2020 was a big year for Blueprint Alaska, and an even bigger year for our two newest employees, Cassi and Tony. They were thrown straight into the chaos of campaign life, playing key roles in three of the major campaigns Blueprint worked on this year. Here are three key takeaways gleaned from their first statewide election experience.

Your network is key: “I never would have imagined that a connection I made with a nonprofit from a previous job would come in handy during a campaign about state oil taxes,” said Cassi Campbell, senior account executive. Tony Spiroski, junior account executive, described this takeaway as providing the most ‘net worth.’ “You quickly learn the value of your contacts,” said Spiroski. “Whether they’re providing personal support after a long work day or saying yes to a funding request, relationships matter.” Flipping open that ‘Rolodex’ was key.

Control your narrative: Although you can’t predict what information (or misinformation) will surround your issue, you can control your narrative. Being prepared to speak on every conceivable topic related to your campaign, before it comes up, allows for quick distribution of factual information. Prep now, sleep later.

Trust the process- When we were deep in the thick of it, it was sometimes hard to see the big picture from outside our bubble. Although our largest campaign was a huge success, there were times where we found ourselves questioning if we were doing enough. Successful campaigns are made up of smart, savvy people who know what they’re doing. Trust the data, trust the team around you, and work the plan you’ve developed together. More than likely, victory will follow.