The Democratic Society

The political sellHow to make the case for innovation in political organisations

Slides from a presentation at UK GovCamp London, 23 January 2010Co-presenters Steph Gray and Paul Clarke

THE

DEM

OC

RATI

C S

OC

IETY

http://www.demsoc.org

Who are you pitching to?

Politicians?

or o!cials?

THE

DEM

OC

RATI

C S

OC

IETY

http://www.demsoc.org

Know your organisation

• Who’s the “green light person”?

• Whose voice does that person listen to?

• What messages will appeal to them?

THE

DEM

OC

RATI

C S

OC

IETY

http://www.demsoc.org

Use the right words

Community

Self-help

Civil societyEmpowerment

Savings

Civic

Neighbourhood

THE

DEM

OC

RATI

C S

OC

IETY

http://www.demsoc.org

Use the right evidencePoliticians don’t trust Politicians trust

O!

cials

trust

O!

cials

don’t

trus

t Voters they canvass

Central Gvt(in local gov)

Thinktanks

Big companies

Statistics

Political partyLocal Gvt

(in central gov)

Councils undertheir party’s control

Councils underanother party’s control Good narratives

THE

DEM

OC

RATI

C S

OC

IETY

http://www.demsoc.org

Know your audience’s prejudicesThe net isdangerous Only the

middle classesuse the net

Online politicsis extremist and

unrepresentative

THE

DEM

OC

RATI

C S

OC

IETY

http://www.demsoc.org

Challenge the fears

• It will cost a lot

• There will be porn

• People will say bad things about us

• We will be sued

THE

DEM

OC

RATI

C S

OC

IETY

http://www.demsoc.org

Presentation by Anthony Zacharzewskifor the Democratic Society, January 2010

ajz10@demsoc.org | @anthonyzach