For young politicos and policy wonks, college degrees are not preparation enough for their dream jobs of sleepless nights on the campaign trail, organizing grassroots rallies, and debating the issues of the day on the cable news circuit.
An easy way to fill this gap is at the Leadership Institute (LI) in Arlington, Va. Whether you’re looking to become involved in a local election or are eagerly pursuing that 10-year plan to run for office, LI has trained more than 103,460 politicians, activists, media professionals and students since 1979.
“The Leadership Institute teaches conservatives how to actually win in the public policy process,”said David Fenner, Vice President of Programs at LI.
Recently, I attended their Advanced New Media training which covered various strategies for digital campaign management, including online communication and fundraising.
“There’s no communications plan that doesn’t incorporate new media,” said Abigail Alger, Director of Digital Communications. “The rise of social media has fundamentally changed how we discover, share, and engage with political news.”
Alger kicked off the sessions with a presentation on how to produce and publicize online content for different audiences. One of the most valuable things I learned was how different social media tools can be used to effectively build relationships and bring people back to “home base,” or your website.
The next presenters were Tim Hathaway, CEO of Activist Manager, and Jim Crumley, president of Trio Strategies, who believe raising money online is no easier than using direct mail and events. They delved into the weeds of online fundraising, including the different systems you need, the art of list building and how to drive people to actually donate.
The night was wrapped up by Tim Cameron, a senior strategist at CRAFT media, who discussed how the Internet can enhance every aspect of a campaign, including staffing, advertising, and get-out-the-vote efforts.
“One of the important concepts of digital communication is the art of talking with, not at,” said Carol Wehe, New Media Training Coordinator at LI. “You can’t just throw content online and expect it to be heard in any meaningful sense.”
The sessions were geared toward individuals with a variety of work experience, although the audience did not seem to be on the same technological page at times. The fundraising sessions were clearly the most advanced, and some participants might have benefited from learning the basics of raising money online first.
Whether you’re a campaign veteran looking for new techniques or just wanting to get your feet wet, an LI class could be the leg up you need.
If you’re interested in new media training, the Comprehensive Online Activist School starts Monday, February 27. LI also offers 40 types of trainings that are some of the most affordable inside and outside the beltway.
