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    Political Marketing Worst Practices - How To Throw An Election

    Marketing yourself in the political environment can also be a study in best and worst practices just as selling any widget (a “widget” is one term for either a product or service). And when bad politicians are Eliminate crappy sales results with Walter Terry's ROI Copywriting!doing bad things, it pays to have a skilled writer step in and publicly take them to task.

    Now don’t roll your eyes about local politics, it’s important because unlike the military — crap rolls up-hill because state and federal politicians monitor local events to see what the grassroots favor.

    Recently, half of my local city council has decided to up the ante of their “cascading string of worst practices”, months before they’re up for re-election (or not).

    As we used to say in high school, “Smooth move, Exlax.”

    Steadfastly, they continue to deny the public the right to vote of the issue and plow ahead by approving expenditures and overruns for hundreds of thousands of dollars without public say-so.

    That means the behind-closed-doors policy makers of Councilpersons Leonard, VonWold, Brocha and Hageman are not looking out for the people.

    One of the councilpersons who favors a public vote (and opposes Leonard, VonWold, Brocha and Hageman) is Mike Roskind, one of the most honest and fair politicians I have ever met (and while I do not always agree with his stances, since I know he’s looking out for the folks, I don’t mind so much) has urged all citizens to write to the city council and tell them they want the measure put up for a public vote.

    Here’s my letter to the council. Feel free to drop me a line and tell me what you think. And if I hear back from the council (doubtful), I’ll be sure and post it here. And of course, Councilpersons Leonard, VonWold, Brocha and Hageman are welcome to come on here and debate me . . . but they’re hiding under their desks the way they always do, so someone should probably send sandwiches.

    “Dear Woodinville City Council,

    Please put to a public vote your planned expenditures for the Community Center, the park and fields projects. While you are at it, please explain to us (the people you represent) how these non-essential projects can take precedence over critical infrastructure projects, such as making Woodinville-Duvall road safer and easing the traffic congestion gridlock on roads through downtown. 

    To Councilpersons Leonard, VonWold, Brocha and Hageman — there’s a simple way to solve the differences of opinion – put it to a vote. You obviously disagree with your constituents and are at odds with fellow Councilpersons Stecker, Price, Roskind. But debate is a great healthy cornerstone of our society.

    So settle it with a vote. You see, the greatest thing about living in a democratic society is that we settle differences of opinion in a fair way. For centuries, that Big Idea has formed the foundation of all successful societies.

    I come from the direct marketing field. And there, when we don’t know what customers want, rather that guess (which is very expensive if we’re wrong) – we test out the message and see which one the public “votes” for by buying it. Whichever message that is, that’s the one we use. Very democratic.

    And just like direct marketing, in the political field there are also a lot of opinions, but there’s always one thing that settles all the opinions and backs it up with facts – “testing” the opinion by putting it to a vote. Why? Because “the proof is in the pudding” as they say.

    As the standard-bearers of democracy in our community, since there are widely dissenting opinions about how to handle the non-essential expenditures issue, you should be unafraid to put it to a public vote. Especially when you consider that our money is going to be spent either way – and since you philosophically support one opinion and the other part of the council represents another opinion — why not simply test it out and let the voters decide?

    That’s fair and that’s democracy at work. While some may not like the outcome and some will – the vote will express the will of the people. And that should be all any elected official cares about.

    In my industry, whenever someone won’t put their opinion to the test, it’s because they secretly know their opinion won’t bear the weight of the proof, so they do all they can to avoid testing because they wish to spare themselves the embarrassment of being proved wrong.

    To Councilpersons Leonard, VonWold, Brocha and Hageman: you are elected officials and your opinion differs from nearly half your fellow council members (and many of the community), why not settle it once and for all with a vote? Let the people guide you. Ostensibly, that’s why you were elected – to represent those people.

    I urge you to live up to and remember the charge of your office, or come November, the vote you cannot stop will speak loudest. The voters are watching how the council majority is against a vote and the minority is for the vote. Is there’s nothing to hide, there’s no reason not to vote on it.

    Sincerely,

    Walter Terry”

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    By Walter |

    Topics: From The Trenches, Marketing Mishaps, Pet Peeves |


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