The answer to this question depends on the nature of the seat. Here’s a chart summarizing how you should run your race. Nature of Seat Type of Race Incumbent Run on record; don’t give anyone a reason to vote against you Challenger Very confrontational; appear as the best alternative Open Seat Confrontational Obstructionist Cause pain […]

National Review arrived in my mailbox. Between eating Dominos, entertaining Nancy, and watching '80s hokey horror flicks, I dove into it to see what info I could gleam. Dangerous Disaffection by Henry Olsen in the June 20, 2011 issue is a prime example of why I subscribe and read National Review. The one sentence that […]

Anytime Craig Shirley says something about the Gipper, I take notice and read carefully. He was there; he has first-hand knowledge of what Reagan said and what it meant. [amazon_enhanced asin="0785260498" container="div" container_class="right" price="All" background_color="FFFFFF" link_color="000000" text_color="0000FF" /]In Politico he has an editorial on the meaning of Reagan's 11th Commandment. Among the highlights: The 11th […]

In order for your fundraising direct mail to be successful and work for you , it must incorporate a few items: a personalized carrier envelope, personalized letter, personalized reply form, and a Business Reply Envelope (or BRE) or some other type of reply envelope. Make people want to give you money and make it easy […]

Here is a sampling of political campaign brochures and palm cards Akins Creative has designed for its clients. Chris will work with you to make a brochure that meets your campaign's needs and is branded so that it matches your campaign theme.

A website is usually how voters are introduced to you. Will they see a site that the candidate's nephew built? Or will they see a site that looks professional and is consistent with your campaign's theme and branding? Akins Creative has worked with clients to develop websites - either built from the ground-up or using […]

These are samples of self-mailers Akins Creative has made for clients. Chris will work with you to design a mailer that meets your campaign's needs and is consistent with your campaign's theme.

Recently I was having lunch with some associates and clients and we got on the subject of MailChimp. There are plenty of inexpensive and even free resources you can incorporate into your political campaign to make it look professional. [amazon_enhanced asin="0813545048" container="div" container_class="right" price="All" background_color="FFFFFF" link_color="000000" text_color="0000FF" /]"MAIL CHIMP WILL SAVE US!!" My friend was […]

I wanted to share with you a post-mortem of a public relations car wreck I wrote a few years back that came about because of a, well, a car wreck. This details where precisely at points the situation was mishandled, how it could have been better handled, and what you can do if you find […]

You’re going to Michigan. Would you attempt the trip without a map? Would you attempt, without instructions, to make repairs to your car that you’ve never attempted before? Probably not. [amazon_enhanced asin="031338343X" container="div" container_class="right" price="All" background_color="FFFFFF" link_color="000000" text_color="0000FF" /]So why would you try to run your campaign, which could conceivably change your life, without a […]