•  Draw enough attention and buzz from voters so Clinton has to take him seriously. It worked for Howard Dean in 2004 when he caught fire and forced Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry to engage him.

•  Get to know Iowans — from Davenport to Sioux City and every hog farm in between. The Iowa caucuses are the only place for O’Malley to become a serious contender. The liberal Democratic caucus-goers would be right at home in Cambridge. Without a surprising showing in the Hawkeye State, O’Malley won’t have a chance in New Hampshire and beyond.

• Be aggressive without looking like a gadfly (aka Bernie Sanders). O’Malley has been almost passive up until now, but voters — especially U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren worshippers — want to see a fighter.

• Demand that Clinton agree to a series of debates, especially a one-on-one showdown. The media loves debate stories and will pester Clinton until she’s shamed into doing them.