I’m currently in a discussion with a group of inexperienced political activists. Somebody asked for talking points to use in a deep Red county. The suggestions offered have run the gamut from genuinely helpful to virtually guaranteed to start a fistfight.
Reading some of the suggestions, it becomes pretty apparent that some folks have never worked sales in a retail environment, and they don’t know that going door-to-door or setting up a booth at a fair or whatever is retail campaigning and as such retail strategies apply.
I’m a rhetoric nerd and as such. I think about things like how to make an argument that resonates…probably more than the average person would consider healthy. In “wholesale politics” using mass media, like tv ad buys and such, negative messages work because the message isn’t personal, therefore no ill will is generated towards the messenger. In retail, person-to-person interaction it fails because the negative message gets attributed to not only the subject of the negativity, but to the person delivering the message. After all, nobody likes a gossip.
In general person-to-person political advocacy is a conversation, not a speech and as such, conversational skills will get you farther towards a positive outcome than skilled speechifying. Positive outcomes in a conversation come from positive messages, active listening and generally creating good will. Negative messages just make you Steven Crowder.
I can hear it now, “who’s Steven Crowder?” There’s a popular meme photo of a dude behind a table with a sign reading”(Insert unpopular half-baked right-wing idea here). Change my mind.” The dude behind the table is Crowder.
Steven Crowder looks like he gets the better of everyone he talks to mostly through the power of deceptive editing. (It’s a common tactic.) I’d bet that if we got the unedited files from his “change my mind” stunts, there’d be a lot fewer big wins on his part and a lot more acrimony generated — which is never what you want if you’re trying to get a message out.
Of course, Crowder is little more than a troll. He’s not looking to change minds, he wants to “own” people in debate so he can rack up a tally of wins only he and his followers care about. He doesn’t care if people hate him, but if you’re in retail political advocacy, both you and your candidate want you to be as likable as possible.
So, don’t be Crowder. Listen, empathize, deal with people’s genuine issues… don’t try to score points. Retail advocacy is not about winning and it’s not about making deals with people, it’s about establishing relationships with people to display your side’s inherent humanity.
Humanity and humility will win a political race easier than scoring points against the other side ever will.