Supporting Ron Paul: How to present the message
I attended a Ron Paul meetup the other night. I saw a few things about the supporters that worries me. This prompts some "lessons" about politics and getting your message out.
Before I get into this, please note that all of the supporters obviously mean well, but may not have understood technique and tact.
#1. Perhaps the most glaring moment of the night was when we were eating dinner after the Meetup. Two friends of an RP supporter joined us. These nice young ladies (med students) were suddenly assailed with reasons why they should support RP.
People do not want to be confronted or "educated" about why their political views are wrong. Successful candidates do not do this.
When you meet someone you don't know, you should not confront them and tell them directly why Ron Paul is great. Yes, I know he is great but they don't know that yet. And they don't know you well enough that you're going to persuade them like that.
A far better approach in such a situation is to get to know the person better. Find out what issues are their biggest concerns. See if anything they say fits with the Ron Paul message, and then talk about that.
This may be a real shocker, but some people are not going to like Ron Paul. There plenty of people out there who are happy to have the government run everything. You're not going to persuade them. So don't piss them off by confronting them. That just encourages them to vote against your candidate.
#2: Don't preach to the converted. One of the supporters gave me all sorts of literature and even a DVD. I endorsed the guy 8 months ago. You don't need to sell me.
#3: This goes to my biggest fear about the Ron Paul campaign. You have to choose your message. It has to be short, and it has to connect with the voters. As a friend of mine puts it, you have to think about why it matters to them.
Libertarians tend to campaign with flyers that discuss 20 issues on one page. Ask yourself if you can think of any winning candidate who campaigned that way.
I'm very concerned that the Ron Paul campaign will miss this key point. It's not about explaining to the voters why your approach is better. Many voters will not spend the time to consider your explanation. You have to deliver your message concisely. In billboard advertising, some say you have to limit yourself to 7 words. So what 7-word phrase (fewer is better) best says your message?
Ron Paul: Supports the Constitution
Ron Paul: Let's Get Out of Iraq
Ron Paul: Smaller Government
Ron Paul: Stop Wasting Money Overseas
Ron Paul: Stop Wasting Money
Wait, those last two are my message. :-)
In a radio commercial you might get 60 seconds, or in a TV commercial you might get 15 or 30 seconds, minus the mandated "I approve this message" nonsense.
On the positive side, the campaign has raised enough money that it can afford to get out 2-3 different messages. Hopefully they will do this well. We'll know soon.
Before I get into this, please note that all of the supporters obviously mean well, but may not have understood technique and tact.
#1. Perhaps the most glaring moment of the night was when we were eating dinner after the Meetup. Two friends of an RP supporter joined us. These nice young ladies (med students) were suddenly assailed with reasons why they should support RP.
People do not want to be confronted or "educated" about why their political views are wrong. Successful candidates do not do this.
When you meet someone you don't know, you should not confront them and tell them directly why Ron Paul is great. Yes, I know he is great but they don't know that yet. And they don't know you well enough that you're going to persuade them like that.
A far better approach in such a situation is to get to know the person better. Find out what issues are their biggest concerns. See if anything they say fits with the Ron Paul message, and then talk about that.
This may be a real shocker, but some people are not going to like Ron Paul. There plenty of people out there who are happy to have the government run everything. You're not going to persuade them. So don't piss them off by confronting them. That just encourages them to vote against your candidate.
#2: Don't preach to the converted. One of the supporters gave me all sorts of literature and even a DVD. I endorsed the guy 8 months ago. You don't need to sell me.
#3: This goes to my biggest fear about the Ron Paul campaign. You have to choose your message. It has to be short, and it has to connect with the voters. As a friend of mine puts it, you have to think about why it matters to them.
Libertarians tend to campaign with flyers that discuss 20 issues on one page. Ask yourself if you can think of any winning candidate who campaigned that way.
I'm very concerned that the Ron Paul campaign will miss this key point. It's not about explaining to the voters why your approach is better. Many voters will not spend the time to consider your explanation. You have to deliver your message concisely. In billboard advertising, some say you have to limit yourself to 7 words. So what 7-word phrase (fewer is better) best says your message?
