your voice, your choice your students’ union! · 2017-01-15 · to get a degree and further your...

Bolton Students’ Union

YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE YOUR STUDENTS’ UNION!

LEADERSHIP RACE 2017/2018CAMPAIGNING HINTS AND TIPS

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Congratulations for putting yourself forward to be a candidate in the Bolton SU Leadership Race!

This guide has ideas to help you to communicate and campaign with students. We’ve put together some great tips, but it’s important to point out that you don’t need to do absolutely everything in this guide to win, they are only ideas and suggestions.

Campaigns can be great fun and you’ll speak to and meet people you would never normally come into contact with, so make sure you enjoy it, and good luck.

Best wishes and happy campaigning!

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1 PLANNING YOUR CAMPAIGN

How does the process work?One of the key things you’ll need to understand is the process by which the election is run. This includes key dates and the forms which you need to complete and return to the Students’ Union to take part. All this is outlined in the Candidate Guide that is given to all students running in the election. If you are in any doubt, please contact the Deputy Returning Officer.

Why are you standing?The first thing you should do is seriously think about why you want to run, what you want to do for students and how you plan to convey your message. These ideas, what you want to do, what you want to change, etc should be put into your pledges.

Contact a few of your close friends and run your ideas by them, try to develop a clear message and decide on a clear brand for your campaign. Don’t over complicate your ideas.

Who are you representing?Consider the students you hope to represent. Remember the experience of students at university can vary because of social, cultural and other differences. Think about issues common to everyone regardless of their background.

Remember, the one thing all students have in common is that you are all at University to get a degree and further your education. Ask students directly about what they would like to change.

What are your key policies?Having thought about the different types of students you will be representing and the issues that affect them most, you should try and shape these into your key pledges for your campaign. These pledges will form talking points when you’re out and about campaigning on campus, talking to students.

Think about what the most important issues are, what are most appealing to students and what is achievable in your year in office. Remember, your pledges will be online and near the voting ststion for students to view, so keep them short and snappy.

If you’re in doubt, ask yourself two questions:a) Does it affect the students I’m running to represent?b) Have I got an idea how to solve or improve it?

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2 YOUR CAMPAIGN MESSAGE

How does the process work?A Key element to any successful campaign is the publicity behind it – how you tell students about your ideas and persuade them to vote for you.

Campaign ThemeMany students choose a campaign theme that is linked to their name or something that they think will appeal to students, from funny puns involving student’s names to more serious themes based around a specific policy or idea.

Campaign ColourYou will need to choose something that will really stand out and draw the attention of students to your campaign. In the past, people have picked colours linked with their name, campaign ideas and items of clothing they already own.

Campaign Slogan(s)It’s important to have a slogan so students can remember you. Think about slogans used by political parties and figures, for example Obama’s 2009 ‘yes we can’. This was effective as it made a clear link to what people want and was simple enough to be repeated time and again.

Another idea is to link your slogan to your name which will help with recognition when students vote.

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3 YOUR CAMPAIGN PUBLICITY

PostersDon't forget posters are not allowed

Pasted Cardboard BannersThese are very effective for walking around with and also campaigning outside with. All you need to make one is a large piece of cardboard, paint/flyers and string our cable ties.

LeafletsThese should stand out and look appealing to students. If you are using double sided leaflets, use one side for an eye catching design and the second for more details about your policies.

T-ShirtsT-shirts are an excellent method of having your supporters promote your campaign even when they are not actually out campaigning. T-shirts will make your campaign easily identifiable. A cheap way to do this is to buy plain t-shirts and fabric paints.

VideoMaking a video can be a great way of interacting with students who don’t come onto campus very often or who wouldn’t read a leaflet. Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and share as much as possible.

FacebookSetting up a Facebook group or page is an excellent way to get your message across and allow your supporters to show their support for you. You can publish your pledges, post updates on what you are doing and encourage students to vote for you.

TwitterUsing twitter is also a very good way of communicating with potential voters, especially if you use the relevant hashtags when tweeting about the leadership race

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4 HOW TO CAMPAIGN

Campaign TeamOne of the most important elements of any campaign’s success is to have a good group of campaigners to help you to distribute fliers and spread the word about your campaign.

Get your campaign group together and hold a meeting. Familarise your group with your pledges and tell them how you would like to campaign. Make sure you go through all the rules and regulations that all candidates and campaigners must abide by. Stress the benefits of campaigning for you, particularly related to employability after graduation, and remember, the best way to ensure a student votes for you is to talk to them, not just hand them a flier.

Make sure you use your team effectively. Have regular meetings and keep your team updated on what’s happening. Spread your team out, rather than just outside the main buildings. Make sure your team engages with students who have yet to be persuaded to vote for you.

GOATingThe best way to get students to vote for you is by going up and talking to them about who you are what you plan to do if you get elected.

Talking to Students (G.O.A.Ting)When talking to students try and be brief and keep to the point. A good icebreaker is to introduce yourself and then ask a couple of questions before you start to talk about yourself and your ideas. Focus on the changes you are proposing that arerelevant to them.

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Tips on How to GOAT Effectively:

Go to Student AccommodationTry to get into some student accommodation through friends or try to grab the attention of someone on the ground floor. Knock on flat doors and ask to speak to everyone who is in the flat in a communal area like a kitchen and tell them why they should vote for you. As you leave, put down some flyers or put a poster on a fridge, door or cupboard. The best time to visit is after 4pm when most students are back from lectures, placement or work. If you knock, and no one answers, put a flyer or two underneath the door.

Make It a Two Way ConversationStudents may be more inclined to listen to what you have to say if you ask them about their experience and what they want to see changed.

Go to Cafes, Canteens and Open AreasThe best times to target these areas are mornings, when students are grabbing a quick coffee or breakfast, (8.30-9.30) and break times (10.30-11.30 and 12.00-14.00).

Don’t Just Talk to People You KnowWhen campaigning, it can be tempting to just talk to the people you know - they will more than likely already be voting for you! So do your best to approach people you don’t know or usually talk to. The more students you talk to, the more votes you are likely to get. The more votes you get, the more likely you are to win your election!

Go Into Classes and LecturesAsk permission from lecturers and tutors if you can make a short announcement at the beginning or end of a lecture or seminar. You can outline briefly who you are, what you stand for and if students have any questions.

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Tips on How to GOAT Effectively:

Don’t Be Put Off By One Bad EncounterYou will probably encounter some students who will tell you they are not interested or do not have time. Don’t be put off by a few bad reactions and try to focus on some of the better more positive responses you get from students.

Leave Students with a ReminderOnce you’ve finished chatting with someone, leave them with a flyer or something to remind them they have spoken to you and what you stand for.

Try To Target Your MessageIf you think part of your plans appeal to different types of students, try highlighting that when you talk to that type of student. For example, if you see some students with children, approach them by talking about any student parent-friendly ideas that you may have.

Campaign Some More!!It’s never too late to press for those last minute votes. Some elections have been won on the tiniest of margins, and remember that you could always be elected on people’s second or third preference, so endeavour to make a good impression.

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your voice, your choice your students’ union! · 2017-01-15 · to get a degree and further your...

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