Republicans Need Better Marketing

Glenn Beck says that we’ve all been marketed to death by the GOP with think-tanks, polls, focus groups, and listening tours.  I completely disagree with Glenn, although I understand the sentiment.

The problem with the Republicans is that they need a better marketing strategy.

Here’s my three step plan for getting the GOP back on it’s feet through a solid marketing plan.

1.  Know Your Target Audience

Anyone in the marketing business will tell you that knowing and understanding your target audience is the most important component in a successful marketing campaign.

I suspect that’s what all the focus groups and the new listening tour is about.  The GOP knows they are out of touch with their members and have little hope gaining new members at the rate their going.

But here’s the problem… they’re not listening!

The Tax Day Tea Party Protesters came from both parties (both Democrat and Republican) and they had a long list of complaints about where government was leading America.  If the GOP was listening to the protesters, then they really don’t need to waste time and money on a “listening tour.”  They’ve already been told about the issues concerning many Americans.

Those Americans are their target audience… not the people who are already die-hard Republicans.  The GOP has a habit of only talking to the people that already agree with them (other Republicans), instead of trying to bring new people into their party.

There are a lot of people out there looking for leadership if Republicans would just stand up and be the leaders we want them to be, but they can’t do that if they don’t recognize that they can’t operate in a GOP bubble and win over new members too.

2.  Getting In Touch With Technology

Republicans seem to be completely out of touch with current technology… specifically the internet.

Here’s an example:

I did a search today on Cap and Trade in order to get a little smarter on the subject… It’s all a bit confusing.  So there I was on Google looking at the search results and a full two thirds of the first page results were leftist propaganda.

That means that the organizations on the left are better at search engine optimization and keyword research.

To make matters worse, the only sponsored links for that search were also liberal organizations.

Apparently Republicans don’t believe in pay per click advertising either.

That’s too bad because those sponsored links are what everyone who searches for more information about cap and trade is going to see and click on… and form their opinion on.  In other words, all those Americans who don’t really understand the issue, but are trying to educate themselves, will only see what liberals want them to see.

The GOP may not have influence over mainstream media the way the left does, but the internet could level the playing field significantly if Republicans would simply embrace and take advantage of the internet and technology.

The Tea Parties are proof positive that the internet is an important tool for the GOP.  After all, the protests were completely organized online… I think Republicans could effectively get their message out on any of today’s issues too.

3.  Appealing To Emotions

Have you ever read a product sales letter that was completely devoid of emotion and benefits?

I seriously doubt it.

Democrats are masters at finding that emotional heart string in every issue and plucking at it until you either agree with them or feel guilty and heartless because you don’t.

Yet the GOP is trying to sell the American people on their platform while keeping their message as dry as super high fiber cereal.

• They don’t bother to educate the public about the issues.
• They show no passion for the issues.
• They never talk about how their ideas will benefit their target audience.
• They don’t appeal to their target audience with emotion.

In other words, they try to force-feed us a constant litany of straight facts without telling how those facts will affect us in our everyday lives.  In the marketing world, Republicans are guilty of talking about features instead of benefits.

But benefits are what people really care about.  We want to know “what’s in it for me?”

Americans are looking at things through the prism of their own emotions and needs.  The facts only matter when it comes to how we are all affected by them and you won’t get through to us when you sound like a high school history text book.

Entertain us, educate us, help us to understand why you’re idea is better than their’s… but stop boring us!

In the end, I understand why Glenn Beck and a lot of other people are tired of hearing about GOP focus groups and listening tours.  It really can seem like you’re getting a lot of marketing shoved down your throat when it’s done so poorly.

The Democrats have it down to an art.

They sell all kinds of stuff that’s bad for America and you never even know you’re being sold out.

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