Persuade People to Vote for You
Whether it's an election for class president, team captain, or United States president, winning an election requires a combination of charisma, campaign organization and a compelling message. Learn how to persuade people to vote for you after the jump.
Contents
Steps
Know Your Audience
- Learn about the big issues. Talk to voters to find out what they care about in this election. Are they concerned with big questions about the quality of the incumbent's leadership, or are they just worried about getting their tax bill lower. Learn everything you can about these issues, and develop considered but strong stances. Don't just run for election because you want to win—you need to care about the issues that are at stake.
- Research the competition. Elections aren't solitaire: you have to consider the other candidates and figure out how to outwit their campaign and dissuade people from voting for them. Find out everything there is to know about your main competitors. Try to distinguish yourself from them on key issues and play up any weaknesses or scandals they might be trying to hide.
- Find your base. Not everyone is going to like or vote for you, but nor is every voter going to be a tough sell. Find the core groups and demographics that are excited to vote for you, and reach out to them early. These supporters are vital to organizing volunteers and raising campaign funds. You don't have to spend a lot of time convincing these people, but don't neglect them too much—a candidate that alienates his or her base is almost always done for.
- Identify swing voters. Undecided voters might infuriate the politically savvy, but they still make or break every election. Learn what they care about and what factors or policies could earn you their votes—then market to them aggressively. After building and organizing your base, winning over voters that are on the fence or that you can steal from your opponents is the main mission of your campaign.
- Poll regularly. It's rare that the first campaign strategy you try will work perfectly. Conduct polls of voters to find out how you are doing and adjust your campaign accordingly. Be sure to break down your poll samples by demographic and how likely they are to actually vote.
Send a Message
- Tell a story. Voters don't connect with a set of bullet-pointed policy positions—they connect with a narrative. Rags to riches, the underdog fighting against entrenched interests, a movement that takes the community back from outsiders or insiders that have undermined it—these are narratives people believe in. Your campaign has to tell voters a story about you—and themselves—that moves them and gets them excited to vote for you. Your campaign materials should describe your vision of what this election means and where the community is going.
- Use your winning personality. It's perhaps a sad truth of politics that people prefer to vote for the most likable candidates over the ones that are more experienced or that offer better policies for their demographic. Many great candidates have thrown away an election by appearing too stiff or aloof. People need to feel that you are like them, that they could be friends with you or at least share a meal with you. Do everything you can to be charismatic, humble, polite, friendly and humorous, and avoid sounding elitist or like a career bureaucrat.
- Stay on message. Both the media and your opposition will be trying to get you to talk about scandals in your past, issues where you stance doesn't resonate with voters, or whatever story dominates the current news cycle. Don't get distracted! In debates and campaign events, always try to bring the topic back to your core message and areas of strength.
- Come up with a slogan. Make it short and sweet—it has to be something that people can remember. Try to make it rhyme, alliterate, or give it a cadence that people can chant. Bonus points if you can use it to help people remember your name. Nuanced policy papers can help you win endorsements, but the average voter is only going to remember what as much about you as you can fit on a bumper sticker—so make sure it distinguishes you from your opponents and connects with something they care about.
- If there is a single issue that dominates the campaign that you can take a stand on, don't be afraid to make that your slogan, like: "John Smith: People Over Pipelines" or even "John Smith: No to the New Stop Light."
- Go on the attack. Call out your opponents on any controversial positions they may have held in the past, or any personal skeletons they have in their closet. People don't like negative campaigning, but it still works. Too much mudslinging can backfire on you, but successful campaigns have to have some bite. A vote against your opponent is usually as good as a vote for you.
- If you can manage it, try to have a third party do the criticism while you appear to stay above the fray. Successful presidential candidates often let their running mates act as an "attack dog" while they focus on the positive.
Run a Winning Campaign
- Rally volunteers. Even in a small election, it's hard to run a winning campaign alone. Sign up volunteers to help you organize your campaign events and go out to make your case to voters. Get your friends and family to work with you. One dedicated volunteer can be worth 100 votes on election day.
- Press the flesh. Meet as many people in person as you can. Even in the digital age, face-to-face conversations are still the best way to win people over. Have you and your most persuasive volunteers and campaign staff canvas door-to-door and meet voters at busy events and public spaces as much as possible. Many people might turn you away, but the ones that take the time to listen to you—or even shake your hand—are far more likely to vote for you, donate or volunteer.
- Distribute swag for name recognition. The most tangible products of any big campaign are signs, posters, pamphlets, buttons, bumper stickers and t-shirts. Many of these products have little more on them besides your name and slogan—or even just a logo. They don't do much to actually win individual votes, but they do get your name out there and potentially get people to look up your website. They also show voters where you have existing support in the community, and many are only willing to join a movement when it is already suitably popular.
- You might not actually change any minds with your yard signs, but your volunteers will be demoralized if they have to campaign in a neighborhood that only has signs for your opponent. Politics is an arms race. If your opponents do it, you need to be prepared to match them.
- Fundraise. Winning doesn't come cheap. Every major campaign needs money to print campaign materials, organize events and potentially pay hired campaign staff. Start with potential big donors, but small donations of just a few dollars can add up quick too. If a voter seems well convinced to support you, always ask them to donate as well.
- Get out the vote. All the fundraising, campaign events and compelling arguments won't matter if you can't get people to show up on election day. Do everything you can to get your supporters to the polls, from a simple reminder email to providing transportation.
Tips
- Never copy someone else's idea! You probably won't get voted for because you won't be original.
- Study the campaigns of great politicians to learn the strategies that worked in the past.
Warnings
- Be prepared to have your personal life dragged into the spotlight and picked apart. If you can't handle your opponents talking about your dirty secrets—or making up dirty secrets about you—running for election may not be for you.
- Running a campaign can be exhausting. You'll need to put everything you have into it, but don't push yourself to much. One botched speech will make more news than every successful one—so try to get some sleep.
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