Running for office is no easy task. It requires a variety of skills that you may or may not use in your regular life. Campaigning is also time consuming and can be costly. You must have the support of your family to embark on the journey of campaigning. However, if you take the proper steps when establishing your campaign, you will be more successful in the long run.

• Determine the position you would like to run for.

• Identify the skills and experiences you will bring to the office and position.

• Review the requirements for the position you are seeking.

• Sit down and have a serious conversation with your spouse and family about your desire to run for office. Campaigning is not just about the person who is running.

• The sooner you begin the more time you have to campaign and fundraise.

• Be prepared to be in the public light.

• Take time to write out your bio. Be sure to include your education, occupation, any/all community & political involvement, and any other relevant background information that will help voters to determine that you are the one they should vote for.

• Determine your budget. You will need to know how much money you will need to raise and spend. Fundraising is a vital part of campaigning that every candidate must do in order to pay for campaign operations and materials.

• Be prepared and willing to invest in hiring a professional political consultant, campaign manager, and fundraiser.

• Take time to set up your campaign team. The biggest decision you will make for your campaign is deciding who will be your campaign consultant, manager, and finance person. So take your time to interview multiple people for each one before making a decision.

• Understand your opponent(s). While you are campaigning to show people what makes you the best person, you have to know your opponent in order to effectively distinguish yourself from them.

• Practice your public speaking, communications, and debate skills. As a candidate, you will be speaking with a lot of different type of people. So you will need to be able to effectively communicate with multiple audiences.

• Create a plan on how to handle any issues from your past that your opponent could dig up and use against you during campaigning.

• Be sure to create a strong campaign message and campaign slogan.