Extra! Extra!
Jakob Nielsen's analysis of The Kerry / Bush Email Newsletters yet again points out how political campaigns fail to truly understand how to use the internet medium properly.
On a smaller level, Todd Caliguire, an unknown candidate for the New Jersey Republican Gubernatorial nomination, used the Email newsletter with a certain effectiveness.
Based on voter input and feedback, the newsletters and press releases sent out by Todd's campaign convinced many on the fence to support his effort.
Nielson mentions a vital point, one that I also believe the Caliguire example demonstrates as well, namely that one of the main points of Internet campaigns is to "energize the party faithful."
In a primary, the rules change a little and your Internet campaign must adapt accordingly. Simply energizing the party faithful does nothing when your opponent(s) are members of the same exact party.
Thus, an effective Email newsletter garners even more importance in primary races. The goal in a primary is not to just energize party voters, but to convince them to vote for you. It is much more about persuasion in the primary than it is mobilization. The Email newsletter is an effective means of accomplishing this.
Todd Caliguire finished 7th out of a field of 7. But he accomplished one of his primary goals. His targeted Email newsletters were sent constantly to Newspaper editors and other members of the local media. As a result, he earned endorsements from two major newspapers over the frontrunners in the race and garnered some ringing quotes from several other papers throughout the campaign. By the end, he was being touted as a "Future Star" within the party and will be set up nicely when and if he decides to run for another office.
On a smaller level, Todd Caliguire, an unknown candidate for the New Jersey Republican Gubernatorial nomination, used the Email newsletter with a certain effectiveness.
Based on voter input and feedback, the newsletters and press releases sent out by Todd's campaign convinced many on the fence to support his effort.
Nielson mentions a vital point, one that I also believe the Caliguire example demonstrates as well, namely that one of the main points of Internet campaigns is to "energize the party faithful."
In a primary, the rules change a little and your Internet campaign must adapt accordingly. Simply energizing the party faithful does nothing when your opponent(s) are members of the same exact party.
Thus, an effective Email newsletter garners even more importance in primary races. The goal in a primary is not to just energize party voters, but to convince them to vote for you. It is much more about persuasion in the primary than it is mobilization. The Email newsletter is an effective means of accomplishing this.
Todd Caliguire finished 7th out of a field of 7. But he accomplished one of his primary goals. His targeted Email newsletters were sent constantly to Newspaper editors and other members of the local media. As a result, he earned endorsements from two major newspapers over the frontrunners in the race and garnered some ringing quotes from several other papers throughout the campaign. By the end, he was being touted as a "Future Star" within the party and will be set up nicely when and if he decides to run for another office.
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