In this last election cycle, one thing must be concluded - the stakes have been raised.
Pluses - social networking, social media and other online technologies are securely part of the standard operation now. And there's no turning back. Being present isn't enough. Candidates and incumbents must be leaders in this space, and engaged throughout the year.
Negatives - We're not seeing a rosy future for robo-calls in the future. Overuse of a good thing outwears its welcome.
So what do we do now?
AVS has years of experience both in the political arena and without. The advantage of working with AVS versus an agency that works only with political clients is that we are "talking" with consumers all year long.
Yes, "consumers," not voters. Absolutely we have to be clear that we're asking for votes and the way we structure our platforms and our involvement is particular to the political arena.
But branding, direct mail, social networking, billboards, radio, tv, word-of-mouth, guerilla marketing, websites, email marketing - the big companies which spend millions year-round are conditioning consumers about what to expect and how to intereact. These same consumers are your voters in November.