The Essential Guide to Understanding the Role of a General Consultant in Political Campaigns

What does a General Consultant do?

Jan 26, 2024

I’m excited to write this article.

Earlier this week, I spoke to a potential client who asked me a question that I get quite often: "What does a General Consultant (GC) do?"

This is not only a great question but also one that many people are eager to understand the answer to.

The Onslaught of Vendor Offers: Navigating Early Campaign Challenges

When you first decide to run for office, you are immediately bombarded from every direction by vendors. Emails pour in from digital firms, TV ad agencies, data application providers, phone banking services, text messaging companies, website designers, printers, mail shops, and more.

Anyone selling anything remotely political will try to get in touch with you.

This onslaught can be quite overwhelming, especially for newcomers to the political arena.

Before you even begin to ponder whether to hire 'firm X' or 'firm Y' for your digital/mail/advertising campaign needs, it's crucial first to engage a consultant who can guide you in the right direction.

Key Responsibilities of a General Consultant

Sean Payton is the head coach of the Denver Broncos. I know we suck, no need to rub it in.

At its core, the role of a General Consultant in a political campaign is multifaceted, involving strategic planning, team management, and decision-making. The GC is essentially the football coach or the campaign architect, laying down the strategic blueprint that will guide every aspect of the campaign journey.

Strategic Planning and Vision: A GC is responsible for developing the overall campaign strategy. This involves analyzing the political landscape, understanding the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses, and crafting a tailored campaign plan that resonates with the electorate.

Team Building and Management: One of the primary duties of a GC is to assemble and manage a competent campaign team. This includes hiring key staff members such as the Campaign Manager, Communications Director, and Digital Director, ensuring that each member is aligned with the campaign's vision and strategy.

Budget Management and Resource Allocation: A critical function of a GC is managing the campaign budget. This involves allocating resources efficiently, ensuring that funds are spent in a way that maximizes impact and ROI.

Navigating the Maze of Vendor Selection

Vendor management is a crucial aspect of a General Consultant's role. Here’s how I approach this complex task:

Assessing Campaign Needs: Evaluating the campaign's specific needs, whether it's digital advertising for a tech-savvy electorate or grassroots tools for local engagement.
Vendor Expertise and Track Record: Looking for vendors with a proven track record in similar campaigns, ensuring their expertise aligns with our strategic objectives.
Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Compliance: Balancing quality with cost-effectiveness is key. Negotiating to ensure we get the best services within our budget constraints.
Ethical Considerations and Transparency: Prioritizing vendors who uphold high ethical standards and transparency, ensuring our campaign maintains its integrity.
Regular Review and Adaptation: Regularly reviewing vendor performance and making adjustments as needed to ensure ongoing alignment with campaign goals.

Through thoughtful vendor management, every external partnership contributes positively and effectively to our campaign’s success.

Understanding the Basic Campaign Structure - Example

If you're planning to run for office, let's say, U.S. Congress, for example, it's important to have a well-structured campaign team.

Here's an ideal list of positions that you will need to staff: General Consultant (GC), Treasurer (legally required), Compliance Attorney (in most cases, you can hire one person for both treasury work and legal compliance or separate individuals for each), Campaign Manager (CM), Scheduler, Deputy Campaign Manager, Finance Director, Communications Director, Political Director, Field Director, Data Director, Policy Director, Digital Director, Advance Team, Volunteer Coordinator, Interns, and Volunteers.

Please note that while this is considered an ideal campaign structure, if you're starting your campaign on a tight budget, you may need to consolidate some of these roles. It's common for small campaigns to have fewer people, so don't let the above list intimidate you.

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Now, it's time to build the team. Just like a new coach has to hire new staff, a General Consultant (GC) has to hire a team that will be built around the candidate.

I always start by hiring the best compliance person for the campaign. You don't want to run afoul of federal campaign finance laws, and skimping on a compliance attorney isn't a good idea.

I usually use the same person for both compliance and treasury work. I've seen people have staff for both roles, but I don't recommend doing it that way if you don't have to.

Second, we are looking to hire a campaign manager. This hire is essential. This has to be someone who knows what they are doing and someone who can manage the candidate.

As a consultant, I'm not just looking for someone who understands how to determine a vote goal for a precinct, but someone who can also manage the candidate and get along with them.

This business is about relationships as much as anything else. If your campaign manager and candidate are at odds from day one, you won't have a successful campaign. Don't hire a campaign manager who doesn't know how to stand up to the candidate.

The Crucial Role of the Campaign Manager

If you're a candidate and reading this, please hear what I'm saying: You are a Type A personality with an ego.

You are running for office because you believe you have the right vision and solutions, and that's great. You should believe that.

However, you need to listen to your staff. They see things you don't, and they have to be able to voice their concerns without feeling the threat of being fired or having you blow up at them.

Your campaign manager must have this relationship with you.

The Art of Effective Vendor Management in Campaigns

Vendors play a significant role in any political campaign. From digital ad placements, TV commercials, text messaging, streaming, robo-calls, and mail, there is a vendor for everything. As soon as you file your paperwork to run for office, vendors start reaching out to you. That's why it's crucial to have a consultant to handle these inquiries.

Hiring vendors is a crucial part of my job as a consultant. I consider the campaign budget, the type of race we are running, and our needs before talking to vendors that provide different services.

Through my consulting company, APL Consulting, in addition to General Consulting, I offer branding, logo design, website design and development, yard signs, graphic design work, mail design, texting, and almost all printing services.

For most other needs such as advertising, digital ads, video production, or radio buys, I rely on vendors to execute what we need in those areas.

Most consultants have existing relationships with multiple vendors. We know which vendors to approach about the potential project, given our insight into what the campaign needs and the budget.

For example, I'm not approaching the firm that does President Trump's video production for my client running for the school board. I'll be reaching out to smaller vendors that are within the campaign budget.

The Consultant-Candidate Relationship: A Delicate Balance

It's important to understand that if you're going to hire me, or anyone, as your campaign consultant, you need to be willing to listen to my advice and suggestions.

I've been in situations where candidates have hired me but then refused to take any of my recommendations. If you're not willing to take advice from a professional, then you shouldn't be hiring a consultant in the first place.

When I make suggestions, I do so because I want to help you succeed. Your campaign is not just a reflection of you, but also of my abilities as a consultant.

So, when I recommend something, I expect it to be taken seriously. We won't always agree, and the candidate is the final decision-maker. Remember, we're on the same team, and I'm here to give you the best advice possible.

Conclusion: Maximizing Impact on Political Campaigns

In conclusion, the journey of a political campaign is complex and multifaceted. As a General Consultant, my role is to build a cohesive team, manage resources strategically, and navigate the intricate world of vendor selection, all while maintaining a critical relationship with the candidate.

The success of a campaign hinges not just on the strength of its message but on the efficiency and effectiveness with which it is executed. That's where the expertise of a General Consultant becomes invaluable.

Guiding candidates through the complexities of campaign management, from vendor selection to team coordination, ensures every step is a step towards victory.

If you are a candidate, it is important to concentrate on engaging with voters and presenting your ideas. Leave the intricacies of the campaign to an experienced General Consultant.

By working together, we can create a campaign that connects with voters, effectively communicates our values, and achieves victory on election day.

Now, let's go win a campaign!