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Barack Obama's Campaign Strategy:
Copyright © 2002 - 2010 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.
How you can apply
his PR techniques to your publicity campaign
 Barack
Obama's Campaign Strategy: How you can apply his PR techniques to your
publicity campaign
1. Define your image.
While I don't particularly like the word "image" what I mean by it here is
that in creating a consistent character that embodies your deepest
principles people perceive you as "whole" and trustworthy. We align with
leaders who are aligned with themselves.
According to Joel Benenson, the primary pollster for the Obama campaign,
Obama's image was more clearly defined than McCain's. Benenson said that
Obama had an anti-Washington reputation that was characterized by his
insistence that he was "going to tell you what you need to hear not what
you want to hear."
People perceived Obama as a truth teller, which is something we hunger
for. To solidify trust define yourself clearly, tell the truth, then
follow that up with actions that demonstrate you're committed to those
truths at any cost.
2. Create a strong, positive and consistent message.
Barack Obama had one simple, elegant philosophical approach that was easy
to understand and to assimilate. "Voters are looking for the remedy not
the replica". His strategy was to position his opponent, John McCain, as
the replica and himself the remedy. This became the core of his campaign.
Distill your message into one clear sentence that has deep resonance. Then
build the rest of your your publicity campaign on that core message.
3. Communicate casually via video.
David Plouffe, a campaign manager for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential
campaign, did amateurish-looking videos discussing strategies to keep
supporters and organizers excited, engaged and involved. These were not
slick productions but were kept consciously rough-hewn to connect
casually.
These videos are similar to the ones friends might send to each other to
keep in touch on facebook, youtube or myspace.
By keeping it casual they became more like chat sessions than formal
lectures. Plouffe speaks directly to the camera with maps pinned to the
wall and amidst piles of papers.
Casual videos on your website make
you approachable and human and add that "I feel like I already know you"
sensibility. Seeing someone in their personal environment also creates an
atmosphere of trust and a sense of intimacy. Over time, this proper
intimacy encourages loyalty and builds trust so your supporters come to
believe in you in a profound way.
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Susan Harrow, CEO of
http://prsecrets.com, is
a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of
Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul® (HarperCollins),
The
Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah, and
Get a 6-
Figure Book Advance. Clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, bestselling authors and entrepreneurs who have appeared on
Oprah, 60 Minutes, NPR, and in TIME, USA Today, Parade,
People, O, NY Times, WSJ, and Inc. |
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