Fundraising
Message: A Candidate's Own Story
from Campaigns & Elections, April 2002
by Kenneth S. Christensen
http://www.caiassociates.com
ken@caiassociates.com
A political candidate's fundraising message to a potential contributor is crucial. It
will determine whether the contributor will or will not donate to the campaign.
There is the usual five-minute fundraising call pitch: "Hi my name is…and I am
calling you today about my campaign for Congress. I am running for Congress because…
My background is…. I believe in issues x, y and z. Can I count on a contribution of
$1,000 for my campaign for Congress?"
A political candidate's fundraising message to a potential contributor is crucial. It will
determine whether the contributor will or will not donate to the campaign.
There is the usual five-minute fundraising call pitch: "Hi my name is…and I am
calling you today about my campaign for Congress. I am running for Congress because…
My background is…. I believe in issues x, y and z. Can I count on a contribution of
$1,000 for my campaign for Congress?"
Then the candidate answers any questions the potential contributor might have.
This is the normal pitch of any candidate, basically focusing on why he or she is running
and asking for a specific amount of money. The problem is regular contributors have heard
every pitch possible from presidential, senatorial, congressional, statewide and local
candidates. The way to separate your candidacy from the pack is with a compelling personal
story.
"Why did the candidate get involved in politics in the first place?" "What
drives the candidate to serve?" Combining the candidate's personal story with the
normal pitch is absolutely more effective then with the normal pitch alone.
Obviously, the use of issues can also motivate a potential contributor to donate. For
example, when the candidate is speaking with trial lawyers he or she would likely add,
"I'm against tort reform!" But after that, what could get potential contributor
to get even more motivated? This involves the candidate's own story. Every candidate has
one and it should be worked on and refined so it can be told in an interesting and
appealing way.
We are currently working on a congressional campaign in Connecticut's 2nd District. My
client's is Gary Collins and he has the best example of a personal story. I ever heard.
The actual fundraising pitch for direct mail, faxing and e-mailing from the Gary Collins'
campaign to a potential contributor is as follows:
"In June of 1963, my father, a cab driver in Washington, D.C., picked up a fare that
altered the course of my family's destiny. My dad was looking for a job opportunity in his
chosen field as an airplane mechanic. It was an opportunity that was being denied him only
because of the color of his skin. The man who got in the back of his cab that day was a
public servant. His name was Hobart Taylor, Jr. and he worked for Jack Kennedy.
Taylor had forgone lucrative jobs in the private sector for his government post because he
believed he could change people's lives through public service. My father told Taylor
about his struggles and frustrations. Taylor, who was serving as the executive vice
chairman of President Kennedy's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, helped my
father find that opportunity and spent his life helping scores of people just like him.
As a result of this experience, my parents impressed upon me at the earliest age that I
must seek out opportunities to serve my community whenever and wherever possible. Over the
years, I've tutored kids to help them learn how to read, I've helped create scholarship
funds to assist economically disadvantaged children realize the dream of a college
education, and I've worked to construct little leagues to provide young people with a
place to spend their idle time. In 1996, I used my law degree to help develop a
comprehensive program to prosecute persons who commit acts of violence against women and
children. The program in now a nationally recognized model to combat family and gender
motivated violence.
These experiences have allowed me see what Taylor understood the day he got into the back
of my father's cab: you can change people's lives through public service. In some cases,
you can even alter the course of someone's destiny. This is why I'm a democrat. This is
why I'm running for Congress. As the 2nd District's next congressman, I will be a tireless
advocate for working families, work to ensure a good education for our children, support
seniors and veterans, protect our precious environment, support small businesses and
strongly support a woman's right to choose. I will work without rest to bring people
together and to ensure that we live in a country where everyone has the opportunity to
realize their dreams.
As I'm sure you understand, I cannot run a successful campaign on idealism alone. Despite
the fact that first term republican Congressman Bob Simmons (R) is extremely vulnerable
and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted my district for victory,
I still very much need your financial support to regain this seat.
Over a dozen sitting Congresswomen and Congressman have recently shown their support for
my campaign. I very much hope that you will also find me worthy of your support. Your
contribution of $1,000, $500, or $250 would be a tremendous help in ensuring that we stay
our front in our shared mission. All contributions are welcomed and appreciated.
You can read more about the campaign at www.CollinsForCongress.com. You should also feel
free to call me at 860-346-2733 or e-mail me at Gary@CollinsForCongress.com. Once again, I
very much hope that I can count on your support. Sincerely, Gary Collins."
This message has gotten individuals motivated in supporting the campaign. The pitch is
also incorporated into Collins' telephone solicitations, the campaign's message, meet and
greets, brochures, website and press releases. In Collins' personal telephone
solicitations to potential contributors the message and pitch is shorter. Of course when
the candidate tells the story himself it is very moving. The right message can make a big
difference in fundraising. The candidate's own personal story is one that is often
overlooked in campaign planning.
Kenneth S. Christensen is a National Democratic Fundraising and General Consultant with
the Washington, DC based firm of Christensen McDevitt, Inc.
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