The campaign process is where an application for the position of Students' Union Officer really differs from most other job applications - to get the job, you need to be elected by your fellow students! An election helps to make sure that our Union is led by Officers who students really want, and whose values and ideas resonate with the student body.
This means that a winning campaign is one that causes as many students as possible to decide to vote for you. There are lots of ways to go about this, and there's no 'perfect campaign', but in general, a good campaign should:
- Make a large number of voters aware that you are a candidate
- Encourage students to vote
- Highlight why students should vote for you instead of another candidate
Keep reading for some tips on what you could consider when planning your campaign...
Important note!
In the 2024 Officer Election, the timeline will be slightly different to previous years. There will be a week of campaigning, followed by a week of voting. This means that, during the first week, you will be able to speak to students, but they will be unable to vote yet. This is to allow all candidates the opportunity to engage with students before the vote. You should be mindful of this when you're planning your campaign.
Building a Brand
Imagine you are thirsty, and decide to buy a drink from a supermarket. How will you decide which drink to buy? Will you analyse the description of every bottle or can on the shelf, weigh up the pros and cons of each, and then decide based on your personal taste? Or will you simply take a brand that you've heard of before, and know that you like?
If you've not got hours of time to spare, you might decide to take the second approach! Voting in the Election is very similar - while some students will meticulously read every candidate statement, and make a decision based on which candidate most closely aligns with their values, a lot of other students will vote for the candidates who they have seen and who they remember (provided their values and ideas make sense). You might have the best ideas and experience out of every candidate, but if nobody has seen your campaign before they vote, it will be a challenge to convince them to choose you.
To make sure you stick out in voters' minds, you should ensure your campaign is memorable by having something that makes it consistent. You might call this your brand. This doesn't have to be complicated - you could decide to:
- Always use the same colour in your promotional material
- Include your picture in your promotional material
- Use your slogan on all of your materials (more information on slogans on the Application page)
- Use a particular image or logo
- Have a theme across all of your branding.
Keeping everything consistent will mean that, when students go to vote, they won't have to spend lots of time trying to work out who you are - they will remember you from your previous campaigning. You will be that bottle in the fridge at the supermarket that they already recognise!
Being Visible
We once asked a successful candidate how they approached their Election campaign. Their advice was:
"Be everywhere!"
While this could sound intimidating - how can only one person be everywhere? - it's a good approach to consider. The student body at Hallam is extremely diverse, and this is also true for how students spend their time. Some students prefer to hang out on campus, while others commute in and leave after their lectures.
In order to reach as many students as possible, you should consider how you will reach these different groups. This will likely mean campaigning both in person and online. It might mean attending different events, or visiting different spaces on campus.
When campaigning - either physically or digitally - you should strike a balance between engaging with a large number of students, and engaging with a variety of students. For example, there are some areas of campus where lots of students socialise and study, and it can be tempting to spend all of your time and energy in these areas. However, other candidates will likely have the same idea, making it harder for you to stand out. If you find somewhere with fewer students, you might speak to a lower number, but the engagement might be better.
Using your Network
You don't need to do everything yourself. All candidates are entitled to have a campaign team. Again, this doesn't need to be as scary as it sounds! You don't have to have hundreds of friends who are willing to campaign for you full-time in order to be successful.
You could ask a couple of your coursemates if they'd be willing to help out. Or perhaps one of your housemates can spare some time. If you're in a Society, some of your fellow members might be available! You might be able to find one or two people to help more regularly, or have a larger group of people who can only help for an hour or so each. You might be surprised at who is able to help out, and you won't know unless you ask!
When asking fellow students to help with your campaign, be specific with what you are asking. If you want someone to help with physical campaigning, you might ask someone, "Are you available between 1-2PM next Tuesday to help hand out some flyers outside the Owen building?" From the other person's perspective, this is easier to commit to than vague requests to help over a two-week period.
Designing Materials
All candidates are entitled to spend up to £50 on campaign materials. How exactly you use this budget is up to you - although it can't be spent on anything other than promoting your Election campaign. You might want to spend it on:
- Flyers
- Posters
- Clothing
- Paint
- Freebies
- Anything else that you think might engage students!
You can design attractive campaign materials for free using online tools like Canva. This is where you can show your individual brand! In your campaign materials, you don't need to write out your whole statement - just key points that you'd like voters to remember. Click the buttons below to see an example of how you might want to design your flyer or poster - and what you might want to avoid...