Staying on Message Should Be Obama's "Top Priority"

According to the latest poll numbers, Obama's popularity has taken a tumble. His approval numbers are only about 40%, with his disapproval numbers over 50%. The average American has lost confidence in the President's ability to improve their lives.

But how did this come about? After all, his campaign inspired millions and independent voters flocked to him. What brought about this decline?

The factors are many, but one of the most damaging has been his inability to stay on message. And by message, I mean his "Top Priority."

President Obama has often declared that improving America's economy is his "Top Priority." Unfortunately, he has also said that the following issues are ALSO his "Top Priority." (Thanks to CBS news for compiling the info):

• FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS: "...that's something that's going to be a top priority." (4/27/10)



• ENERGY SECURITY: "And that's why my energy security plan has been one of the top priorities of my Administration since the day I took office." (4/28/10)



• EDUCATION REFORM: "To train our workers for the jobs of tomorrow, we've made education reform a top priority in this Administration." (2/24/10)



• STUDENT LOAN REFORM: "This is something that I've made a top priority." (2/1/10)



• EXPORTS BY SMALL BUSINESSES: "This is going to be a top priority." (12/3/09)



• HEALTH ASSISTANCE TO 9/11 FIRST RESPONDERS: "I'm not just talking the talk, we've been budgeting this as a top priority for this Administration." (2/3/10)



• END HOMELESSNESS AMONG VETERANS: "I've also directed (Veterans Affairs) Secretary Shinseki to focus on a top priority: reducing homeless among veterans." (8/17/09)



• HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS: "Our top priority is ensuring the public safety. That means appropriate sheltering in place or if necessary, getting as many people as possible out of harm's way prior to landfall." (5/29/09)



• H1N1 FLU VACCINATIONS: "And throughout this process, my top priority has been the health and the safety of the American people." (5/1/09)



• SUPPORT FOR MILITARY FAMILIES: "These military families are heroes too. And they are a top priority of Michelle and me. And they will always have our support." (5/30/09)



• STRENGTHENING TIES WITH CANADA AND MEXICO: "We're going to make this a top priority..." (10/16/09)



• CONSUMER PROTECTION: "During these challenging times, the needs of American consumers are a top priority of my Administration." (2/11/09)



• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: "So this is going to be a top priority generally improving our environmental quality." (11/5/09)

By constantly touting different "Top Priorities," the President is sending conflicting messages to the American people. One one day, his "Top Priority" is the economy, but then a few days later those same voters hear him say that his other "Top Priority" is Student Loan reform -- this doesn't exactly inspire the average voter, or give them confidence that either issue is a priority.

This "Top Priority" mess could easily have been avoided if Obama's team had kept him on message. For example, if the president had spent six months focusing on the economy instead of pushing through health care legislation; I'd be willing to bet that his approval numbers would be higher -- and the economy might even be performing a little better.

Dictionary.com defines "top" as: :the part of anything that is first or foremost." Unfortunately, with so many issues occupying the top of the priority list the voters now think that their livelihoods are on the bottom of the priority list. However, their "Top Priority" will be seen this November.

Marketing and PR, It's all about the message...

Many people don't understand that marketing and public relations are essentially the same thing. It's all about finding a message that resonates with the targeted market. Whether it's an advertisement (expensive) or an article (less expensive), it's a waste of resources unless the message strikes a chord with the audience.

A recent Wall Street Journal article by Christina Binkley, details how high-end salespeople are now being trained to add a very emotional message to the sales pitch. My analysis below references the article: How to Sell a $35,000 Watch in a Recession, Christina Binkley, WSJ, Page D6, July 23, 2009.

Luxury goods in the U.S. are not exempt from the recent economic downturn. This includes luxury watchmakers. This past May sales fell 42%, from the same time last year, according to the Watch Federation. And few are feeling the pinch as hard as IWC Schaffhausen.

After years of double-digit sales growth, the IWC Schaffhausen store in Beverly Hills has decided to increase sales, and is now re-training its employees in the skills of marketing and sales. And to do this, they’re brought in sales consultant Jean-Marie Brucker.

Mr. Brucker has been a salesperson for quite a while, and over time, has moved up from selling Xerox copiers to become a chief executive of Pole Luxe; a Paris-based luxury consulting group. He is now teaching the salespersons how to sell when times are tight.

One of the first things he did was to change the vocabulary of the sales force. “Price” has been replaced by “value.” And when giving the value of the product, the salesperson is now supposed to sandwich the value between emotional characteristics. For example, instead of saying “This fine timepiece is $10,000, would you like to try it?” the salesperson is supposed to say, “This timepiece comes from our finest workshop and it has a value of $10,000. If you buy it, your children will enjoy it for generations to come.”

Salespeople are also appealing to emotion by suggesting a “Sorry gift.” This is when a customer is encouraged to buy another timepiece, this time for their spouse, so that they won’t be in as much trouble for spending several thousand dollars on a luxury item.

In addition, Brucker has insisted that an additional salesperson distract an accompanying wife, so that the initial salesperson can spend as much time as possible to close the sale with the husband. This is a marketing technique used by casinos in the 1950’s. In an effort to keep the male players at the tables, casinos invested in slot machines, so that the wives would stay occupied and wouldn’t encourage their husbands to leave.[1]

The last way Brucker is assisting in sales is by comparing the new product, to the customer’s current watch. When a customer enters and wants to see a watch, the salesperson will take the customer’s current watch, and place it between two brand-new sparking watches. The current watch will typically appear dingy, dark, and less shiny than the new ones; thereby encouraging the customer to buy a new one. It’s subtle, but it apparently works.

As Brucker puts it, “You’re selling pure emotion.” This certainly has its advantages in a down economy, as it’s hard to put a monetary value on emotion. However, these sales techniques are not just relevant for those who sell watches, or even just luxury items. By appealing to emotion, and making the customer feel welcome, all salespeople and marketers can learn from Bruckner’s techniques.

[1] History of Slot Machines, SLOTS.cd, http://www.slots.cd/history-of-slot-machines.html, 24 July 2009

PR 101: Lesson 8: Make sure your TV shot backs-up your message

Below is a video I ran across after Thanksgiving 2008. It shows then Alaska Governor Sarah Palin giving a television interview. That's good.

She's giving the interview to a local station after she did the ceremonial pardoning of a turkey before Thanksgiving. That's good.

While the interview is being conducted, turkeys are being culled directly in the line-of-sight of the camer. That's NOT good.

I've always taken pride in the camera shots I line up for my Principals. Whether it's a seated interview with a bookshelf in the background which has a well-placed logo, or an inpromptu on-camera interview for a gubernatorial candidate, I ALWAYS make sure the shot isn't distracting, and is complimentary to the interviewee and the topic.

Heck, even as a volunteer when I organized a press conference for Mecklenburg County Commissioner Karen Bently -- I didn't let it begin until the appropriate flags arrived AND I arranged them properly in the camera shot.

It's just basic image management -- and is essential in this day of "Viral Videos" when a bad shot can last indefinitely.

As a communications professional, I am offended that somebody was getting paid to do her PR. The sad thing is that all they needed to do was move 10 feet to the left, and closer to the pen, and they would've had a shot with happy living turkeys, and NO slaughtering. Quick and easy.