Marketing Mistake #6 - Allowing the owners of media to influence the type of media purchases made by the campaign.
We raise money and then we go to the media (print, television, radio). Say I have twenty grand this week, what will it buy me? Your media has to be tied in to the group you want to reach so directly and concretely that you know if you spend x dollars here you get y result here.
We have been trained to think that the media outlets define the race - but the information age is upon us and it is just not true any more that we are limited or even controlled by the mass media.
I once saw an assemblyman who spent $40,000 on television ads when he had a radio station located in the center of his district. He could have bought the radio station for that price and broadcast his own political updates every day for months for the price he paid for forty television ads that only reached a scattering of his constituency.
Marketing Mistake #7 - Failing to know your target voter.
The greatest sin of bad political marketing is a failure to know your target market in all its depth and intensity. Focus groups are interesting, but there are particular questions that will gain you access to the voters’ world. These questions have nothing to do with what the talking heads on television say are important to your election. These questions will define how you talk to your voter and what you know about the constituency.
Marketing Mistake #8 - Failing to ask your base voters for enough money, voter registrations, votes, contributions or whatever else you need.
This mistake is less common than the others - but in combination with the mistake of not building your marketing campaign with a common thread - can be deadly. If you don’t tell voters repeatedly that you want them to help you, they are just not going to know what to do or how to take action that will really count in your race.
I am constantly shocked at the willingness of politicians to spend hours with voters and not ask them for money. Your base is for fund raising, volunteers and cheering. Don’t be confused by the “I am a voter sign.” If they are a part of your base their job is to give you money. They are going to vote for you – so focus on getting all the support you need.
Marketing Mistake #9 - Limiting Testimonials
Endorsements are all the rage. Few politically experienced people use testimonials effectively. There are dozens of good examples of the good use of testimonials in the private sector and in politics. Just watch any half decent “infomercial” to see the potential for testimonial use in a political campaign.
Marketing Mistake #10 - Failing to educate yourself about how to effectively use good marketing in your political life.
Most people in the United Sates spend one year learning to do their jobs and then they stop learning. Forever. I hope passionately that you are not one of those people who have stopped trying to learn new things, who are forever repeating the mistakes of the 2nd year of their careers. Maybe it is tempting to take the safe course and not rock the boat. Maybe it’s a lot of work to keep getting better at what you do. Whatever the reason, don’t make that mistake!
Read multiple books on marketing. Find your favorite guru of marketing. Don’t buy any of his stuff new, but read all his books so that you are well informed. Read books recommended by authors you trust.
Marketing Mistake #11 - Unwillingness to cross-pollinate with other politicians in the same party.
When you start your next campaign call every single Democrat in your district and ask for their help and advice. If you‘re already elected to office, make it a habit to reach out to people who are running for office for the first time. Build connections, teach others, and practice political generosity within your party lines. In the long run, this will pay off big time.
Marketing Mistake #12 - Insisting stubbornly that coaching will not benefit your campaign or your political career.
I have seen it many times. We all believe that we are masters of our craft. Whatever you do, I hope you do it well. I also hope that you continue to build a deepening understanding and relationships with your voters and your constituency. I want to help you be a more effective campaigner because ultimately I think that the Republican Party is destroying our country. I believe we can take the future into our hands when we learn how to do successful marketing and apply what we’ve learned to the political arena. You don’t need to personally design every piece of marketing your campaign creates. You only have to understand what the end product should look like.
My Coaching style is positive and affirming.>/span?
Look, I want you to be successful. This is a skill that you want to have. Only you will care enough to direct the most important strategic decisions of your political career. Only you can ultimately use this skill to beat your Republican opponent.
I don’t work with Republicans. I don’t care if you have been elected or if you are an independent thinker. If you are like most of the people I have met in American politics today, it would be my pleasure to meet with you. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Eric James Wolf
P.S. I would be honored to work with you as a coach to improve your strategic marketing in your campaign. All work is guaranteed; if you do your homework and are not satisfied I will refund your investment. Just call my office at (937) 767-8696.
P.S.S. As the Bible tells us - If you give a man a fish you have only fed him for today, but if you teach him to fish.