5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Political Consulting Firm
This means that your campaign needs to cater to a large variety of audience, from the traditional voters to the contemporary ones. The American Association of Political Consultants even has a certificate program that teaches consultants to take their skills to the next level.
If you are looking at taking your campaign up a notch, then hiring a political consulting firm with certified consultants is something you should consider. Make sure that you ask these five critical questions before hiring them.
What Will The Deal Cost Me?
Since political campaigns run on tight budgets, your priority should be the cost of the consulting firm’s services. The cost can be broken into digital and non-digital services.They can either itemize the prices or give you a bundle deal. It is best to go for a bundle package as it will cost less and will ensure consistency across all your campaign platforms.
When talking money, make sure you discuss every penny that is being spent. It includes the communications program, the consultant’s hourly fee, and other out-of-pocket expenses. It leaves no room for surprises.
How Much Experience Does The Consultant Have?
A political consulting firm will have people ranging from junior to highly experienced consultants. You need to make sure you check which consultant/s will be working on your campaign.You don’t to be stuck with someone fresh out of college. Your consultant should have relevant experience to be able to manage your campaign successfully.
The primary manager should be someone with a lot of experience, while the assistants can be junior level consultants.
How Do They Plan To Handle Your Communications?
A campaign is all about communication. With the right communications strategy, you can have won. So, check what policies they have in terms of communications.These have to be both digital and non-digital. Since voters are bombarded with a lot of campaign material, the firm should be able to offer a differentiation factor that will grab the voter’s attention.
Will They Integrate The Current Strategy In Their Plan?
You have already been running your campaign for some time and have a strategy in place. Bringing in a consultant should not mean any sudden drastic changes. It may put off the supporters.The firm needs to integrate your current strategy within their plan. Even if they have to change it completely, they need to phase it out gradually. This will ensure that the voters don’t feel the difference.
How Can They Make You Win?
A political campaign is about winning. Hiring a firm to help you with the campaign means they are responsible for making you win.So, don’t shy away from asking this question. The firm needs to be able to bring with it the tools of the trade for a win.
Finding the right political consulting firm is not easy, but an essential step to a successful campaign. By asking some crucial questions, you can hire a firm that is most suitable to handle your campaign.