3. Who Is Your Audience Who Is Your Audience? General public Media Potential Donor Legislator What do we know about each of these audiences? What will make them feel good about themselves?
7. What do THEY want? General public: want to know they did something good, that they helped, that they made a difference in someone’s life (because that makes them feel good). Media: wants to be good at their job by getting the good story; that they made a difference in someone’s life (because that makes them feel good). Potential Donor: wants to know that their money is well spent and will make a real difference in someone’s life (because that makes them feel good). Legislator: wants to get re-elected; wants to make a difference in someone’s life (because that makes them feel good).
11. Myths of Message Development 1. Message is about what I care about. Message is a rational explanation of why you are right. Message must have a million facts to be believable. 4. Message must change and be flexible to stay relevant.
13. Truths of Message Development Message is about your audience, not about you. 2. Message is emotional, not rational. 3. Message only needs a few clear facts to be believable. 4. Message must be repeated to be remembered.
14. Don’t Freak Out And Call Your Mother Yet…..think about it. Why do people give a dollar at the check out for the Red Cross? Why do people show up on the Capitol steps wearing red t-shirts? Because they help someone in a short amount of time and that makes them feel better about themselves.
15. Build Your Message 1. TAKEAWAY- What do they do/think/feel? 2. LEAD- How do I make them believe? 3. CONNECT- How do I get them listening?
16. For Example… Takeaway- Vote for HB 101 to save taxpayer dollars by using mental health resources more effectively. Lead- More than 1,000,000 Texans suffer from mental illness that leaves them helpless and homeless. They cost us $50M a year in taxes. Connect- You can millions of the constituents in your district happy by a simple vote.
18. Statements that are NOT a clear takeaway “Visit our website” “Learn more” “Join us” 4. “Take action” “Educate yourself” 6. “Don’t be a victim”
19. Statements that ARE a clear takeaway “Visit our website and sign up for our action alerts” “Call your Congressman and tell them to vote yes on HB 123” “Write a check and mail it back today” 4. “Sign our online petition”
20. Key Tips On Delivery WIIFM Only try to accomplish ONE thing 3x3 VIP
21. Connect with your audience First they have to like you, then they’ll listen to you. 2. Make your point and make it fast. It needs to be true. 4. It can’t be horrific, even if it was. People want to feel but they don’t want to feel terrible. Connect With Your Audience
26. Facebook Facebook More than 400 million active users 50% of our active users log on to Facebook in any given day Average user has 130 friends People spend over 500 billion minutes per month on Facebook
Oh- wait, let’s not analyze what he wants….let’s go back to a typical politician…
We all want to feel like we do good, are awesome and make a difference. Which is why before planning a large campaign we have to know our audiences- where they hang out, what they like, what makes them FEEL good? Why do they buy what they buy????
Be local, make a connection to personal points (example about the ATF leash the the reporter), find out what people like? Where did they go to school, which charities have the donated to? What do they do in their free time?
WIIFM
There are more than 1,00,000 Texans suffering from mental illnesses that often leave them helpless, homeless or dangerous. And they cost taxpayers more than $50,000,000 a year. But you can do something to change that. Voting for HB 101 means you save taxpayer dollars by using mental health resources more effectively. And we can keep fighting this problem while making sure money isn’t wasted. You can help millions of Texans and make your constituents happy with just one vote. Vote yes on HB 101.
