Lessons from the debate: Staying on message but not making a point
If there’s one thing we learned from the presidential debates is that both candidates are tenacious about staying on message. During the Town Hall performances you had to appreciate their ability to continuously drive home key points; as PR practitioners it’s a practiced ritual to rehearse over and over with spokespeople before throwing them to the media hounds.
However, as a voter, watching McCain-Obama II was at times about as exciting as, uh, listening to politicians stump. In their dogged determination to drive home a policy position or debunk the other candidate, there was a fundamental failure to present solutions for what ails Everyday Americans - especially when these everyday folks were standing in front of them and asking the questions. The candidates stayed on message but failed to make their point clear.
The takeaway for PR professionals is apparent: spokespeople have to deliver key messages but in an engaging manner that also addresses specific lines of inquiry. It’s not good enough to simply regurgitate a presentation finely tuned within the corporate office confines. Rather, spokespeople have to think on their feet, engage with (as opposed to lecture) media, and convey messages that build to a relevant, understandable story. Most importantly, spokespeople have to answer questions posed by the media, and convey how/why their widget is a game changer.
There’s not need to travel to the four corners of the earth or figure out if your insurance policy covers hair transplants. Just answer the question.
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