Political Leader Shortlist Pitch Tips
The UK system does not explicitly vote for a supreme leader. The default Prime Minister - foreigners long since ditching a monarchy claim de facto President - being head of political party winning the latest General Election.
This allows, encourages even, the mid-term 'refresh'.
Just such situation occurs right now.
Summer 2022 sees hustings between the final shortlist of two.
The electorate being the couple of hundred thousand or so of ruling party membership.
Enterprise Sales styles can permeate this run-off too.
And perhaps just like in this case, the result feels predetermined.
Both candidates were permitted to have a flyer accompany the snail-mailed ballot paper.
So similar in format were they that you conclude an official format was stipulated.
Yet whoever's side you may be on or not, I realised there are solution selling pitch takeaways for us held within.
I select a trio of ideas.
First up, messages extracted from the letter they write, inside cover left.
Text clauses form these bullets, five apiece
Rishi Sunak:
- our great country is at a crossroads
- this is about gripping the (cost of living) crisis
- this is a critical moment
- (Britain's) potential is limitless
- let's get to work
Liz Truss:
- the result (of the next general election) is in your hands
- clear vision based on (conservative) principles (of ...)
- I am known for getting things done when others said it was too hard
- these are serious times
- I love this country and I know that our best days are yet to come
This suggests quite the discipline. Can you construct such a quintet for your deal of the day right now? Take from both sets as a template, as they follow similar lines. Adapt for the situation at hand. When done, you'll likely have a new framework your prospect can embrace. One that through its absence, any competition will suffer from in comparison.
Next, we see a point of difference emerge. The third page.
One candidate chose to offer a chart.
Clearly aimed at what they perceive their trump card. Placed among glowing personal testimonials which, it must be said, reminded me of 80s/90s' football pools coupons ads.
Whilst the other plumped for another bundle of text.
Trickier to directly adapt on a draft Prop. Yet a 'blank space' under an exhortation to similarly listen could prove cute. The idea being to ask; 'what you'd like added'.
Lastly, the back covers. Each displaying their trident call-to-arms.
A giant QR code dominated Sunak's page. With this triplet squeezed underneath.
With a more bold threesome of Truss.
Which makes more sense on a bid?
The former appear more concrete. The latter sufficiently vague. You might argue it's a case of being authored one by sales versus the other of marketing?
Interestingly, if you can construct such a 1-2-3, then how more likely to prevail do you think you'll be?
And as general bonus extra, how about working with this final punch. As delivered in the accompanying cover letter, as written by the poll organiser;
There's only one candidate the country can't afford: Kier Starmer.
Readily remixable for us.
There's only one [option] [prospect name/role/situation] can't afford: [alternative route]
A template yielding such possibilities as around this status quo example;
There's only one decision you can't afford: going backwards by stay doing only what you've been doing.