Maximizing Your Campaign Launch

NO SILOS — INTEGRATE EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LAUNCH

The most common launch mistake is treating each element separately: press, social media, digital fundraising, call time, etc. Successful campaigns integrate these elements into a unified strategy.

Practical Integration:

• Consistent Message Everywhere: Every part of your launch — your launch video, announcement speech, press announcement, fundraising emails, social content, etc. — should amplify the same core message, not compete with different framing.
• Coordinated Timing: Schedule your press, social, and fundraising appeals for maximum impact. A perfectly timed announcement that feeds into fundraising appeals creates momentum.
• Message Testing Before Launch: Test key messaging with small groups before going public to ensure your core themes resonate with both donors and voters.

KNOW YOUR WHY — AND USE IT EVERYWHERE

Before planning tactical elements, define the “why” of the campaign in clear, compelling terms that will resonate with both donors and voters. This “why” should form the foundation of everything in your launch.

Defining Your Core:

• Find Your Unique Value: Identify what makes the campaign distinct and compelling. What’s the origin story? What personal experiences inform the mission?
• Simplify to One Clear Idea: While your campaign may have many policy positions, your launch should center on one core message that’s easy to understand and share.

Test Your “Why” Statement: If people can’t repeat your core reason for running after hearing it once, it’s too complicated.

For example, Senator Andy Kim’s campaign effectively leveraged his personal story to establish a clear and compelling reason for running. As a public servant who grew up in a middle-class family and dedicated his career to national security and diplomacy, Kim framed his campaign around the idea of restoring trust in government and ensuring that working families—not corporate interests—drive policymaking. His message was simple: politics should serve the people, not the powerful. By tying his personal journey to a broader vision of integrity and accountability, he created a narrative that resonated with both grassroots supporters and major donors.

PUNCH YOUR WEIGHT — SCALE APPROPRIATELY

Many campaigns damage themselves by attempting launches beyond their capabilities. Some campaigns invest tens of thousands of dollars in high-production launch videos or organize overly ambitious rallies that draw underwhelming crowds. These missteps can damage credibility from day one and waste precious early resources.

Right-Sizing Your Launch:

• Honest Resource Assessment: Most campaigns launch without a lot of staff. If you’re starting with a small team, embrace that reality rather than overextending.
• Focus on Quality Over Scale: A small, flawlessly executed event with genuine energy is substantially better than an ambitious but sparsely attended rally. Never create situations that allow opponents to question your momentum.
• Build For Growth: Design launch elements that can scale as your campaign grows. Create templates, systems and digital assets that can be easily repurposed throughout the campaign.
• Controlled Settings: Consider launching in controlled settings where you can guarantee success—a small room of supporters, a symbolic location tied to your story, or a series of one-on-one local media interviews.
  Manufacturing impactful moments requires understanding your campaign’s current capabilities while laying groundwork for growth. The most successful launches match ambition to reality while creating the infrastructure needed for expansion.

WATCH YOUR EMAIL DELIVERABILITY LIKE A HAWK

The best content in the world means nothing if you can’t get it in front of donors. Deliverability can make or break your email program, and your campaign launch is often a dangerous day. If you’re not meticulously monitoring deliverability, your messages may never reach supporters’ inboxes — sabotaging your launch momentum before it begins.

Launch Deliverability Essentials:

• Technical Infrastructure: Have SPF, DKIM, and DMARC properly configured for your domain, ideally at least 30 days before you launch.
  Pre-Warm Your Domain: Start sending small batches of highly engaging content to your most active supporters 2-3 weeks before launch to build a positive sending history.
• Segment for Success: Divide your launch emails between highly engaged supporters (who open regularly) and less engaged audiences, sending to your most active supporters first.
• Monitor Real-Time: Have team members assigned to track inbox placement, open rates, and spam reports during launch day — ready to pause and adjust if deliverability issues emerge.

BUILD BRAND FROM DAY ONE

The most effective campaigns treat their launch as the introduction of a brand that will define their entire race. This means paying attention to visual identity, voice, and positioning from the very beginning.

Launch Branding Essentials:

• Visual Consistency: Ensure your logo, colors, and design elements tell a cohesive story.
• Voice Guidelines: Define your candidate’s unique voice and ensure it’s consistent across all communications.

Raising a profile is essential to raising money. Launch is the first, and often one of the best, opportunities to distill a campaign’s strongly-held values, mission, and identity into a memorable brand. In 2023, Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester did this from day one, building a brand rooted in tireless optimism and bright hope for the future. She framed her candidacy as a continuation of her lifelong work to expand opportunity and uplift communities. From her launch event and video to emails, texts, and media appearances, every element reflected warmth and bright hope. This cohesive approach built a loyal supporter base that fueled her fundraising success well beyond launch day.