5 Things Candidates Can Do on a Snowy Day
Not much you can do – almost the entire eastern part of the country is being inundated today with snow, wind and cold. Cancellations everywhere, and the ability to actually get stuff done is pretty diminished. That being said, there’s a benefit to having some time to yourself without interruptions, in that you can wrap your head around some things that daily life won’t usually let you. If you’re running for local office this year, here are some ideas for you to wile away the snowy hours:
Organize Your Fundraising List
Should you actually make calls? No. While it might seem as though you have a captive audience because people’s daily business is interrupted, think about what you’re dealing with today – getting the kids settled, snowblowing the driveway, cancelling meetings. Today’s not the day. But you can get ready for tomorrow!
Lay Out Your Door-to-Door Calendar
If you’re running in November, it’s still early, and you may not have started your door-to-door yet (if you’re running in May, you should have!). But door-to-door canvassing is infinitely more valuable with a strategy. What neighborhoods and/or streets have higher percentages of your base voters’ homes? A simple analysis of voter records from previous elections can tell you where are the best places to spend your time once the sidewalk reappears.
Find Events!
Depending on the size of your community, it’s a challenge to know all of the events taking place – hopefully, you’ve got someone looking for them on your behalf. But a day like today might be a good one for you to peruse some community web sites and find some less-than-obvious ones that you might be able to throw on your calendar. Think churches, fire halls, libraries: Don’t worry – despite the Doomsday outside right now, spring is coming, and the events will begin.
Practice Public Speaking
As a candidate, and especially as an elected representative, you’ll be needing some public speaking skills. Not your bag? Make it your bag. If you have the house or your office to yourself, get in front of a mirror and hone your skills. We like the “Infomercial” game – take some random products from around your house and “sell” them to your audience as though you’re creating one of those late-night infomercials. You’ll be surprised at how you can present when you’re speaking and thinking creatively at the same time!
Go on Social Media and Emote about Current Events
No!!! That was a test. Don’t do that. In fact, if you haven’t put someone else in charge of your social media accounts yet, use this snowy day to figure out who the right person is. Then give them the credentials. Then forget you even know what a hashtag is.
Enjoy the snow day!
