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How to run a successful campaign

INTRODUCTION

It is Election season which means death by flyer… but it doesn’t have to be that way. Year on year we see students come up with creative campaign ideas to communicate their message. This guide (stealing their ideas) is designed to give you some amazing tips on how to build the best possible campaign.

Warning!

You do not have to do everything in the guide to win! And of course we are sure you will think of more creative and innovative ways that we haven’t thought of. The size of your wallet isn’t everything; sometimes the smallest budgets are the most successful campaigns.

All you have to do is remember two GOLDEN RULES:

  1. Be Creative!
  2. Talk to as many students as possible!

Elections can be stressful but ultimately they are great fun! So ENJOYand GOOD LUCK!

PLANNING YOUR CAMPAIGN

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YOUR CAMPAIGN MESSAGE

A key element to a successful campaign is the publicity – how will you tell students about your ideas and persuade them to vote.

Campaign Theme

Campaign themes come in all shapes and sizes. Themes have been linked to names or something that will appeal to students. Union campaigns have seen anything from Harry Potter themed, funny puns on people’s names to more serious policy ideas

Campaign Colour

Simple but effective, pick something that is going to stand out, link the colour to your name, an idea or even an item of clothing.

Campaign Slogan(s)

Some students create a slogan so that students will remember them. A popular choice is a slogan with your name. Example from the past include

  • Dominic Bell: Dom Dares
  • Sophie Richardson: With Sophie life’s a beach
  • Wilson Wong: Vote for the ‘Wong’ candidate
  • Elle Hallam: El Presidente
  • Alvin Ramsamy: I’ll bring you action and satisfaction – (Alvin and the Chipmunks)
  • Philip Gilks: Vote the Big Man for the Big Job
  • Brad Coales: Your education is not a lottery. Vote Brad
  • Mini Zhou Vote Mini, Get Max
  • Ruth Brewer: No guild should be Ruthless
  • Jade Lee: Jade the builder; build towards success - (Bob the Builder)

Translate your message

With an international campus, why not translate your message so it reaches students more effectively! Make sure you provide it in English as well.


YOUR CAMPAIGN PUBLICITY


HOW TO CAMPAIGN

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How to run a successful campaign

Campaign Team

A crucial part of a successful campaign is a good group of campaigners who will help you distribute flyers, put up posters and spread the word about your campaign

Try and hold a training session where you familiarise them with your policies. Tell them how you would like to campaign and go through the rules which all candidates and campaigners must abide by. The best way to guarantee a vote is to talk to the student not just hand them a flyer.

Good people to ask are:

  • Housemates
  • Friends from courses
  • People part of your student group

Put together a rota so that your friends know how much of a commitment it will be. Remember that it doesn’t matter if your friends can commit a lot of time, they are doing you a huge favour so remember to thank them and budget for food and drink – a little gesture goes along way.

If you are getting a bit stressed, take some time out and grab a warm drink. It will give you time to regenerate and refocus.

Make sure you keep your team updated. Spread people out across the different campuses. You want them to engage with students that you have not persuaded to vote yet.

Campaign Manager

Appointing a close friend as a campaign manager can be useful to reduce the pressure of the election as it will allow you to talk to as many students as possible. Choose someone who is a good organiser and someone who is committed to making you win. Make sure they have the time to do it and thank them at the end.

Talking to Students

Try to be brief and to the point – but make sure it will be something that they will remember. Have a good icebreaker to hand, and then ask them a couple of questions before you start to talk about yourself. Focus on the changes that are relevant to them – remember the elections are about the voters.

Lecture Shout Outs

This is a very important part of campaigning. For a minute or two you have access to lots of students, all in one place, ready to listen to you. It can be a bit daunting walking into a lecture theatre with people you don’t know; start with your lectures. Try and arrive 10mins before the lecture starts in order to get permission from the lecturer. Keep your pitch to a minute, especially if it is at 9am.

Using sweets

This can be a good way to start a conversation with a potential voter.

Flash Mob

This can attract attention to your campaign during a busy time of voting.

Campaign Launch Party

Having a launch party on the first night of voting can be a good idea. Invite your friends, their friends and get people along to celebrate the launch of your campaign.

WHERE TO CAMPAIGN

Campaigning in halls of residences

Halls can be a fantastic place in the evening when campus has gone a little bit quite. Be mindful that these are students’ homes so make sure you are polite, ask permission and don’t put posters up.

Campaigning at student events

Go along to student group events to try and gain support from the group and its members. Speak to president first to check its ok to attend in this capacity. Contact details are on the Union website.

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Campaigning during nights out

This can be effective to raise your profile especially if you have your team dress up. But try and avoid too many late nights.

KEY DOS AND DON’TS[AR3]

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How to run a successful campaign

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

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How to run a successful campaign

Accountability – making sure that students can check you are doing your job properly. If you win you could do this through blogs, reports and making sure your election manifestos are available for students to see all year round

Polling Station– a place where students can vote

Campaigning – this is what you need to do in order to persuade students to vote for you. As you will see in the guide, there are lots of ways to do this and be creative

Candidate – someone who puts themselves forward to run in elections

Democracy – this means we are run by members. Elections are part of this

Election – the process by which students choose their elected officers

Electorate – the name for the group eligible to vote in the election

Hustings – also called candidates debates, this event offers all candidates the chance to speak to an audience of students on a range of topics

Lobby – this is the process of using your skills of persuasion to convince a group or organisations, such as the University, to change or introduce something

Manifesto – this is a document that each candidate produces to be published online, for students to read to help them decide who they want to vote for

Policies – a set of ideas that reflect your opinions and beliefs, which you use to try and persuade people to vote

Returning Officer– this is the person who has the final say over election disputes and problems with the election process

Student Group– Affiliated student led, societies, sports clubs, student media outlets and volunteering groups.

STV – stands for single transferable vote, which is the way votes are counted to determine the winner in the elections. Effectively it means everyone is asked to rank the candidates in order of how much they support them, rather than simply choose an individual

Voting Period– this is the period of time that the elections run for and students are eligible to vote; they cannot vote outside this time

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[AR1]So many colours! I know you didn’t make the doc like that, was going to change them but I’ll leave up to you

TOP TIP – in this section can you add a line about the recent policy passed at council on groups not being able to endorse candidates please.

[AR2]Will this cause confusion with the endorsement rule. If so take out support from group, and leave it as’ support from members’

[AR3]I’ve moved the boxes around as the Do’s were hidden.