Not another notification!
If you’ve been a part of a campaign before, you know that social media can be exhausting. Beyond the constant need to post across platforms, comments and DMs come in 24/7. It’s the reality of campaigning – people asking for your positions, asking for support, trying to see what events you are hosting in their communities.
These voter interactions oftentimes become deprioritized by campaigns. After all, with so many fires to put out daily, it’s easy to forget to respond to a Facebook comment or Instagram DM. That said, if you engage with them properly, you will find that they’re more valuable than you think.
Next time you get a message in your inbox, you need to respond because…
3 | It’s Voter Outreach!
Campaigns cumulatively spend millions of dollars every cycle figuring out how they can get into the heads of potential voters. Comprehensive digital ad campaigns, ground game canvassing, events, and more are all dedicated to the chance that a candidate may have to win over hearts and minds.
This is your chance to engage with and impact a single voter’s decision directly for free.
Some of the best campaigns are built on strong constituent and voter outreach. The work you put in through these DMs and replies not only makes you seem more authentic, but gives you a chance to have real conversations that will change voters’ hearts and minds.
If you’re spending countless hours and dollars trying to get these voters to engage with you, why not take the easy, free layup? And that’s not even getting into how…
2 | Replies Are Helpful Temperature Checks
You can’t hear every conversation being held in your district, but your DMs and replies can give you a very good idea of what’s being said on the ground.
Reading through replies and DMs might be tedious and a bit exhausting, but doing so can give you critical insight and feedback on the state of your campaign. If you’re receiving a sudden uptick of responses covering one topic, it could be a sign that something has happened in the district, or that there might be an issue worth paying attention to. These small engagement opportunities are also reconnaissance opportunities for your campaign.
The conversations you have with your constituents online shape your campaign efforts, so why miss the chance? Above all else, however, it’s key to remember that…
1 | It’s Your Responsibility!
You didn’t choose to run so that you can ignore the people you’re going to represent! These engagement opportunities, though sometimes a headache, are ultimately your fastest way to engage with the people you’re expected to fight for.
Often, campaigns don’t fail solely because of a lack of money – they lose because they don’t speak to the voters in a way that gets people to the polls. When you do not speak to the voters in your DMs and replies, you’re giving them no reason to back you when election day comes.
As an elected official, your life is going to be full of headaches and inconveniences. It comes with the territory. What makes the job worth doing is the human element; the connections you make with the people you’re fighting for. A simple reply can go a long way to making those very connections, and hopefully be a part of your victory.
So – Have you checked your DMs lately? How do you and your team handle constituent and voter outreach?
Sound off below!
