A 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 […]
Read MorePoll Now…Poll Often…Prep for the Future
The current Presidential campaign is causing dismay down-ballot. When WikiLeaks unloads another damaging batch of emails about Hillary or Trump’s past or current comments come back to bite him, US Senate, Congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative candidates all cringe. It’s an understandable reaction, wondering if coattails – positive or negative – are going to filter […]
Read MoreRepublican Candidates: There’s a Trump Effect (and How to Handle It)
Republican candidates – especially congressional, state legislative, and local ones – go up and down with his number. For the remaining tens of thousands of Republicans affected by Trump’s every move in the polls, there are ways to use his base but also expand yours. But you need to get in the field with a […]
Read MoreTips for Starting a Political Consulting Firm
You have a bug. No, not Zika. It’s the political bug. For most of us, once we catch it, we can’t shake it. House of Cards, VEEP, and The West Wing sit high on your must-binge watch lists. Presidential debates and conventions are a reason to throw a party. Even local election returns are exhilarating […]
Read MoreOnce Dangerous, Now Safe: Opportunities Abound in Colombia
When we told our families last Fall that we would be traveling to Medellín, Colombia for two months to adopt our son, their faces turned as white as the cocaine they thought covered the country. In spite of the thousands of positive articles in the international press about Colombia’s impressive, positive strides in the last […]
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