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Ask what they measure
A serious campaign management company starts with data: a properly sampled survey, booth-wise results and a clear picture of which voters can move. If the first meeting is about logos and slogans rather than your booths, you are talking to an advertising agency.
Ask how they work on the ground
Elections in India are decided at booth level. Ask how they build and verify booth teams, how they track volunteer activity, and what happens on polling day. An agency without a ground operation can only help with part of the campaign.
Ask about compliance
Model Code of Conduct, expenditure registers, DLT registration for SMS, media certification, printer and publisher details on every pamphlet, vehicle permissions — these are the things that produce notices. Your agency should handle them as standard, not as extras.
Ask who will actually work on your seat
Find out who the senior person on your campaign is, how often you will meet, and whether they work with other candidates in the same constituency. Confidentiality and exclusivity matter.
Ask what you will see every week
You should receive regular, plain-language reporting: survey movements, booth coverage, outreach delivered and what is changing. If you cannot tell whether the campaign is working, neither can they.
At a glance
Questions for a service proposal
Named team
Who is responsible for the proposed work?
Written scope
What is included, excluded and dependent on approvals?
Reporting
What updates and evidence will be provided?
Costs
Which fees and third-party charges are identified?
Data responsibilities
Who controls access, retention and handover?
Ask for honesty about the seat
A good partner will tell you if a seat is not winnable, or what it would realistically take. Be wary of anyone who promises victory before they have looked at the numbers.
Bottom line
Choose the partner who starts with your voters and your booths, handles compliance as routine, reports clearly every week and tells you the truth about your chances.