The Art of Campaigning: Balancing Sales, Marketing, and Warfighting

Last night, I had an insightful conversation with a friend who is currently running for office. We found ourselves diving deep into the mechanics of political campaigns, breaking them down into two fundamental approaches that every candidate must master to be successful: sales/marketing and warfighting. These two elements, though seemingly distinct, are interwoven and essential to the balance required for a successful political campaign. However, maintaining that balance is no small feat—it's one that many candidates struggle to achieve.

The campaign journey is more than just knocking on doors or sharing polished sound bites on social media. It’s about understanding that each move you make, each message you deliver, has to serve two purposes: reaching voters (sales/marketing) and outmaneuvering your opponent (warfighting). You need to connect with people and show them your values, your vision for the future. At the same time, you need to play a strategic game against your competition, anticipating their moves and positioning yourself to win when it counts.

This idea can be summed up by a quote from General Alfred M. Gray, former Commandant of the Marine Corps:

“In tactics, the most important thing is not whether you go left or right, but why you go left or right.”

Let’s explore these two perspectives in more detail.

Sales/Marketing: Winning Over the Voter

At its core, sales and marketing is about one thing: connection. Just as a company seeks to sell its products or services to consumers, a political candidate must sell their message to the voter. But unlike businesses that can offer tangible products, candidates are selling their vision, their leadership, and the future they promise to build. This makes the process both more challenging and more rewarding when done effectively.

Steve Jobs encapsulated the essence of marketing perfectly:

“Marketing is about values. It is a complicated and noisy world, and we are not going to get a chance to get people to remember much about us. No company is. So, we have to be really clear about what we want them to know about us.”

Your campaign message has to cut through the noise. The political landscape is loud—countless candidates, ads, and opinions are competing for attention. In this sea of chaos, clarity is power. If you aren’t clear about who you are, what you stand for, and what you aim to achieve, voters will move on to the next name on the ballot.

A candidate must build a personal brand, not unlike a company builds its reputation. Voters need to know your values, your vision, and what differentiates you from your opponent. That’s your pitch. The goal is to make it so clear that when people think about you, they instantly know what you stand for—just like they associate Apple with innovation or Nike with performance.

Warfighting: Battling Your Opponent

Now, here’s where many candidates falter. While marketing and messaging are vital, politics is also a battleground. Campaigns are, in many ways, fights for survival. And as much as you need to connect with voters, you also need to play an aggressive, strategic game against your competition. In the words of Sir William Slim:

“There is only one principle of war and that’s this: Hit the other fellow, as quick as you can, and as hard as you can, where it hurts him the most, when he ain’t looking.”

That might sound harsh, but politics is not a gentle sport. It’s a zero-sum game. There are winners, and there are losers. To succeed, a candidate must stay on the offensive, anticipating moves from opponents and responding with calculated strikes that put them on their back foot.

This doesn’t mean a campaign should devolve into personal attacks or petty politics. Rather, it’s about staying sharp, being aware of vulnerabilities, and positioning yourself in a way that neutralizes threats before they materialize. It’s about out-strategizing your opponent. When done well, warfighting becomes an art form—a chess game where every move you make shifts the momentum in your favor.

Finding the Balance

Balancing these two sides—sales/marketing and warfighting—is where the magic happens. It’s where campaigns transform from mediocre efforts into successful political movements. A successful candidate needs to master both, and most importantly, know when to lean into one over the other.

So, if you’re running for office, congratulations! You’ve chosen to serve, which is no small task. But beyond that, you’ve chosen to enter a competitive arena where many have failed. To stand a chance, take a moment to reflect on your campaign and ask yourself:

1. Am I rising above the noise to let the people know about me, my campaign, and my vision for the future?
   Your marketing efforts should be sharp and focused, connecting with voters on a level that makes you memorable. Are you clear on what you want people to know about you? Are your values resonating with them?
2. Am I fighting or just going through the motions?
   Campaigning is hard work, but it’s also strategic. Are you playing the game with precision, or are you simply hoping to coast along? Have you identified your opponent's weaknesses, and are you capitalizing on them?

Rise and Fight!

Campaigns, at their core, are both a sales pitch and a battle. The candidates who succeed are the ones who can master this balance. They rise above the noise with a clear message, while simultaneously engaging in a calculated fight against their opponents.

So, if you’re running for office, I commend you for stepping up, take these principles to heart. Refine your message, strategize your tactics, and remember: politics isn’t just about showing up—it’s about showing up to win. Rise and fight! Good luck.