If I got a nickel for every time then VA Gubernatorial Democratic Candidate Creigh Deeds tweeted about being stuck in traffic, I'd be a millionaire. I couldn't stand his tweets leading up to the election:
"Back into the afternoon routine. Soutside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes keep me smiling and dialing,"
"Behind school buses near Buffalo Gap. Van Morrison keeps me company."
"Back on the road. The Who will provide the sound for awhile then will flip to some Dead."
According to the Washington Post, candidate Creigh Deeds saw twitter as a benefit to his campaign in the following prioritization:
"First, he said, he's trying to help the younger generation "understand their musical heritage, educate them a little bit... Second, he's trying to win [the Gubernatorial election]."
Really, man? Really?
That's it. I'm calling in the Geek Squad.
My friend Jeremy Epstein has published a New Media strategy titled "Dandelion Marketing". For this post I focus on twitter. Why the Dandelion?
The dandelion’s objective is to create really low-cost seeds that can be spread to as many places as possible and thereby maximize growth and the chance for future survival.
The 6 core pillars of the Dandelion Strategy are:
- Know the Commander’s Intent
- Everyone Is In marketing
- Brand: Feel Over look
- Agile marketing development
- High Fault tolerance
- Rapid Feedback loops
I cover two of the pillars, along with some choice tough love words from me for #twitterfail candidate Creigh Deeds.
1. know the Commander’s Intent
Jeremy recommends that you #1 job is to instruct your team about the ultimate goal of your
efforts.
Creigh Deeds failed in this regard, thinking it more important to give his 2,500 followers music tips in the heat of an election more than honing his electoral strategy. Subscribers to political candidates need to be bombarded at every opportunity with the overall message of a campaign, a message that is consistent. This is not just so that they can receive the message and file it away, which leads us to...
2. Everyone Is In marketing
Jeremy's 2nd rule of thumb is that everyone in the organization (regardless of role or title) must be empowered to act as a marketer and do it rapidly.
In order to ensure that your members can spread your message through innovative mediums and methods of their own, they need a consistent message to embody and then push out. They may change your message slightly, or even eventually convince you to change it yourself, but a candidate has the responsibility to give direction.
Mr. Deed's #twitterfail during the elections was a minor symptom, but symptom nonetheless, of a larger incohesive campaign. I sure hope future VA Democratic candidates embody the 6 pillars of the Dandelion Marketing Strategy.
Disclaimer: I put this together partially for a class assignment. We're trying out different new media methods to get people to visit Jeremy Epstein's piece.