What is your true motivation for running for office? How badly do you want to win? What is your detailed stance on the issues? Why do you have these stances? How well do you do with public speaking? What is your tolerance for criticism? Do you have the time to run for office? What do you think about your potential opponents? Does your family support your efforts? Are you a team builder or a lone wolf? Do you have an appetite for getting down and dirty, or do you wish to stay above the fray? What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses? What are your goals for the future? How well do you know your opponent and his/her stances?

You should have a long chat with yourself, asking these questions and many more, before you ever consider running for office. Truly know yourself.

It also helps to talk over these questions with others who can provide you with valuable insight and opinions. Sometimes others can see things in you that you cannot.

Running for office can be highly rewarding, and can alter your career and personal trajectory in many ways. While you can never truly be prepared for the experience, it will pay to be open and honest with yourself in the beginning.

1. Understand compliance.

2. Always be thinking about the financial and reporting side of things. They are incredibly important and require top of mind awareness. Your opponent will be watching to make sure you follow the law, and will let the public know if you don't.

3. Get your financial side and your treasurer in place early, so you can start taking donations.

4. The choice of your treasurer should come down to competency first and foremost. Every candidate wants a treasurer that has name recognition and can bring legitimacy to the campaign, but make sure they can adeptly do the job and keep your campaign on the straight and narrow first of all.

5. Look at credit unions when shopping for a bank. You may be able to save money. Compare terms and fees.

6. Although ActBlue is a must for donations, ask for checks whenever possible to save on processing fees.

7. Keep everything about your campaign separate from your personal life. No co-mingling. EVER. Get receipts for every expenditure.

8. Be aware of in-kind contributions versus volunteer labor. For instance, if a friend helps you develop a website it is volunteering and not reportable. If a professional marketing firm develops your website without charge, it's an in-kind contribution and is reportable.

9. Think like a business person and look at Return on Investment (ROI) for every expenditure. No shotgun marketing; always follow your marketing plan and assign value.

Your marketing plan should be fairly comprehensive in strategy, yet flexible in execution. Work diligently on your plan; when the campaign gets into full swing things will become hectic, and a good plan will keep you focused and on-track.

Click here for a fairly flexible and comprehensive sample marketing plan for a local or statewide race. Keep in mind this is just a template; you'll have to customize it to your specific needs.

As far as a funding plan, that one is up to you. Be creative and resourceful, and NEVER hesitate to ask for donations. Many first time candidates have issues with asking for money, but remember that a campaign donation is a way for people to have their voice be heard and participate in a representative democracy. It's as American as apple pie, and people want to help and be heard.