How a Strategic Slowdown Can Help Fuel the Campaign’s Momentum

Mid year is an odd time on the campaign trail. May and June is a frenzied dash for money before the end-of-quarter deadline and then–seemingly all of a sudden–the noise stops.

But that doesn’t mean the campaign should stop too. While the campaign trail is quieter in July and August, candidates and their teams can be doing crucial voter outreach and preparation for the faster pace in September and October.

We polled our team of professional politicos to bring you advice on what campaigns should be focusing on in July and August in an off-cycle year. Here’s what they had to say:

Davis Schmitt, Digital Strategist, advises candidates to take a break from sending fundraising emails and instead focus on list growth: “Summer is an infamously slow time for email fundraising. June 30th is a huge fundraising deadline, and after fundraising to your list so much in June, it’s a good idea to give them time off…this provides a break for the list, and a great time to build and prepare it once things pick back up after Labor Day. One of the best ways to capitalize on this downtime is by growing your list. It takes roughly 120–180 days to convert new names on your email list into active donors. From list swaps to joint actions to partnering with organizations, spend this time bringing in new names, and preparing them to be good donors once fundraising picks back up in the fall.”

Sophia Kittell, Campaign Coordinator, adds that it’s a good time to work on building your social media presence: “There are a few easy steps you can take to strengthen your online accounts this summer. Engage local community members and like-minded accounts–it’s likely your target audience and followers will overlap. If your campaign is highlighting a new key endorsement from your local labor union or City Councilmember, tag them. Highlight your time in the community, whether it’s attending the Fourth of July parade or getting lunch at a small local business. Now is the time to remind folks you’re a human being just like them attending BBQs, going to the beach and traveling with your family–not just a candidate asking for money.”

Our General Consulting department says campaigns should focus on traditional fundraising (e.g., call time) and securing endorsements: “Front-loading the work of gathering support and resources will put the campaign in the best possible position leading into the election. If the campaign generates enough momentum to signal viability early on and position itself as the frontrunner, it will be much easier to contact voters and gather more support as the election draws closer,” said Reni Adebayo and Mari Latibashvili, two members of the general consulting team at Evinco.

Claudia Lazaro and Alexandra Hader from the Finance Department suggest focusing on fundraising events and call time: “The warmer weather and general availability of candidates makes summer a good time to have fundraising events. The weather also allows campaigns to keep events more low-cost by having events in host’s backyards and outdoor spaces.”

The Finance Department warns against neglecting one-on-one relationships with donors. “Candidates should continue doing call time throughout the summer. Donor cultivation during this period can be incredibly beneficial in the upcoming months. Keeping donors engaged is crucial in the long-run. When the time comes to make another big ask, donors may be more inclined to generously support if they feel they are part of the campaign. Keep in mind that although folks are sometimes harder to reach in these months, call time should not be ignored. In an off-cycle year the more fundraising groundwork that can be laid, the better candidates are set-up for success when Field ramps up.”

Colin Scharff and Ashleigh Padilla Goins of the Evinco Policy Department suggest campaigns firm up their platform and knowledge on the issues: “In the summer months of an off-cycle year, campaigns should be taking time to really hone in on their message and where they stand on the issues. This is important because it not only informs their own platforms with realistic solutions, but they’ll save the campaign time in the future if they can clearly define what their message is and demonstrate knowledge on how to actually solve the issues after election day.”

Also, knowing the issues well will come in handy during the big endorsements. “Studying up on the issues will be crucial for endorsement season — having the ability to demonstrate an understanding of how issues they care about overlap with various stakeholders in their region is vital. We recommend doing some research on your relevant issue areas, successful legislation, and utilizing your state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office resource library, along with other local historical databases. These issues didn’t present themselves when you started running, so it is always important to know how your community has grappled with them in the past,” said the Policy team.

In summary, July and August should be spent strengthening your email list and social presence, securing endorsements, holding fundraisers, doing call time, and firming up your platform and knowledge of the issues that most affect your communities.

It’s also a great time to train your team: there are lots of good resources online, but it can be overwhelming to take in and hard to know which sources to trust. Which is why we created the Speak Out and Run (SOAR) Academy for Operatives, an online course that trains activists to run winning campaigns in 10 hours or less — apply now.

Most importantly though, candidates and teams should use this opportunity to rotate through periods of rest. Take a week or two off. Go on vacation. Don’t answer your phone. Barricade yourself in your home and tell no one. Sleep in. Read. Whatever. Remember, you still have nearly a year and a half to go, and burn out helps no one.

The lull in urgency on the campaign trail pace is a gift –- use it wisely.

Written by the Evinco campaigns team.

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