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As a (sometimes overly) proud Scot, with a passion for all things political, it will come as no surprise that recent developments north of the border have got my national juices flowing. Indeed when the scale of the recent SNP victory in the Holyrood became clear I literally wept with excitement.
Unlike most elections in Blighty, the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election was a real game changer. One that’s set to shake the state of The Union to the very core.
Or not.
In reality, once the haze of victory shifts, even the most fervent Nat must realise that a vote for the SNP is not an endorsement for full Independence. With the polls comfortably reporting that most Scots are quite happy being part of the UK, the Yes campaign still has a job on its hand to convince folk otherwise.
Perhaps it's time for the politicians to look to the B2B world for some sound advice?
B2B messaging guidelines to help them win the argument.
Spell it out. What will Independence actually look like? Which countries do we aspire to? How would it work in practice? Is it a divorce, or a partnership of equals? In politics as in business, people won’t support something they don’t understand. Whether they like the idea or not.
KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). The Marketecture mantra is never wrong. It’s not about losing the Queen. It’s not about having guards at the border. Don’t get dragged into arguments that distract from your key message.
Be positive. Nobody likes negative messaging. Don’t slag off your competitors; it's all about what you can do.
Nurture your sales pipe. You may be ready to cry ‘freedom!’, but to convince enough people to get on board a more softly-softly approach is needed. It takes time to convert people to buyers. In politics as in business.
Know your audience. Some you win, some you’ll never win. Focus effort on those who are likely to buy-in to your thinking rather than wasting time on those that never will. But don’t ignore existing customers in the process!
Integrate your marketing. From data, to strategy, to messaging and communication channels a sophisticated, well thought-out campaign will win out over a scattergun approach.
Sing from the same hymm-sheet. Make sure that everyone involved in your campaign is on board with your communications strategy. There is no room for weakening of the messaging. Or rogue lone wolves.
Of course, in the name of fairness, I should point out that the above tactics are as likely to help the No campaign as the Yes one.
But there's no questioning where Marketecture's resident Scot's loyalties lie.
