Campaigner's Indispensable Tip #1 (Sneak Peek at Tyee Master Class)

Wading into a political campaign this year that you and your team are determined to win? Consider attending the Tyee Master Class taught by seasoned campaigner Bill Tieleman on Oct. 25.

To give a taste of the many tips he'll be sharing, Bill offers his numero uno:

"Tactics are not strategy. The most important key to winning campaigns is to understand the difference between strategy and tactics.

"The great Sun Tzu, the military strategist from 500 B.C. who wrote The Art of War, put it this way: 'Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.'

"It seems simple -- and yet time after time we see campaigns that believe tactics are a strategy!

"For example, rallies, petitions, media events, news conferences, strikes, protests, lawn signs, TV, print and radio ads are all tactics.

"In the successful Fight HST campaign to force a referendum on the Harmonized Sales Tax in B.C., the citizens' initiative petition was also a tactic, not a strategy.

A strategy is how to make an opponent do what they resist by defeating your opponents' arguments, overcoming their own campaign, neutralizing their natural advantages -- and your own weaknesses.

In other words, strategy isn't what you do -- it's why you do it.

"Tactics are how you do it!"

In this season -- and year -- of high stakes campaigning from municipal to federal levels, that's the kind of advice that might make a difference between victory or defeat for you and your cause. If you're going to be in the thick of it, spend five hours to get indispensable training and insight from a proven winner.

About the instructor and class

Bill Tieleman is the strategist who...

... joined Bill Vander Zalm to kill the Harmonized Sales Tax in a stunning citizens' initiative that beat big business and the BC Liberal government;

... led No B.C. STV to defeat the single transferable vote in two province-wide referenda;

... helped Glen Clark as communications director in his upset 1996 NDP win over Gordon Campbell;

... and has been central to dozens of successful elections, nominations and leadership fights at the provincial, federal and municipal level, as well as single-issue campaigns.

Now Bill will tell you how to win against all odds with minimal resources but superior strategy, tactics and messaging.

Whether you are involved in a civic election, provincial battle, federal fight, nomination challenge or issue campaign, you and your cause will benefit from Tieleman's invaluable insights on what it takes for victory -- without big dollar budgets.

Agree or disagree with his positions, Bill Tieleman knows what it takes to be the winner -- and will tell you what you need to succeed.

In The Tyee's beautiful new downtown classroom, you will have an opportunity to huddle with Bill and discuss the specifics of your campaign; break down case studies element by element, and take home materials that will help guide your efforts. The fee is $200 and lunch and a splash of B.C. wine are included.

To find out more or enrol, go here.

The last time we offered a version of this class it sold out quickly. In order to make the session productive for all, we have limited it to a small group. That means space is limited so don't delay. Register today.