1. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND M ESSAGE D ELIVERY “Winning with Women 2014” International Republican Institute

2. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Workshop Outline Defining Your Motive Developing Your Message Targeting Your Audience Delivering Your Message 2

3. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Step One: Defining Your Motive o Your motive for running for office defines your message o Your message is the primary tool to winning your election o Your message tells the voter what you want to achieve 1. WHO I am 2. WHY I am running 3. WHAT I will do 3

4. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Step 2: Developing Your Message Attributes of a strong campaign message: 1. Issue-based 2. Creates a Solution 3. Credible 4. Stirs emotion 5. Short 6. Creates a Brand 7. Repetitive 4

5. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 1. Issue-based Messaging o Based on issues important to your voters o Utilizes survey research and focus groups Example: 70% of voters in Bamenda are concerned about access to clean water. o Targets a specific audience Example: In 95% of Bamenda households, women are responsible for locating clean water sources and transporting it to their homes. 5

6. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 2. Creates a Solution o Offers a solution to the identified issue o Shows how that solution is better than the alternative or status quo Example: Candidate Enni creates a campaign message based on bringing clean water to Bamenda. She promises to build a well in the city. Once the well is built, women will no longer have to walk two miles to neighboring Yaounde to collect water. 6

7. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 3. Credible o Does not over-promise o A message that is not credible will be ignored Not Credible: Candidate Enni promises to give every household a car so they can drive to Yaounde to collect all the water they want. 7

8. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 4. Stirs Emotion o A strong message makes the voter feel important: that you are running for them, not you o It takes the issue and makes it personal Example: Candidate Enni tells women voters that her campaign promise is based on her concern that often the women are robbed and harassed as they walk to the neighboring village to collect clean water. She believes they should not have to suffer when trying to provide for their family’s well-being. 8

9. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 5. Short o People have short attention spans Example of an “elevator speech” o Make your message clear: Yes or no For or against o Make your message memorable so the voters remember it at the poll: “Hope,” “Change,” “Yes We Can!” – Obama Presidential Campaign 2008 9

10. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 6. Creates a Brand o A brand identifies you as a candidate o It is an “instant reminder” of: Who you are What you stand for Where you are going socially, politically o It is simple and memorable o It utilizes logos to create a visual connection 10

11. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 7. Repetitive o Repetition builds familiarity, which in turn helps build trust and credibility o The Rule of Seven: a voter needs to be “touched” by your message at least seven times “Touching” is communicating your campaign message to a voter Can be through verbal communication or written materials 11

12. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Step 3: Targeting your audience o Your audience is anyone who hears your message o You need to develop the right message for the right audience o Targeting focuses on how many votes are needed to win—and which segment of the population is likely to provide those votes o Targeting is important to maximize resources 12

13. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Step 4: Message Delivery o Once you have developed your message and defined your target audience, it’s time to deliver it o Characteristics of good communication skills: How you look How you sound What you say First impressions are formed in less than 30 seconds. Once formed- they are hard to change! 13

14. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY How you look: Body language Natural, good posture Composure Calm, no negative reactions to audience questions Facial expression Natural, calm Eye contact with audience Attentive, not distracted How you sound: Vocal reinforcement Natural, clear voice Confident but not aggressive 14

15. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY What you say: Stick to your message Do not get sidetracked Address opponents by using transitions The biggest trap a candidate can fall into is getting tired of repeating the same message many times a day. Do not fall into it! Stay on message. Repetition is the key to success. 15

16. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY 16 People disagree with you I appreciate your position I can see where you are coming from Your point is well taken What HappensTransitionAcknowledgment You should also know… Let me add… For example… People ask a question you don’t know I don’t have that information but I can tell you Number one rule of message delivery: do not let yourself get distracted from your message

17. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Message Delivery Opportunities All campaigns will offer an array of opportunities to deliver your message: individual (door to door) small groups (holding a tea or coffee) large public forums (candidate debates) press (radio and TV interviews) and social media (twitter or Facebook) Candidates need to adapt their delivery slightly to each opportunity But your motivation and message will stay the same 17

18. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Small versus Large Forums: the similarities The purpose is the same: stick to your message! Focus on how you look, how you sound, what you say Do not let your nerves overtake you Tip: utilize eye contact to minimize the size of the crowd. Make eye contact with one person as you say each point of your message. The direct eye contact will focus your attention on the person versus the crowd. It will also give the crowd the positive perception you are trying to relate individually to them. 18

19. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Large Forums The main challenge is to maintain control of the dialogue Group dynamics can be difficult to manage Tips for Q&A sessions: Always thank the questioner for their question Maintain your message utilizing the transition tips Answer the question you want to answer by paraphrasing the question Avoid falling into the trap of confrontation Be disciplined in your points and answers 19

20. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Social Media Sharing information and ideas in a virtual setting Facebook and twitter Effective for breaking through media bias or barriers Cheapest and fastest way to share information Tips for using social media: This should not be your primary message delivery tool; it should be used to complement other opportunities This is part of your targeting strategy: who is using social media? Can it be used to target new audiences? If you would not say it in front of a crowd, don’t say it online The virtual world never forgets: once you put it out there, it will stay there! 20

21. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Women Candidates in a Male-dominated Field Women in Indonesia are 50.14% of the population 122,000,000 women in the country Majority of voters Tips for women: Confidence; you represent the majority Do not try to be part of the boy’s club Control your emotions You are a leader already: draw on the strengths of your role as a wife and a mother You have a message advantage: you can take the personal and relate it to the public 21

22. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY Keys to successful message delivery: P assion P reparation P ractice P ositive Perception P roper Control 22

23. CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS M ESSAGE D EVELOPMENT AND D ELIVERY This program was brought to you by: The International Republican Institute (IRI) www.iri.org With funding from: 23