Four communications lessons from the federal election
With the federal election in Canada now behind us, I would like to share a few lessons it presented on how to communicate.
Lesson 1: Repetition works
If you repeat something often enough people will remember it, believe it and act on it.
Just ask Stephen Harper. Before the campaign even started, Harper and his caucus talked frequently about the threat of a coalition, how it would ruin Canada and that the only way to address this threat was to elect a stable Conservative majority. A coalition didn’t exist and was not a sure thing but that didn’t matter. This message was reinforced in every speech Harper gave over the campaign, was the subject of frequent television ads and in addressed direct mail pieces. By May 2, every Canadian knew about the threat of the coalition and how to act whether they followed politics or not. It worked. I’m sure that the repetition of this straight forward message and call to action played a central role in the Conservative Party winning a healthy majority government.
While I would never advise you to convince your key audiences to believe something that isn’t true, the fact of the matter is that repetition works. The more often that you hear something, the more likely you are to remember it. In advertising, an old rule of thumb is that you need to see or hear something at least three or four times before you remember seeing it and you need to see or hear it at least seven times before you begin to consider acting upon it. While I’m not sure there is a magic number, I do believe that repetition is important to ensure people are exposed to your key message. I also believe that the more often you are exposed to a message, the more likely you are to act on it-assuming it connects on some level with you or and a real or perceived need.
Remember how the Conservative Party effectively used repetition to get people to act, the next time you want people to take action.
Lesson 2: Manage your online reputation
Just before the election began, I saw a tweet from someone who was surprised everyone didn’t own the internet domain for their name. While I knew it was a good idea, I was surprised anyone that it was a must. But that changed early in the campaign when Bob Rosehart was surprised to learn that voters in his Kitchener-Conestoga riding went to a website attacking Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff when they typed “bobrosehart.com” into their web browsers. A supporter of Rosehart’s Conservative opponent had purchased two domains using Rosehart’s name several days after he had announced his candidacy knowing that they were domains that people would use to find out about their Liberal candidate and directed them to the attack site.
A debate ensued about whether this tactic was dirty politics or fair play. I’m in the camp that believes it was a dirty trick but it does show how we are responsible for managing our own reputation online. For individuals, it’s becoming important as part of your online personal branding. But it also shows, for example, why it is important for an organization or business to own not only the domain name it uses for its website but any variations that people may intuitively use to try to find you online. That includes different top level domains (ex. .ca/.com/.org) and variations on your name (ex. waterlooregion.ca & regionofwaterloo.ca). The cost for owning the domains is relatively cheap and addresses the risk that someone could use one of them in an attempt to damage your reputation. At the same time, it’s difficult to be able to own every possible variation but it is a good idea to own the most common ones.
Lesson 3: Anything you say on social media could end up on the front page of the newspaper
Just ask Stephen Woodworth who was running for re-election as Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre. One of the Conservative Party’s most prolific users of Twitter, Woodworth ran into trouble when he tweeted an insensitive joke. He had heard it at an event he attended where everyone laughed and thought he would share it with his followers. What was funny in one context was inappropriate outside of that context especially when shared on Twitter by someone running for public office. Not surprisingly, it did end up on the front page of the Waterloo Region Record. Woodworth reacted by closing his Twitter account for the duration of the campaign-though he did promise to return to Twitter after it ended.
He should have attended one of my social media or twitter workshops where I ask people to remember: Do you want your mother to see it in the news? Because social media is a very public forum and anything you say or do could get attention. If you’re not comfortable seeing something on the front page of the newspaper or on a billboard on King Street, think twice before you hit “Enter.”
Lesson 4: You benefit from standing out from the crowd
While the Conservatives and Liberals slugged it out for the opportunity to form a government, the NDP was perceived to have a more positive message. While they had their own attack ads and Jack Layton did criticize the other leaders, it was not to the same degree and they spent more time sharing a positive message. Doing so was one way that they were able to demonstrate how they were different than the other two parties. While their success in Quebec can be attributed to having a leader who spoke everyday French and having a platform that appealed to Quebec nationalists. Again, they benefited from standing out from the crowd.
That’s an important lesson for all of us. Whether you are trying to raise funds for a good cause, sell a product or service or get a job, knowing how you are different and demonstrating that difference gives you a competitive advantage. So take a look at others who are doing what you do or could be perceived to be competitors and figure out how you are unique. The better you communicate your uniqueness and why that makes you the best choice, the more likely you are to be chosen. Just ask Jack!
What did the federal election teach you?
Did you learn anything about communications from your experience with the federal election? Please share. Or please share your thoughts on the lessons that I have shared here.