Ron Paul: Supports the Constitution
Ron Paul: Let's Get Out of Iraq
Ron Paul: Smaller Government
Ron Paul: Stop Wasting Money Overseas
Ron Paul: Stop Wasting Money
Wait, those last two are my message. :-)
In a radio commercial you might get 60 seconds, or in a TV commercial you might get 15 or 30 seconds, minus the mandated "I approve this message" nonsense.
On the positive side, the campaign has raised enough money that it can afford to get out 2-3 different messages. Hopefully they will do this well. We'll know soon.
posted by Albany Lawyer at 9:43 AM
6 Comments:
my ways of spreading the message;
Mr Constitution Ron Paul
peace&personal liberties Ron Paul
No Iran/Iraq wars Ron Paul
No IRS Ron Paul
strong dollar Ron Paul
No war on drugs Ron Paul
No military draft Ron Paul
I agree with your three points. I can tell you from experience that listening first is always the best approach with strangers or people you don't know very well.
Don't overwhelm people with 20 million RP facts either, just stick with 1-3 that come to mind while talking to the person. Issues that matter most to that person will influence their thoughts most.
More of these reminders are helpful, because, my goodness, it is embarrassing to see some people take the nasty, attack mode of bullying 5th graders on a playground, attempting to out-demean one another on behalf of the candidate I have chosen.
It has been said that we get the leaders we deserve. My continuting hope and vision is to see ourselves worthy of the wisdom and integrity of Dr. Paul.
Remember the "first word" in politics is "polite."
At this point, only political junkies and people in the first primary states are paying much attention to the presidential race.
We all know Dr. Paul would vault ahead if he had better name & issue recognition. I discuss one or two issues that the person expresses their own interest in---and I say, "Listen to Ron Paul's own words because he explains it best"---then suggest a good web site. And I find that telling them that Dr. Paul has never voted for a tax increase and does not take part in the Congressional pension program always pique some interest.
With civil libertarians, emphasize his vote against Patriot Act and national ID.
With pro-lifers, emphasize his medical experience as well as philosophical convictions---and show how his political support transcends traditional compartmented RTL voters.
It's regrettable that some of Dr. Paul's supporters may be so excited or excitable that they annoy rather than attract the uncommitted or otherwise committed voters.
We have to CHANNEL OUR ENTHUSIASM into constructive, productive effort to build name recognition and positive reactions for Dr. Paul. Thanks for discussing this topic.
I use the approach of describing what we currently have: You can sum up the Bush administration in one sentence:
"From the emergence of the Zionist Neocons as an ideological power base dominant over U.S. foreign policy, to destruction wreaked on the Bill of Rights by illegal surveillance of citizens, to the senseless creation of the bureaucratically monstrous Department of Homeland Security and passage of the Patriot Acts, to the initiation of "wars of choice" leading to the devastation of two nations and the killing or displacement of perhaps a million Middle Eastern non-combatants, to the violation of international treaties and conventions against wars of aggression and torture of prisoners, to presiding over an economy ruined by the continued export of manufacturing jobs and the creation and deflation of the housing bubble, to the wrecking of the federal budget by over a trillion dollars of wartime expenditure, to the abandonment of the city of New Orleans during and after Hurricane Katrina, to tax cuts for the most wealthy while the income of the middle class has drastically eroded, and to threats to start another war, this time against Iran, based on deceptions similar to those which preceded the Iraq invasion, the Bush/Cheney administration has brought the U.S. to the brink of catastrophe."
I then tell people that Ron Paul represents everything that is opposite of this.
I appreciate the passion of the comments above, but some seem to have missed the point of my post about the situation where you meet someone else and want to express your support for Ron Paul.
In talking with others, the most important thing is to listen first, and then listen more. Maybe this lesson is larger than Ron Paul or politics.
If someone tells you that they're concerned about healthcare, don't just jump in with why Ron Paul's position on healthcare is correct. Ask more questions to get a deeper understanding of their view.
If they say they want universal healthcare, this is not an issue you want to talk to them about. They're not going to change their mind because you say so. At this point you might want to listen more to see if there's an issue where you might connect better. Or you might just want to move on to the next potential voter.
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