by Phil Van Treuren @KillerCampaigns

I was a professional political consultant for several years, but had never run for office myself until this year. I was successful in winning a city council seat in Amherst, Ohio, and discovered that being a candidate is much harder than being a campaign manager.

Surprisingly, there were a few things that I learned on the campaign trail that actually helped me become a better blogger. At their core, blogging and campaigning are both about defining your target audience and effectively communicating your message to them. Here are three successful methods that I used as a political candidate that I’ve also used to improve my blogging.

1. Take time to lay the groundwork, and work incrementally

In order to put together a successful political campaign, there are many things that need to be done to lay the groundwork for victory on election night. Building potential donor and volunteer lists, studying voter results from past election cycles, and formulating your campaign message are only a few of the tasks that should be complete before you announce your candidacy.

Laying the groundwork for a successful blog is every bit as important. Researching your niche, writing anchor articles, choosing the proper site layout and studying other similar blogs can help make eventual success much more likely.

Additionally, don’t think that success as a blogger will come overnight . . . or even after several months. Instead, take on blogging incrementally, much as I did with campaigning. I set myself small goals, such as knocking on every door in a given precinct or filling out a certain number of personal cards each night.

You can set similar incremental benchmarks for your blog when it comes to posting, visitors and subscribers.

2. Make sure your presentation reflects your professionalism

You might be a trustworthy, well-educated authority in your field, but people aren’t going to know that unless you present yourself to them in a way that reflects your professionalism. This goes for running for office and blogging, too.

On the campaign trail, I made sure that I was prepared with professionally printed campaign materials that explained my qualifications for office, and educated myself on the issues so that I could intelligently answer any questions the voters might have for me.

Similarly, you have to keep in mind that as a blogger, you’ll only get one chance to make a first impression with a new visitor. Make sure that your blog projects an accurate image of how seriously you take it. It doesn’t take much technical expertise anymore to put together a sharp-looking blog, and new readers are much more likely to bookmark for a return trip if they are impressed with your presentation.

3. Don’t stray from your message

A campaign without a well-focused message is often unable to gain traction with voters, just as a blog without a well-focused message won’t get many subscribers or repeat visitors.

While it’s your prerogative to focus on whatever you want in your posts, you’ll find a much more receptive and interactive audience if you limit yourself to a specific niche. No one likes to read a blog about nothing. By focusing on a topic that you are passionate and educated about, you’ll quickly build an audience that appreciates your authenticity.

Don’t be afraid to stray from your blog’s main focus and have some fun every now and then, but always keep in mind what your audience wants to learn about. The same can be said for campaigning, as well!

Phil Van Treuren blogs about political campaign advice on Killer Campaigning.