Pack the Room: Holding a successful event
BY MATT LEWIS
One of the worst feelings a campaign manager can have is when their candidate walks into a rally or event and the room is empty.
Candidates feed off of energy and attention. As a campaign manager, your job is to win the race and keep your candidate focused. No matter how many points up you are in the polls or how much money you've raised, an empty room sucks the energy out of a political candidate. It also gives the press a chance to write about how your campaign is stumbling and bumbling.
Of course, the easiest way to pack a room is to simply schedule press events where you are guaranteed to have a built-in audience. School classrooms, for example, create convenient photo-ops. But unless you are an incumbent, its difficult to pull off such a maneuver.
So how does a challenger fill up an empty room? Here are some tips to minimize the chances such an embarrassment happens on your watch.
- Promise Less And Achieve More
Whether you are talking to the press, volunteers, or just briefing your candidate, always downplay the estimate and importance of a big turnout.
If you think 100 people will show up to your event, dont dare admit it. If you say so and only 40 show up, you are left with egg on your face. The headlines about your event would certainly include the words, sparsely attended. And your candidate would resent having to speak to a small crowd.
On the other hand, if you say you are expecting only 30 people and 40 people show up, you look like a rock star.
In either scenario, 40 people showed up. But in one scenario, you look like a loser, in the other scenario, youre exceeding expectations. Often in politics, the only difference between being a hero or loser is the expectations you set for yourself.
- Book a Small Room
No matter what, always book a smaller room that you think you need. Its better to pack a small room full of people than have a large room empty. If you cant book a small room, check if you can use partitions to fit people into a smaller area.
Ignore the whiners who complain that its too crowded. And ignore the people who tell you the room you booked will be too small. The worst thing that happens if you book a small room is a story that reads, standing room only.
- Invite a Band
Invite a high school band, a marching band or any other large band to play your event. The more members of the band, the better.
Give each band member two tickets, and tell them they can invite their parents or friends. Make it seem like tickets are hard to get. Many parents will come just to support their children.
If you really want a big turnout, have one band open up the event and another group close it. Not only does this add significant numbers to your crowd, the music gives the event some extra excitement.
- Balloons
Make the room thats half-empty look full by adding balloons. Scatter them around different parts of the room. Balloons are fairly inexpensive and give the illusion that more people are at the event.
- Positioning
Post your campaign staff and volunteers in various parts of the room.
Dont let them all stand together. Place one toward the front of the room, a few in the middle, and others on the sides, etc., sort of in a diamond formation. This helps fill up the room. Its also a good way to ensure there is applause during yours speech. Standing-ovation speeches rarely happen miraculously.
By following these five tips, you can make a bad event OK and a good event appears to have a terrific turnout.
FEBRUARY 2006 CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS