It is November 9 and the 2018 mid-term election has commenced. Many candidates have wrapped up months of hard work on a political campaign. One common mistake that candidates make is to cease interacting the day after elections. NWA Brand had the privilege of serving several candidates with their successful campaigns in the local election. We want to share the same tips we shared with and helped our candidates do after the election. We want to encourage all candidates to continue connecting with their audience after Election Day to create a well-rounded campaign.We've created a 6-item check list for candidates and campaign managers to continue building your reputation after the vote.

Post Election Candidate Checklist

1. Express Gratitude Online. Some candidates fail to make a statement after election night. Your supporters and spectators have likely watched your campaign unfold on social media and in their community. Citizens should be able to navigate to your social media page and website to find the voting outcome of your election and your closing remarks. Regardless of the election outcome, we encourage a statement to be issued.
2. Express Gratitude Off-line. Similar to your online statements, candidates should consider grass roots initiatives. Set a meeting with a local reporter and attend local events to reconnect with supporters and strengthen your relationship.
3. Send Thank You Cards. This effort ties into off-line gratitude but it is an important, specific effort to wrapping up a campaign. Donors, event attendees, volunteers, those that displayed signs and anyone else who served on your campaign should receive a card within 2 - 3 weeks after election. Tip: if you're reading this prior to a campaign, be sure to collect addresses at events, meetings and other gatherings of your supporters. This can be done with a simple sign in sheet and an online form when requesting signs to display.
4. Update Social Media.  Updating your social media is important. A few things to update are: the page name, profile photo, cover photo and your story/ about section. If you were not elected, consider changing the page name to your name. If you decide to run in the future, you can change the page name once more.
5. Update Website. Similar to updating your social media, the imagery and verbiage of your website should also be updated to reflect your new position. NWA Brand suggests to update the website with your personal brand. If you run for a future office or another initiative you can simply convert your website once again. Leaving your site live allows your brand and reputation to continue building. It is important to purchase and point a new domain if necessary.
6. Revisit Events. It is a good practice to again attend meetings or networking events to thank them for allowing you to speak or engage or simply for their support.

As your journey continues, be sure to share periodic updates about happenings. This allows your audience to follow your journey and see that you are upholding promises made during the campaign. For specific campaign questions, send us a message on Facebook!