A Recipe for Authenticity in the Age of Skeptics.
Authenticity is more about being believed than it is about being liked. It’s rooted in character and sincerity. In politics, you can be the most passionate and charismatic candidate. But if you don’t come off as authentic, you’re sunk. Which leads to a hard truth. Today’s electorate is more skeptical than ever. Which makes establishing authenticity more difficult than ever. (But also, more important.) Skepticism makes establishing authenticity an uphill battle.
One of the best parts of working at The Guerrilla Politic is that we only represent candidates we truly believe in. And we’re happy to say that we’re in no short supply of inspiring progressive leaders. We’ve met so many men and women who have either chosen to put their record of service up for review or have bravely put their private lives on hold to run for office. The more we get to know these people, the more we believe in them. The question is, how do we convey authenticity to skeptical voters? After the last few years, our guess is that the same old approach isn’t gonna cut it.
Here’s our recipe:
START WITH VIEWS & VALUES.
It may sound obvious but getting a skeptical voter to believe in you starts with giving them something to believe in. In other words, you need to let them know how you feel about things, where you stand on issues, etc. If you already know what you want to say, great! You’ve made our job easier. But if you’re not sure, it’s best to wait and think it through. Hastily pushing out a message can easily come off as forced. With our years of communication design and branding experience, we’ll work with you to craft an authentic message grounded in your views and values.
ADD HONESTY, EMPATHY & REALISM.
The public has gotten good at spotting a fake. (Wonder how that happened.) It’s important to be upfront about yourself and always tell the truth. Be proud of your accomplishments but don’t try and hide your humanity. Let people know that you can see more than one side of an issue. Show them you can appreciate other people’s experiences and perspectives. Finally, don’t sugar coat reality or over promise anything (like a wall Mexico will pay for).
BE YOURSELF.
Don’t try so hard. If you’re a geek be a geek. If you’re passionate be passionate. Tell a story. Cut through with a bit of self-deprecating humor if that’s your style. Talk about where you stand and tell your story. But don’t oversell yourself. Say what you mean, unapologetically, without a second thought or fancy packaging.
AND DON’T FORGET.
Relatability is always important so you should always be, you know, nice. Be sure to tailor the content, messaging and tone to appeal to your specific audience. Don’t try and be the next Shakespeare or Abraham Lincoln. Just be you. If you’re authentic, people will get it. Contact us today, and we’ll help you with the rest.
