As regular readers know, I\u2019ve never been a big fan of campaigns today relying so heavily on door-knocking and hard-to-organize\/hard-to-fill political rallies and events.<\/p>\n
The candidates I work directly with have campaign plans that rely heavily on mail (but not the kinds of lame mailers most campaigns do) and have focused on the fundraising necessary to pay for it.<\/p>\n
So when the coronavirus hit bigly a couple weeks ago, they weren\u2019t caught flat-footed.\u00a0 They were already set up to not rely on \u201cfree\u201d direct human contact, even six feet away<\/p>\n
Everyone else is now scrambling.\u00a0 Many in a panic.<\/p>\n
Now, if you have a robust social media presence, you\u2019re better off than others.\u00a0 But never forget\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cLikes\u201d and \u201cFollows\u201d and \u201cRetweets\u201d ain\u2019t the same as votes.\u00a0 Just ask Andrew Yang.<\/p>\n
And as I write this, I can tell you something else\u2026<\/p>\n
As marketing legend Robert Collier put it so long ago, you should \u201center the conversation already taking place in the customer\u2019s mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
And nobody gives a damn right now about anything EXCEPT<\/u> the coronavirus.<\/p>\n
As the New York Times reported this week, \u201cuntil the spread of the virus slows, there is likely to be little interest in the presidential race, and even less in state and local races.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the moment,\u201d the Times notes, \u201cthere effectively is no campaign of any consequence to voters who are consumed with their family\u2019s safety and well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n
So now\u2019s not the time to be talking about your plan to return the country to the gold standard.\u00a0 Or any other non-coronavirus issues.<\/p>\n
That includes phone calls, virtual meetings and mail.\u00a0 If you can\u2019t tie them into coronavirus \u2026 you\u2019re doing it wrong.<\/p>\n
Michael Joyce of the Republican National Committee reported this week that \u201cthe pandemic hasn\u2019t slowed campaign phone calls, but it\u2019s flipped the script.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCoronavirus is now the main focus,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cVolunteers ask voters about their health, federal resources and actions the president has taken.\u201d<\/p>\n
This environment is going to last at least through the end of April.\u00a0 During that time, don\u2019t try to force your non-coronavirus issues on voters.\u00a0 You\u2019re just going to piss them off.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a time and place for everything.\u00a0 And the time to get back to \u201cregular\u201d campaigning \u2013 at least message-wise \u2013 will return in May.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, stay safe.\u00a0 Stay well.\u00a0 Raise hell.<\/p>\n
Cheers.<\/p>\n