Saturday Sept 8 I get advice from a friend who ran for mayor and won

I was messaging with my friend Susan from college. She is a hotshot lawyer who ran for mayor of her town last year and won. She ran her own campaign. She has all kinds of good advice that it's too late for us to follow - as in, don't hire a campaign manager, you don't need one.

Ha. I like Samantha, I really do, but she is not reliable and I'm not sure what value she is adding to this campaign. Primo says she's great in crunch time, but she's not so good with the planning. As in, she and Primo should have worked out his messaging months ago instead of trying to do it now when he needs to be campaigning every single day.

She is also late. A lot. She was supposed to meet with the communications guy who wants to spend $20,000. They were supposed to meet at 9:30 and Primo was supposed to join them at 10:00.

She didn't show up until 10:30.

That kind of thing ticks me off almost more than anything else. People who make other people wait for them are thoughtless, inconsiderate, and selfish.

Anyhow.

Susan gave us scads of advice and then mailed a $100 campaign contribution, which was so, so generous. She doesn't even live in this state!

I messaged her today to thank her and to ask if I could mention her contribution on facebook as a way to inspire our other friends to give. (Don't worry - I will also write her a real thank you note.)

We had this conversation:

Me: Thanks. His communications guy came up with a $20,000 plan this week and wants us to front the money. Primo is already losing almost 4 months' income. We've put in $7,500 cash. My job pays 1/3 of what Primo made. I said that if this guy is so sure this plan will work, he gets paid last and only if Primo wins.

Susan: Those consultants are good at cleaning out your campaign, I've found.

Me: Almost all the money is for the mailings and material. He's charging $2,000 for the strategy and the implementation. But yeah - I think I need to write a book on how to do this so people don't pay other people. I wish I had thought of that last spring. I am asking why his CAMPAIGN MANAGER didn't have a communications plan. Next time - if there is one, things will be different.

Susan: You'll have to be the campaign manager. They view themselves differently. Just know that the consultant gets a cut from anyplace he does a media buy for you.

That news made my jaw drop. The communications guy will get a cut?

Not on my watch. No way. I'll bid the job myself and save the 15%.