Political insiders have had Campaigns & Elections magazine on their reading list for a long time, but as technology becomes a growing part of the political equation, a conference was definitely in order. Leave it to FoB (Friend of Beekeeper!) Julie Germany to organize a world-class, action-packed event on the intersection politics and technology — the CampaignTech Conference!
At the conference, I was proud to join experts Ali Savino of NGP VAN, Andrew Roos, Google, and Heather Cronk of GetEQUAL in a panel on “Selling the Right Digital Tactics Within Your Organization” moderated by Jeremy Jacobs, Environment and Energy Publishing, Inc.
Here’s what I shared for tips to get your team embracing your digital tactics in no time —
1) Put Your Marketing Hat On – Whether you are advocating for a candidate, issue, or organization, you have to think like a marketer to get attention in today’s complex and diverse information landscape. What are marketers using?? Digital tools! Show your team how leading brands/products are doing more with less in order to remain visible and vibrant online and offline!
2) It’s Not Either/Or… It’s AND – Some of the hesitance for moving to digital tactics comes from fear of letting go of what’s typically being used to meet your advocacy, communications, fundraising, etc. goals. Reassure your team that you can still use all of these traditional tactics, just add digital to amp them up!
3) Cost-Benefit – Is your organization still spending a significant part of the budget on print ads in the Beltway pubs OR on that traditional PR firm? So 2005! If you cut just one of those print ads or one month of that PR firm, what could you accomplish with that $X budget? But remember, you don’t want to encourage them to cut everything (see #2 above). And remember, creativity gets you earned media (see #1 above).
4) Fear Tactics – If nothing else it’s working, it’s time to motivate by fear. Show your colleagues some of the innovative digital work that your competitors are doing (or allies) and the corresponding results. It’s well-known that in Washington, if you’re not at the table, then you’re on the menu… and that also goes for online conversations!
Need more insights before you make the big sell? Check out these slides, titled “How To Sell Social Media to the C-Suite,” recently delivered by Network Solutions’ Social Media Swami, Shashi Bellamkonda.
