There are many qualities to look for in a consultant, but it is important to find a campaign professional that is right for your campaign. That being said, there are some things that all candidates or campaign committees should do to find the right consultant.
The first thing a candidate or campaign committee should look at is whether the consultant is able to provide the scope of services that the campaign needs. Campaigns will often hire a consultant to oversee the political and message aspect of the campaign while hiring a fundraising consultant to oversee the financial development of a campaign. These two areas of the campaign are very different and require different sets of skills. One person trying to juggle both will increase the chances of the campaign falling behind or failing. A campaign should be smart about who it hires for what jobs.
Be wary if a consultant over promises what he or she provides. There are many roles on a campaign that should be filled by different people. Whether the positions are paid or volunteer is up to the candidate, campaign committee and the budget. A consultant should not be the campaign manager, political director, fundraiser, web site administrator, volunteer coordinator and the person in charge of designing all of the materials on a campaign. A consultant must be able to work with a number of people in order to get the jobs done that are necessary. No one person should be irreplaceable on a campaign, and a campaign should not be reliant on only one person.
If you ask a political consultant for references, he or she should be more than willing to provide the names and contact information of past clients. Contacting these references will allow you to evaluate the quality of work your prospective consultant is capable of providing. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising, and many consultants procure their business from clients who sought them out because of rave reviews. If a consultant is unable to provide any references, then you should think twice before making the hire.
Is your potential consultant a member of a professional organization? Many professional organizations, such as the American Association of Political Consultants, require members to maintain a certain level of ethics or standards. There are other public relations organizations around that are national, statewide or regional. Membership in these organizations does not mean that the consultant is good or bad at their job, but professional networking does allow for more opportunities to stay abreast of changes in the profession and to network with innovative vendors. Membership in a professional organization is not necessary, but it may be an indicator of how serious a consultant is about their profession.
When hiring a consultant, remember to look for people who define the scope of what they do, check references and don’t expect one person to do everything. Organization memberships are not necessary but may be an indicator of the consultant’s ability to stay educated and networked. Above all, hire someone with whom you can communicate and work. Without good communication, your campaign’s chances for failure increase.
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