Madrid Trip: International Polling & Research Ripe for Disruption
If you’ve never been to Madrid, Spain, go ahead and put it on the list. This beautiful, laid-back metropolis has all the charm of Old Europe with the prices of South America – and has the kind, friendly people to go with it. I recently traveled to Madrid with a team of Latin American presidential […]
Read MorePoll Script Writing 101: What Questions Should You Be Asking?
They key to asking the right questions is to ask questions. Let me rephrase that. The key to having questions in your political survey script (also known as an instrument) that will give you the information you want is to first ask yourself some questions. 1) Why am I doing a poll? This may seem […]
Read MoreWhy We Quit “Doing It All” in Politics to Focus on Polling
The old saying goes: “Less is more.” In politics we too often ignore this sage advice in hopes that the more services we offer, the more clients we’ll serve. What’s in the water in politics that makes us think we can buck proven trends that work for the rest of the business world? Cygnal, a […]
Read MoreYear End: A Time for Reflection and Preparation
Christmas has passed. A new year is upon us. In our world of politics, campaign season is nigh…although it feels like we haven’t stopped since 2015. This time of year has a natural way of making us look back on the last twelve months. It got me thinking about John Maxwell’s, famed author and speaker […]
Read MoreA Note of Thanksgiving from the Cygnal Team
There’s something about the holiday season that makes people particularly reflective. It’s hard to put a finger on it, but life seems a little sweeter when viewed through the pumpkin-spice-colored lenses of Thanksgivings past. It’s the perfect pause at the end of the year, where you worry less about where you’re going, and give thanks […]
Read MoreBudgeting for Political Consulting Firms Is Like Catching Fireflies
Do you remember summer as a kid? If you lived in the eastern half of the United States, your evenings probably involved catching fireflies. As you stand there in your backyard, jar in hand, you see the lightning bugs flicker their tails on and off. Your legs spring into action as you dive forward to […]
Read MoreLessons from a Trip to Colombia Presenting on Politics & Communication (…and Our Adoption Story)
I just arrived back from Medellín, Colombia – the City of Eternal Spring. If you’ve never been, seriously make it your next vacation. Beautiful setting in a valley 6,000 feet above sea level. Kind people that smile and speak to you on the streets. Perfect weather that puts Hawaii to shame. [Jump to the bottom […]
Read MoreState Legislative Elections Are Erratic so Track & Plan Ahead
The smaller an electorate, the more unpredictable the results become. 135,835,472 voters showed up in the November 2016 General Election (67% of registered). Only 14.8% of registered voters participated in the GOP Primary. Out of those, 14,015,993 supported Trump, which translates to 7% of the electorate. Now think of the effect on even smaller races, […]
Read MoreCygnal Named Finalist for 7 National Political & Advocacy Awards
Campaigns & Elections – the leading political industry group – announced Cygnal was named a finalist for six national political awards and one national advocacy award. The national messaging, research, and digital firm is a finalist in the following categories: Best Use of Online Targeting for County, Local, Mayoral or Judicial Campaign Best Use of Online Targeting […]
Read MoreHow Political Consultants Should Plan for 2017, Closeout 2016
Hopefully all your clients have paid, your bills to vendors are caught up, and you’re swimming in greenbacks. What should you be doing to finish out 2016 and lay the foundation for next year? Straighten Out Estimated Taxes Let’s get the unfun stuff out of the way. Uncle Sam always gets his cut. Whether you’re […]
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