Campaign Management Training

Campaign management training prepares campaign managers for local, state and national elections.

Political parties, universities and for-profit organizations provide campaign management training for anyone wishing to work in a campaign or run for public office. Campaign management training addresses issues relevant to local, state and federal offices, including organization, platforms, financing and media management.

Types

Campaign management training can take the form of workshops, in-depth seminars or classroom instruction. Workshops are topical one-day sessions, while in-depth seminars cover many topics over a period of days, weeks or months. Classroom instruction is part of the curriculum for a college degree.

Organization

Campaign managers must be capable of recruiting grassroots volunteers and paid professional help to carry out day-to-day activities. A campaign manager delegates responsibilities, supervises workers and meets deadlines, so campaign management requires skills in time and production management and human resources.

Platforms

A candidate's platform is an outline of his campaign promises, proposed policies and stance on issues. The campaign manager helps the candidate stay on message and be consistent with the policies and issues outlined in the platform. A campaign manager analyzes polls and research to gauge the public's response to the candidate's platform, so it's important to have statistical and analytical skills.

Financing

Financing includes budgeting and fundraising. Detailed budgeting is necessary for tracking revenues and expenses and filing the appropriate elections reports as required by law. Successful fundraising is crucial for a campaign to be competitive. A campaign manager needs training in accounting and marketing to effectively run the financial segment of the campaign.

Media Management

Campaign managers use a variety of media -- such as websites, social media, campaign literature, press releases and interviews -- to get the candidate's message to the voters. A campaign manager should have experience with new media and journalism to determine the most effective methods for reaching the desired audience.

References

• American University: Campaign Management Institute
• Fordham University: Elections and Campaign Management
• Colorado Farm Bureau: Political Education Program
• RNC Political Education: Course Calendar
• The Democratic Campaign Management Program: Training in the Real World of Political Campaigns

Resources

• National Federation of Republican Women: Campaign Management School
• The Democratic Campaign Management Program