Most campaigns rely heavily on community support. After identifying key constituencies within the community, the next step is finding the right people to join the team. Strategically seeking out influential community members that you can rely on to carry the message to their neighbors, peers, and networks is key to building a successful team. Maybe the best team includes the city mayor, members of the city council, school board, neighborhood associations, chamber of commerce, or other local community groups. Or maybe the best team is a small group of business owners. Each project is unique, therefore the team will be unique. But, the most important thing to consider is whether or not the people you select are reliable and will remain committed to the project through to the end.

For a project like a citywide bond measure, you are going to need a big, diverse team. In this case, we had the city mayor, multiple city councilors, and key business owners pitch in to get the bond measure across the finish line. We were on a compressed timeline, but with the right people on the table, the city was able to renew the bond and begin work to make needed upgrades to the city. 

Once your core team is established, consistency is key. While weekly meetings may seem like overkill, keeping in contact with the team throughout the message development process, and then through the message deployment process, will make the entire project easier to manage. 

Put in the time, upfront, to get it right. Unlike those randomly-assigned teams from school, in a professional setting you have power and agency - use it! That early effort to assemble the right group really does matter.

At Rushlight, we know the value of a strong team, because we are a strong team. We each have different but complementary backgrounds and skill sets that when combined, create the perfect environment to tackle a variety of projects. Put us on your team, and let us help guide your project to success!

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