Use your friends and contacts - create a campaign team!
Campaign teams can be extremely effective, and will help to spread your name across the student body far quicker than if you were to try by yourself.
Pick a friend to help you co-ordinate your campaign and organise your campaign team. The election process can be quite demanding for candidates and you don’t want to burn out.
Make sure that your team understand your campaign aims and policies. Students will ask them why they should vote for you,
and they need to be able to sell you as the best candidate.
Split your team up and have them each target as many different areas as possible - everyone contact a different group of societies, clubs etc.
It is important that your campaign team understand the various election rules and regulations. As members of your team they are representing you, and you are ultimately responsible for their campaigning methods. Speak to the Union staff if you need to clarify any aspects of the Election Regulations. They can be found at www.rguunion.co.uk/elections/regulations
Reach all demographics
Your friends and coursemates will vote for you, but the University has an incredibly diverse student body. If you are a domestic student, what will you do to get the international student vote? If you are an undergraduate, how will your campaign appeal to postgraduate voters? If you are a mature student, how will you convince freshers to vote for you? Your campaign should target as many different student groups as possible.
Speak to people!
Fancy graphics are helpful, but are not the be-all-and-end-all of your campaign. Do not simply rely on them to get you elected, make sure you can get your name out there and speak to students. Convince them to vote for you! Gaining the backing of large student groups will help your campaign to gather momentum.
Manage your time
It's important to use your time effectively during the campaigning period, so make sure you have planned ahead. When are you campaigning? How are you campaigning? Where will you find the most students to connect with online? Who is helping you?
Designing your artwork
Be creative with your materials, everybody will be making campaign graphics for social media so think about what will set you apart from the other candidates? Be creative and eye-catching! Don’t use too many different designs. Stick to one idea or colour scheme and adapt this to fit your different materials so that people associate it with you and your campaign.
Be sure to include these vital details on all your campaign materials:
- This is the Robert Gordon University Students' Union Election
- Vote online at www.rguunion.co.uk
- Vote between 22nd and 26th March
Start designing your artwork now!
Be prepared, don't leave it too late. If you need help with your designs, find a friend who can help you, or use a graphic design template website such as:
Know the rules
Ensure you have read and are familiar with the campaigning secion of the Student Election Regulations