For those involved in political campaigns, September through November is your busiest time. Getting lawn signs ordered, lapel stickers, walking literature and palm cards, billboards, direct mail and newspaper ads - all of this has to be done while working on your Positive ID campaign (from door to door knocking and making phone calls), firming up your platform and talking points, organizing volunteers and preparing for your Get Out The Vote effort.
Staying organized is the key to an effect campaign. And part of that is having people behind the scenes whom free up time so that the candidate can be the candidate. If the candidate has to assemble their own lawn signs, or deal with the printer about their walking literature and direct mail - they are wasting valuable time better spent meeting voters.
So have an organized campaign manager. BUT, make sure that campaign manager is someone who delegates. The biggest problem (and I've seen it happen) is when a campaign manager tries to hoard information or claims 'they will do it,' whatever "it" is. Bad idea.
An effective campaign requires a lot of people, and a commitment to having people whom excel at certain tasks being entrusted with doing what they do around that area. For example, I will work on the graphic design and direct mail programs, as I do this on a daily basis for other clients. One person on our team is really into lawn sign locations and has successfully been in charge of this aspect of the campaign effort for years.
Having designated people is key for the flow of information and accountability. The campaign manager should, absolutely, be kept abreast of every piece. They can advise you, usually after some experience of seeing how volunteers follow through on their commitments, how much detail they want.
But the campaign manager should quickly traffic ideas and opportunities to trusted parties who will put the idea into action and take ownership from start to finish to evaluation to future recommendation.
Like war and taxes, elections are forever. Identifying peoples' strengths and interests and giving them work in those areas will improve the efforts and the Election Night result.
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