Marketing strategy by David M. Reid

David M. Reid develops a new formula for ―Political Marketing Strategy‖.

Political parties produce a political product for the consumption of voters.

Yet, political views have high centrality and many voters remain staunch supporters of some political faction or other and will vote for it no matter what. Therefore, promotional noise must be aimed at the floating voter — those individuals who are swayed by contemporary issues rather than rigid dogma. The battle for "share of mind" among floating voters is as ferocious as any which is fought by consumer goods manufacturers for space on

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Symbolism Colors Gestures Body language Rhetoric

Immediacy Tone of voice

Media Manipulation Public relations Avoidance of errors Broadening the appeal Advertising

Policies Key issues Manifestos Voter

Figure1: Stimuli Influencing Voter's Perceptions Source: David M. Reid

supermarket shelves. The outcome of these battles determines the political complexion of governments.

Having previously argued that political parties are not adept at marketing themselves, and that a complicated process is involved before the floating voter makes his/her decision, an attempt will now be made to amplify the need for a co-ordinated marketing strategy — an approach which is geared to influence the voting process. This strategy must be to achieve overlap of the aims of the party with knowledge of the complicated process the voter goes through and the forces which will win influence. This is demonstrated in

Figure1

The strategic process applied to political marketing would involve political party planners in following the process illustrated in Figure 4.

The stages involved here are as follows:

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• defining the political complexion;

• using analytical building blocks, and

• formulating strategic objectives and alternative strategies.

Defining the Political Complexion

Clearly, a party cannot successfully appeal to all shades of political opinion, but, to gain power, it must first win favor with wide cross-sections of the electorate.

It can do this best by establishing in the minds of potential voters the impression that it will be best able to satisfy the needs of the section of the electorate to which it sets out to appeal. In this way, it must formulate philosophies, policies and program which can be addressed to certain receptive sections of the electorate.

The task is twofold; first, a political complexion must be established and the electorate must be segmented. By identifying key segments of the electorate, a series of political policies and appeals can be constructed to match the capabilities and conventional dogma of the party with the needs of voters. The political complexion sets the limits of electoral appeal, and links capability and philosophy with potentially fertile responsive segments of the electorate.

Using Analytical Building Blocks

The shape and scope of the political complexion must be based on some sort of informed analysis. This analysis should encompass the environment in which the political machine operates and the needs of the groups of

Figure2: Formulating Political Marketing strategy Source: European Journal of Marketing, 1989

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individuals within it. These, in turn, shape the aspirations and motivations of the electorate to which other parties will be attempting to appeal. The party should assess its strengths and weaknesses relative to these other parties, since it can only achieve what others will allow. It must consider:

• Environmental trends;

• Voters' needs and aspirations;

• The competing political parties, and

• The party's strengths and weaknesses.

Environmental Trends

All sorts of social, technological and economic changes occur which impact on the individual in a variety of ways. These changes must be interpreted in political terms. For instance, an experience with unemployment can affect the views of groups hitherto loyal to the government they now blame for their new-found misfortune. Such an environmental analysis can provide the key to identifying the most fertile areas and issues on which to fight the campaign.

These issues will crystallize the voters' evaluative criteria.

Individual Needs and Aspirations

The needs and aspirations of individuals are shaped by the environment within which they exist. New technologies threaten the jobs of some people, but open up opportunities for others. Wider access to higher education, coupled with greater social and geographical mobility, can distort traditional political loyalties.

Competing Political Parties

Politics is about being reactive and proactive at the same time. Care must be taken not to create political opportunities for others. It may, in some instances, be likened to a game of "possession football". The initiative must be maintained at all costs and the energies of the opposition must be stifled.

Where extreme views are held to be necessary, the perception of these may be softened by the way they are presented to the electorate.

The Party's Strengths and Weaknesses

By carefully monitoring the activities of others, views may be formed regarding the issues and stances by which a party may be considered strong or weak by the electorate. In a competitive world, all actions are achieved with the reluctant or tacit connivance of others.

By developing a profile based on a sound analysis which encompasses the aforementioned steps, shape can be given to the political complexion and the segments of the electorate to which parties are intended to appeal. Not only will this give some direction to thinking, it will also provide a focus for assessment of future development. Attempts can then be made to establish a prognosis for a set of policies and program within the respective electorate segments.

Advertising can be planned which will use repeated phrases of proven power with carefully determined frequency. Candidates can be selected with good persuasive skills and schooled to project sincerity through public meetings and, more importantly, the TV camera. The next step is to formulate strategic objectives.

Formulating Strategic Objectives, Prognosis, Alternative Generation

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These objectives could embrace aims such as gaining power, or holding on to it for another term, etc. It is necessary to formulate these objectives carefully and compare them with the prognosis. In this way, the extent of the credibility gap may be assessed. This gap will set the scale for creative planning activity.

Many alternative approaches regarding political product policy and strategy should be raised. This may involve broadening the scope of its political complexion.

It also involves the political marketing strategy, which is the route and method by which the electorate is to be reached, influenced and persuaded.

Selecting the Best Strategy

Not all routes and avenues have equal long-term implications or affordable costs. Somehow the different options must be weighed and a selection made.

Building Marketing/Electioneering Plans

These are the documents of understandings regarding how the strategy will be pursued. In the volatile political arena, consistency is crucial. Opportunities will be offered to the opposition if inconsistencies are in evidence.

Constructing a Product and Promotional Mix

A collection of policies, communications and images must be offered to the electorate in a planned, controlled manner. This is the output of the strategic planning process; it is what is presented for the consumption and digestion of the electorate.

Executing and Controlling the Plans

Execution of a plan is the most difficult part of the process. Care must be taken to monitor the output and to take effective action to iron out any deviances. The output of the political marketing plan represents a set of stimuli to be targeted at the electorate. As was indicated earlier, many stimuli of different types from a variety of sources must "vie" with each other for the consumers' attention.

Information Input

Information in a variety of forms is offered to the voter. Overt messages and rhetoric are combined to influence his/her choice in the way which is illustrated in Figure 2

These influences should be the result of planned outputs of the marketing strategy. In this way, the voter is being subjected to a process of political persuasion.

A collective impact is made on voters by combining these different media and approaches. Additional weight and momentum is accumulated from each of the different sources to add potency to the impact made.

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