Campaign Messaging Made Easy: 7 Steps to Nail Your Narrative

A compelling campaign message is the backbone of every successful run for office. Your message sets you apart, lets you connect with voters, and drives your entire outreach strategy. Your political campaign message matters even more for Independent candidates who are running without a party platform behind them. Without party infrastructure behind you, your message is your megaphone.

This guide will help you craft a clear, authentic, and effective political campaign message that resonates with voters and helps you win, whether you’re running for local office or running a national campaign. 

Why Your Campaign Message Matters

Your campaign message isn’t just what you believe. It’s how you communicate your vision to your voters.

A strong campaign message helps you:

• Build trust with voters

• Clarify your values and priorities

• Stay focused in your speeches, campaign materials, and outreach

• Stand out in crowded races, especially if you’re new or running against party-backed candidates

• Create a unified, people-powered campaign that voters remember

In local races, where name recognition may be low and personal connection matters most, having a memorable and well-targeted message can be the difference between winning and losing. 

A 2024 Pew Research study found that only 45% of Americans say it’s at least somewhat easy to find the information they want or need to make informed voting decisions in local elections. That’s why it’s crucial to create a quick, clear, memorable, and descriptive message. You want voters to easily know who you are and why they should vote for you.

How to Create a Winning Campaign Message

A strong campaign message shows voters why you’re the right person to lead. Whether you’re running for city council, school board, or any other local office, your message should reflect your values, connect with your community, and inspire action. 

Follow these steps to build a campaign message that cuts through the noise and helps you stand out:

Step #1: Start With Your Why

Before discussing policies, platforms, or proposals, get clear on your “why.”

Ask yourself:

• What made me want to run for office?

• What do I believe my community deserves?

• What challenges do I see, and how do I want to fix them?

Your campaign message should be rooted in real stories and lived experiences. It’s not just about what’s broken in your community. It’s about how your unique perspective can help create change.

LEARN MORE: Use our free template to write your ‘Why I’m Running” statement. 

Step #2: Define Your Values and Issues

Your values and priority issues form the foundation of your message. These should reflect what matters most to both you and your community.

Try listing three to five core values you want to see reflected in political leadership, such as:

• Transparency

• Affordability

• Public safety

• Equity

• Accountability

Then, identify a few local issues you’re most passionate about. These could be things like:

• Fixing broken infrastructure

• Supporting local schools

• Improving public transit

• Fighting political corruption

• Or any other issue specific to your community

Your campaign message should tie your values to your action plan. That way, voters can see what you care about and what you plan to do about it if elected. 

LEARN MORE: Explore the best way to build a campaign platform as an Independent. 

Step #3: Make Your Core Message Short, Clear, and Community-Centered

Your core campaign message doesn’t need to involve a complicated slogan or a multi-point policy pitch. You need one clear sentence that voters can remember.

Use this formula to start:

“I’m running for [office] because [what your community deserves], and I’m ready to [how you’ll help].”

Here’s an example:

“I’m running for city council because our neighborhoods deserve safe streets and affordable housing, and I’m ready to fight for both.”

Aim to keep your core campaign message under 30 seconds. Think of it like an elevator pitch. You’ll use it on doorsteps, in debates, and across your campaign materials.

LEARN MORE: Learn how to leverage your message to make the most of door-to-door canvassing efforts. 

Step #4: Use Storytelling to Ground Your Message

Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to make your message stick. Instead of just saying you support better schools, tell a story about why, like a local teacher struggling with outdated materials or a time you had to advocate for your child’s education.

Stories do three things:

• Make abstract problems feel personal.

• Build emotional connections with voters.

• Show that you’re grounded in real community experience.

Whenever you speak, write, or post on social media, ask yourself what story you can tell to bring this issue to life. 

Step #5: Stay Consistent Across Every Platform

Consistency helps your message stick. Your message should be reflected everywhere, including flyers, social media posts, emails, speeches, peer-to-peer texts, and your campaign website.

You don’t need to repeat the same lines word-for-word, but every piece of content you put out there should reflect the same tone, values, and priorities.

Here’s how to check if you’re being consistent:

• Does your website match your core message?

• Do your campaign’s social media profiles line up with your website?

• Do your social captions reflect your values?

• If your campaign is using yard signs, door hangers, or other physical materials, do they all convey the same message and tone?

• Does your campaign’s advertising (whether in the community or online) reflect your top priorities?

• Do any texts, emails, or other communications you send to voters include your core message?

• Do your volunteers know how to summarize your platform?

LEARN MORE: Book a demo to learn how GoodParty.org can help you create consistent, on-brand materials and social content that reinforce your message.

Step #6: Adapt Your Message to Different Audiences

Your message should stay rooted in your values, but how you frame it can and should shift depending on who you're talking to.

Here are some examples of how you might adapt your message:

• When speaking to parents: Emphasize school safety, class sizes, or after-school programs.

• When meeting small business owners: Focus on local economic development or permitting processes.

• When talking to young voters: Talk about housing, job opportunities, or environmental justice.

Use local language. Reference community landmarks. Speak directly to the people you’re trying to reach. Ultimately, be human and connect with your community. 

Step #7: Test, Listen, and Refine

Your campaign message isn’t set in stone. As you talk to voters, you’ll learn what resonates and what doesn’t. Stay flexible and responsive.

Some ways you can gather feedback include:

• Track engagement on social posts that feature your message.

• Ask trusted volunteers or community leaders what they think.

• Practice your pitch with friends or at events.

A recent study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that professional campaign staffers aren’t that skilled at creating impactful campaign messages. So, the effectiveness of your campaign message will come from listening to your community, not from hiring an expensive campaign manager to write it for you.  

Your Message Is Your Momentum

Running as an Independent means you can lead with your values instead of a party line. Your campaign message is the heart of that freedom.

By crafting a message that’s clear, personal, and grounded in your community, you can:

• Stand out from the noise.

• Inspire voters to act.

• Build a movement that reflects real people, not party agendas.

Luckily, you don’t have to craft and share your message alone. GoodParty.org offers free, purpose-built tools for Independent candidates who want to run innovative, values-based campaigns. Whether you’re running for city council, school board, or state legislature, your message is your movement. We’re here to help you amplify it.