Being a member of your school’s student council is a great experience. Whether you’re in middle school, high school, or college, it can teach you invaluable leadership skills and help you grow as a person.

But before you can have these great experiences, you have to win your student council election. This can be easier said than done.

For this reason, we’ve created this guide outlining six keys to running the best student council campaign. Keep reading to learn more.

Get an Early Start

First, it’s important to get an early start on your campaign. As you’re trying to beat other students for the limited number of positions, you want to do everything you can to stand out from the crowd.

Like any big project, the earlier you start, the more prepared you’ll be when the election comes around.

Start by creating a schedule for your campaign. What are the assets you need? What are the main deadlines you need to meet?

Once you know these things, you’ll be able to make a plan for what tasks you want to accomplish and what you should prioritize first.

It’s also a good idea to talk to students who have previously won campaigns. See how they set up their schedule and how they prioritized all the tasks on their plate.

Get Your Name Out There

Next, it’s time to get your name out there. To win the election, you need people to know who you are.

Start by creating a slogan for your campaign. If you can use alliteration, this is a great way to stay memorable.

Then, make sure you use this concept in all of your marketing efforts moving forward. This will help make your name recognizable.

Think about presidential campaigns in the U.S. They use the same slogan, logo, and colors in their marketing materials. This way, people can immediately recognize whose campaign they’re seeing.

Grow Your Team

When it comes to student council campaigns, it’s also crucial to have a team. You can’t do everything yourself.

This step is hard for some because in many cases, people who run for student council are overachievers. They’re used to doing more than they need.

Start by reaching out to fellow students that you know well. These pre-existing relationships can be the foundation of your campaign team.

Then, get out of your comfort zone by working with people who you don’t know as well. See if you can recruit them to work on your campaign team.

It’s also a good idea to look for people who have a complementary skill set to yours. Are you great at graphic design but struggle with speech writing? See if you can find people to fill the gaps.

Last but not least, try to create a diverse team. Having a group composed of various ages, genders, and interests will give you additional insight that will take your campaign forward.

Hang Up Posters

Next on the list: hang up posters around campus. This is one of the most classic and effective marketing strategies when running for student council.

The key here is to have a simple poster that’s easy to read. It doesn’t need to be super fancy, but it should look crisp and professional.

Next, print a lot of copies. Quantity is super important here. It’s been shown that people need to see your message 7 times before they notice it.

Campuses are big and there are likely lots of people running for office.

To stand out from the crowd, make sure you print out a lot of posters. Make extras so that you can replenish any that are taken down for the best student council campaign.

Hand Something Out

When you’re running for student council, you want to do whatever you can to get your name in front of voters. Posters are a great start, but they’re just the beginning.

Another great strategy is to hand out personalized items. You can use stickers, pencils, candy, or buttons.

If possible, try making one handout per student in your school. That way, you can walk around school handing these out without worrying about running out quickly.

You should also consider marketing with custom buttons. Anyone who wears the button is doing some of your marketing work for you!

Before you create any handout, check your campaign rules to see what you’re allowed to distribute. Sometimes, there are budget restrictions to keep things fair among the candidates.

Nail Your Campaign Speech or Video

Last but not least, think about your campaign speech or video.

Depending on your school, they may host an assembly where candidates deliver speeches. They may have candidates create a campaign video, or they may have a debate where candidates battle it out on stage.

No matter the format, you should do everything you can to communicate why people should vote for you.

Make sure you introduce yourself and explain why you are running for office. Also, make sure you include your platform. At the end of your speech, state your campaign slogan to keep things on brand.

If it aligns with your campaign, it’s also a great idea to include some humor. This can keep things light and engaging.

Best Student Council Campaign Tips

Now that you’ve read all about running the best student council campaign, it’s time to create an action plan. What’s your platform? Why do you want to run?

Once you’ve answered these questions, start to create your campaign calendar and grow your team.