Kory Wood: Introducing Marty Obst
With any federal or statewide political campaign, as general consultants, we consistently stress that the candidate has three main jobs:
1) Raise money
2) Talk to voters
3) Raise more money
Campaigns are expensive. To achieve victory, you must have the resources to get your message in front of voters through a paid media campaign and the ability to identify your voters, persuade them, and then get them to the polls.
I’ll be honest: Finding a good fundraiser is one of the most challenging parts of building a campaign team. But that is why it is important to hire a general consultant who has relationships with experienced and seasoned fundraisers at both the state and federal levels.
Our guest in this week’s newsletter is one of the best fundraisers we have had the pleasure of working with: Marty Obst. Marty is a good friend of our firm, and we have worked in the trenches with him on campaigns for mayor to President of the United States. Marty is the President of MO Strategies, a political and public affairs consulting firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has consulted on over 75 federal and state campaigns and served as Campaign Manager and Senior Political Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence.
Marty Obst: The Power of Thank You
I’ve been raising dollars for political campaigns for over twenty years. Recently, I was asked what the secret to successful fundraising was. My response—there isn’t one. Despite rapid technological advances, there is still no substitute for building and maintaining strong relationships. Providing value to your investors is arguably the most important aspect of a successful fundraising operation. While technology is vital to voter contact, polling, and media strategies, adopting tried and true principles is equally critical to leave a lasting impression.
Morton Blackwell, the famed political strategist and author, is known for his “Foolproof Fundraising Formula.” The system he lays out is pretty simple:
- Build a Budget.
- Identify Your Most Likely Donor Prospects.
- Meet With the Prospect and Make an Ask.
- Continue Building Your Prospect File.
- Strengthen Donor Relationships.
It is succinct and spot-on.
I’d like to drill down further on the final bullet point. To build lasting relationships, the goal should be to spend most of your time with investors, NOT asking for money. As you get to know a donor, identify their professional and personal interests. Learn about their families. Understand which policies they care most about. Once you’ve made that connection, find ways to offer value. Whether that is inviting them to a special opportunity or event, forwarding a poll brief or article that they might find interesting, or looping them into a conference call with their favorite candidate, continue to track your interactions and be sure only to ask them for money when it is necessary. But most of all, nothing beats the importance of a handwritten thank you.
Most folks you raise dollars from really don’t need much. By virtue of their success, they have the capital to invest in political campaigns and causes and not a lot of time to attend events and gatherings. In the age of emails, mass-produced letters, and seemingly endless text messages, penning a heartfelt thank you has become, in many ways, a lost art. Taking the time and effort conveys appreciation and respect. There are numerous demands on an investor’s hard-earned income, and the fact that they chose your candidate or cause should not be taken for granted. Further, people appreciate that in the midst of a grueling political campaign, their investment and support meant so much that you had to drop everything and simply say “Thank You.”
If you do your homework, engage and ask for the order, and focus on building and maintaining lasting relationships, you’ll find that the amount of dollars you can raise is limited only by the amount of time you have to go out and make the pitch.
I’d like to add a final word of advice—there’s no substitute for hard work. Everyone in the business has encountered a campaign where the pitch is simply not working. Several factors can contribute to the struggle, whether it’s a lack of enthusiasm or other races taking priority. This is when it is most important to hit the pause button, start at the beginning of the process, and push forward.
You may be familiar with the parable of the man hitting a big rock with a small hammer. For weeks, the man toiled away as passersby’s questioned the sanity of the endless exercise. Finally, the rock split in pieces, not due to the last strike, but the thousands before it. You’ll learn that the greatest satisfaction is not even from hitting your goal but from the relationships you build and the experience you gather along the way.
New Ascent Gives Initiatives
We’ve been fortunate enough to see our company grow over the years. This growth has allowed us to give back and support causes that hold a special place in the hearts of our staff. With that, we proudly announce the second quarter of our Ascent Gives initiative.
This quarter, we are donating to two causes that hold meaning for our team. The first found its way to Mike’s inbox. His friend Devin O’Malley is participating in the 5th Annual Beltway Brawl, a charity boxing event hosted by Haymakers for Hope. The entirety of donations directly benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Devin is documenting his journey through his Instagram, and more information about the event can be found on the Haymakers for Hope event page.
The second cause we’re supporting this quarter comes from myself, actually. The cause I submitted to help is the National Fibromyalgia Association. I live with chronic pain; some days are more complicated than others, but the general public often overlooks invisible illnesses. When you “don’t look sick,” it is harder for others to see your pain as tangible. Fibromyalgia is written off as made up often, but I assure you, the effects are genuine. I have watched my mom, one of the strongest women I know, struggle with it for the majority of my life, and I have dealt with its impact for years.
Please join us this quarter in support of these two worthy causes.
Reed Awards Have Made it to Our Shelf!
Earlier this year, we won five Reed Awards, and we’re proud to announce that they have made their way through the USPS and to our shelf.
As a reminder, we won the following:
- Brand & Merch: Best Rapid Response Piece of Campaign Merchandise
- Digital – Advertising & Targeting: Best Campaign Meme
- Direct Mail: Best Mail Piece for Independent Expenditure Campaign – Statewide
- Bootstrapped Campaigns: Best Direct Mail Piece for Bootstrapped Campaign
- Direct Mail: Best Mail Piece for Mayoral Campaign
Join us in celebrating our Ascent team members’ upcoming birthdays and work anniversaries. We are grateful to have them on our team!
August 19th: Lee-Ann Bender’s Birthday
