Campaign Kickstarter: Maximizing the Moment Candidates Can’t Get Back
Driving earned media, building candidate confidence, securing endorsements—and surpassing fundraising goals
Overview
Drawing from 15+ years of experience with high-profile presidential, senate, congressional, gubernatorial and mayoral campaigns, including Senator Harry Reid’s 2010 re-election and Senator Cory Booker’s 2020 presidential campaign, Echo Communications Advisors’ Campaign Kickstarter program fills a gap in campaigns at every level of the ballot: maximizing earned media around the launch period.
Our program is an investment that yields returns–especially for fundraising. We help candidates build a foundation that benefits them for the rest of their campaigns. We drive local and national earned media, develop and refine effective messaging, and lead media training so that candidates can tell their story most effectively—not just to media but to potential donors, voters and groups and officials who could endorse. In addition to driving fundraising, our work builds political support and greater awareness of the candidate among voters, future donors, and elected leaders.
Why is This Necessary?
Campaigns can never get this moment back. Reporters want to talk to the new candidate. Donors want to get in on the ground floor of an exciting campaign. Influential political grasstops watch closely before deciding whether to endorse or not.
Yet too many candidates settle for a double when it comes to their campaign launch. We help candidates hit a home run. At the earliest stages of a campaign, candidates and their barebones team are too overwhelmed with countless other priorities to think through every piece of a smart, thorough communications plan for launch day and the days that follow. Most of the time, a communications staffer is weeks or months away from being hired. Through Campaign Kickstarter, Echo Communications Advisors takes earned media off of their plate. We focus on the core components of a successful rollout, but also the small details and extra touches that make a big difference.
How It Works
We provide a weeks-long surge of strategic guidance, support and execution, including: candidate media prep; message refinement; announcement placement; and, for statewide candidates, a tour across media markets. We introduce the candidate to voters everywhere through outlets large and small. For candidates with national appeal, we connect them with national reporters, which helps to drive fundraising and raise a candidate’s profile.
A well-executed launch that makes the most of the moment sets the tone for the rest of the campaign and raises the bar for opponents. Campaign Kickstarter sets up candidates to win their races from day one.
At the end of the launch period, we also:
- Offer ongoing strategic communications guidance and candidate media training
- Monitor developing media storylines and find ways to plug in candidates
- Tap into our network to help campaigns find a permanent, on-the-ground communications staffer
- Later in the cycle, lead preparation for debates, forums and editorial board meetings
- Provide crisis communications services
Who is This For?
We work with credible candidates running for federal office (U.S. Senate or House), governor, mayor (major cities only), and public utility commissions. If you would like to work with us but are running for an office not listed here, reach out and we’ll consider partnering with you. We prioritize candidates with a background in clean energy or climate policy.
How Much Do You Charge?
Depending on the size of the race and anticipated campaign budget, our one-time fee ranges from $7.5K to $12K—a smart investment given the fundraising lift our work consistently generates for the campaigns we support.
In order to maximize the all-important first fundraising report, we suggest that campaigns pay us only after that initial reporting period.
How to Connect
If you’re working with a future candidate, or if you’re a soon-to-be-candidate yourself, we would love to talk with you. Find time to talk with us, or send us an email: info@echocomms.com.
Case Study
Check out a couple of case studies:
