Political consultants 101: things you must know before making a hire

One of the first and most important choices you will make in your campaign concerns hiring consultants. Good consultants can make a big difference in your race, and so can bad ones. We have all heard horror stories about consultants who take their clients for all they are worth. Here are some things you ought to know before taking the plunge.

Consultants 101

1. Candidates hire consultants because they bring experience, advice or a special skill to the campaign.

2. By definition, a consultant is not in your campaign office every day. Do not expect them to be. They may be there occasionally, but generally you will communicate with them via phone, e-mail or fax.

3. The best way to find a good consultant is to get a recommendation from a previous candidate you trust.

4. Don't disqualify a consultant exclusively based on their win/loss ratio. Some races aren't going to be won. If a reference tells you his consultant was politically adept, trustworthy and competent, that is a good start.

5. Hire consultants who have experience winning your type of race. Here is why: Challenger candidates lose 99 percent of the time. Incumbent candidates win 99 percent of the time. Therefore, a consultant who has won 2 out of 10 challenger races has an excellent record of success. Conversely, a consultant who handles incumbents with an 80 percent win record has a poor track record.

6. Never spend more than 15 percent of your total campaign budget on consultants. Keep expenses low. Hang this rule on your bathroom mirror.

7. It is good to hire a consultant who has been through a lot of campaigns. This experience will come in handy when an unexpected crisis arises.

8. Make sure the communication lines are established from the beginning. In some cases the consultant's point of contact is the campaign manager. If this is protocol, the consultant should respect this arrangement and conduct business through the manager.

9. If you're running for an elected office below state representative, you probably don't need a consultant. Read a few good campaign books and attend a good campaign training seminar. Then use the money you saved on a consultant for voter contact.

10. On the other hand, if you're running for Congress, or if you face significant strategic or tactical issues, you definitely need a consultant.

Things to Watch Out for When Hiring a Consultant

11. There are no laws governing who can call himself or herself a political consultant. There is no license or certification needed. While this should remain so, there is risk when anyone can hang up a shingle and start practicing. Be careful.

12. Consultants may help give your campaign contacts, but beware a consultant who promises to get you money or free publicity if you hire them. You have to wonder about a desperate consultant who relies on this tactic to win over clients.

13. The most destructive consultants are bottom feeders, who make careers out of exploiting novice candidates. Watch out for these guys.

14. The truth about bad consultants: If they work on five campaigns, they will brag to you about the one they won, and conveniently leave the four losers off their resumes.

15. Often, ethically challenged consultants use a political philosophy to target and enlist ideologically driven clients. Watch out for someone who wants you to hire them based only on their political ideology.

16. Beware a consultant who approaches you and flatters you.

17. Be skeptical of anyone who promises to make it "easy." Good consultants don't down play the hard work required to win a race.

18. A "celebrity consultant" who gets his name in the paper more often than the candidate is bad news.

19. When hiring a consultant, make sure you get the person you pay for. Sometimes the president of a firm pitches you services, and once you sign on the dotted line, you're assigned an inexperienced, low-level case manager. Make sure your contract stipulates that you get who you think you're getting. This is the political equivalent of a bait-and-switch.

20. Although there are similarities between politics and business, never hire a local design or commercial firm who says they can do politics. Stick with consulting firms who have a proven track record of winning political campaigns.

21. While it may be flattering to share a consultant with a big name candidate, when push comes to shove, your consultant will focus on their more important clients first.

22. Some consulting firms get so large that they start using a cookie-cutter approach, simply recycling past campaigns. Be sure to get the individual attention you deserve.

23. Remember, it doesn't matter how much money your campaign raises; you can only spend net dollars.

24. Put it all in writing. I'm serious.

About General Consultants

25. General consultants provide general advice, but no "product." They are typically paid a retainer, but sometimes also get a percentage of media buys. They help answer strategic questions, such as how much money you'll need to win, whom you should target, defining your message and how it's delivered.

26. It is vital you know exactly what you are paying for upfront. Though amounts vary, the average retainer for a general consultant on a congressional race is around $2,000 per month. A U.S. Senate race might pay slightly more, and a state representative race would obviously pay less.

27. One of the most important things when looking for a general consultant is how quickly they return your calls and e-mail. You're relying on this person for long-term strategic planning, but you'll also need immediate advice on how to field media requests, etc. Your consultant must be accessible at all times.

28. Your general consultant should be vitally involved in writing your campaign plan, setting goals and holding the campaign team accountable to meeting these goals.

29. Pick someone you actually enjoy being around. Look for a sense of humor. You'll be glad you did.

30. Your consultant should share your general political philosophy. You don't have to agree on every single issue, but you had better share core values.

31. As a rule, your general consultant coordinates the rest of the consulting team. Look for a good leader.

Other Consultants

32. Media consultants provide TV and radio products and placement. They shoot the film, write and produce the spots, and oversee media placement.

33. Typically, media consultants receive a percentage of the buy. The industry standard is 15 percent, but often you can negotiate for less than this. Some media firms will also charge you for production and a creative fee. Ask.

34. Know this: Because media consultants receive a percentage of media buys, it is in their interest to encourage you to spend money on media.

35. Beware of anyone who tells you to ignore grass-roots activities and rely solely on media.

36. In order to prevent being hit with unexpected bills that will wreck your campaign's budget, get it in writing that your vendors will have to stick with their estimates, such as production costs. The practices vary by firm, but be sure you know exactly what you are expected to pay.

37. Pollsters help provide message direction, draft surveys and provide analysis on target groups.

38. Pollsters are paid per survey, depending on the length of the questions, and the type of survey you are requesting.

39. It is extremely important to hire a reputable polling firm. Don't skimp in this area. Even if your polling numbers are accurate, potential donors and supporters won't believe them unless you have used a highly reputable pollster.

40. You may also hire consultants to handle direct mail, phone programs, Internet, research and fund raising.

If you follow the tips listed above, you'll be prepared to build a team of top-notch professionals prepared to guide you to victory on Election Day.

Matt Lewis is president of The Campaign Leadership Company, LLC, based in Alexandria, Va.

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