ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the foundation of a winning campaign: strategy. Crafting a successful strategy takes good instincts, an understanding of politics, historical context, and detailed quantifiable and qualitative research. Driving the process are five key steps that the campaign manager must undertake with support from the candidate, the campaign's consultants, and other key players. The key steps are define a desired outcome, develop situational awareness, identify your opponent's potential strategies, define a winning coalition and create a strategic communications plan. To understand situational awareness, a campaign manager must begin with an analysis of the existing elements that impact the political environment. Strategy includes elements like defining the political environment, understanding the opponent's strategy, and developing messages to reach your audience. Strategic communications is the single most important element because winning campaigns are all about delivering a well-constructed argument as to why voters should choose their candidate.
