$6.6 Billion Messaging Strategy
Mar 02, 2023
Here is the strategy I used to pass a $6.6 billion bond measure with 86% voter approval - and how you can replicate it for your social media messaging.
In 2018 a Bay Area park district needed to get the word out that a 20-year bond needed to be renewed.
The Problem:
- We needed to do a ton of education around the what, why, and how the money would be used. Messages were all over the place!
- At the time people were voting no on any tax - regardless of what it was for (a fire station 20 miles away was closed due to voters, not funding)
- The price tag of $6.6 billion over 20 years seemed unreasonably expensive at first glance
- This was not a new tax - we needed people to know they would not be paying anything more, only continuing with a current tax
The Solution:
- We listed out all the benefits and did public events to get feedback on priorities
- This became our focal point for messaging
- Next, we created our main message for the website
- Then, we boiled that message down to a single phrase
We combined the benefit + the simplest cost per household:
"Measure FF - wildfire prevention and open space preservation for only $12 a year - without increasing taxes"
"Measure FF - wildfire prevention and open space preservation for only $12 a year - without increasing taxes"
We used a few variations of this phrase and added photos of public priorities to our ads to help convey this message.
This did five things:
- Brought the most critical need to the forefront of the messaging (wildfires are a huge threat to homeowners in the East Bay Hills)
- Gave a clear value-to-cost ratio
- Focused on the benefit to the homeowner
- Clarified that this was not a new tax
- Linked to a webpage with more details for those looking to learn more
How you can replicate this for your business:
- Have a message that is simple and clear
- Pair with photos and videos that support that message
- Don't try to educate on every single piece of your offer
- Don't guess at what your clients want, test and do the research
- Do focus on benefits and transformation
- Do celebrate what makes you and your offer unique
- Do stay consistent in that message to build trust and understanding
Using this same system with my clients is how I am able to increase sales by 30-50% in just a few months.
