Policy and Positioning: Game, Set, Match (Cecile Richards at the DNC)

I must admit that I did not watch any of the coverage of the RNC 2012.  I realize that I should be more politically-minded prior to making such a big decision but I had a few reasons not to watch.

1. I already am 100% sure which way I am voting.
2. I hate to get all riled up before bed.
3. There was an NCIS marathon.

I had not intended to watch any of the DNC 2012 (just to be fair) but the promise of Cecile Richards, Sandra Fluke, and most importantly the Foo Fighters had me at hello.

Cecile Richards spoke Tuesday night and gave, in my opinion, a great speech. During the following commentary, I realized not only was it great because I believed in what Cecile said but because she'd set everything up perfectly.  She gave the facts, she gave the human touch, she incited a little fear, and she rallied us at the end. There were some great takeaways in her speech for us fundraisers as authors of marketing materials and donor communications.

Cecile was introduced by Libby Bruce, a PP patient and supporter who spoke of the great care she received as a patient.  During her speech Cecile spoke about policy but she humanized the policy by referring to Libby and the stories of several other patients who were in need of the services offered by this organization.

As mentioned, after she spoke and they went to commentary the CNN folks said that Cecile had perfect set up in her speech (light bulb for me). The commentator said she spoke about the policies and politics and she humanized it by positioning the organization with stories about the real people in need of real services. I also thought she gave a strong call to action to get out and vote in terms of the positioning. You can see Cecile Richards speech here.

The way Cecile and the organization garner support for PP through her speeches, emails, and mailings is full of this aspect of policy and positioning.  It's a great method for communicating what they do.  And it's great for any organization.

I recently wrote about the Shelter's inclusion of a note within the August newsletter.  What Cecile did in her speech is what I had hoped to achieve with the note - that balance of information and humanizing the issue.  I wanted people to know the hard numbers, what we'd been doing, and what we had yet to do but also to hear about the real people who were, with the help of this organization, getting keys to open their doors. Then we make the ask - the call to action. 

There was a lot we could take away as good fundraisers from watching the conventions, particularly about how we communicate. I think, for me, though while Clinton and Michelle gave excellent speeches and many others rallied the crowd tremendously, Cecile's speech stood out for me because it reinforced many of the good direct mail/communications concepts I learned at PP. 

To look at the specifics - this is one paragraph from her speech, which states the policies that have come about this year but also puts a little bit of fear into her audience.
"Two years ago, when John Boehner, Paul Ryan, Todd Akin and the Tea Party took control of the House of Representatives, they promised to create jobs and jump-start the economy. But, instead, on day one, they came after women's health. And they haven't let up since. They voted to end cancer screenings and well-woman visits for five million women, end funding for birth control at Planned Parenthood, and for good measure, they even tried to redefine rape. And now, Mitt Romney is campaigning to get rid of Planned Parenthood and overturn Roe v. Wade. This year women learned that if we aren't at the table, we're on the menu. So this November, women are organizing, mobilizing and voting for the leaders who fight for us."

Now the humanizing aspect.
"Women like Libby Bruce, the patient you just heard from. Women like Brandi McCay, a 27 year-old whose stage two breast cancer was caught at a Planned Parenthood health center. She is now cancer-free. Or the woman who went on Facebook, after Paul Ryan voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and posted, "I guess they don't understand that us military wives go to Planned Parenthood when the doctor on base can't see us.""

And the call to action...

"So, this November, we're going to keep moving forward, and we are going to re-elect President Obama."

Game, Set, Match, Great Job Cecile!