraries should be interactive works of art, and there should be ten growth centers for creative entrepreneurs.
Furthermore, as voters increasingly use candidate tests, if you have a sharp-angled profile, you will show up in their results more often.
4) Get a website and social media channel
You don’t need an expensive and sophisticated website to campaign in municipal elections. As long as you have a front page with a picture of yourself, where your key issues are clearly stated, as well as your contact details and an invitation to volunteer.’
You don’t need an expensive and sophisticated website to campaign in municipal elections. As long as you have a front page with a picture of yourself, where your key issues are clearly stated, as well as your contact details and a call to volunteer.
It signals that you are serious about your candidacy. People will drop out if they have to double-check if you’re worth voting for and you don’t have a website.
And then you should use social media because it’s a cheap and effective way to get attention. Facebook is an obvious place to start because Danes are heavy users of the social media.
For example, if you have a large following on Twitter or LinkedIn, you should of course continue your work there.
Upload small videos and photos that capture what you’ve just had a meeting about, for example, so you clearly signal what you stand for and that you are active. Remember that text alone is less effective at creating interaction, and Facebook prioritizes images and video higher in the feed.
5) Find fellow players
Find people who can help attract attention and boost your campaign. It can be anything from business leaders to cultural personalities or people with an interesting story.
You don’t necessarily have to go looking for other politicians for old-fashioned debates. They require a lot of preparation and it’s often difficult to find venues where the owner can see the benefit of having politicians visit.
On the other hand, cafes, for example, can be great places to host events with your fellow players. The cafe owner wants to attract thirsty people without being labeled as belonging to a certain political wing.
If you are responsible for organizing and inviting an author to speak, for example, and you are a panelist or moderator, you make it easier for yourself to gain exposure. Then you can end by saying that you are a candidate for the election, and if there is anyone in the audience who wants to volunteer and get some experience on their CV, there is always room.
6) Bonus tip: Get help – it pays off
If you’d like help developing a campaign strategy, it can be done affordably – even for ordinary citizens considering a political career for the first time.
