Kerry guys please stop the hard sell

[vision]

Many here are disappointed.

Many here are not quite convinced of the "electablity" of Kerry.

Of course as a Kerry support you are convinced of this and are excited, great kudos to you.

But if you want help, if you want the support and encouragement of those of us who have originally looked elsewhere, than stop the hard sell.

Those that have been in retail or sales know what I mean. To get the consumer in the door, and voters of all stripes are consumers, than you usually have to do a soft sell. Emphasize what is right about your product, show all bells and whistles of your candidate, point out the added features. This is the soft sell.

Now is time for the soft sell. Come convention time the hard sell can start but right now it is more likely to turn off those consumers.

48% of those able to do not vote. The other 52% are consumers looking for the best deal. To win you need at least 50% of those that do vote. To put you over the top you can either
a)get another 3-5% of those that don't vote to vote
b)convince those that do vote to buy your guy

Seems simple but it obviously is not. Stop insulting those that you want to win over. Those on the left are quite likely to choose voting for Kerry, but they need the soft sell to convince them. I doubt that most would go out insulting those professed Dems that voted for Bush last time and expect them to change their mind. And yet insults of those on the left are expected to get results?

Please if you really want me and probably others to support Kerry wholeheartedly than stop with the hard sell. I like the nice posters on the stores windows but I have not picked up the product yet. :) Get me in first and than I can but your product.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

1. If you don't want to hear supporters of Kerry sing his praises

I don't know what you are going to do. It is going to hard for you to avoid for the next 8 months.

[vision]

15. The sing praises is not the problem

it is hitting everybody else on the head that is. Post positive things all you want that is soft selling and can work.

[meegbear]

2. They have to do the hard sell

because posters keep whining about him. I'll bet they'll stop it if the others do.

[NNN0LHI]

3. I think you may be on to something? n/t

[Nashyra]

7. Amen

As disappointed as I was that Clark did not get the nomination I went with supporting Kerry much easier because the Kerry supporters were less durogatory towards Clark. I can see where a supporter will hard sell his candidate when his candidate is knocked, especially now that he will be the nominee. If the Kerry bashing disappears then the hard sell will to. That is not to say that constructive critisism is not justified, and it will be wise to remember that Kerry is now being directed by the whole of the Democratic party and their advisors and advisors from other campaigns, so not all the popular or unpopular messages will be entirely his own. He needs to represent a wide range of voters now. KWW Kerry Will Win

[littlejoe]

17. There is a lot of truth to that.

[quinnox]

4. No selling here

I don't know what you mean, but I don't think there is selling going on. Just some excited and enthusiastic Kerry supporters pleased about their candidate and looking forward to the big dance.

Nothing wrong with that.

As far as I know, having these feelings is perfectly ok even if you aren't a Deaniac. Though sometimes I wonder.

[HFishbine]

5. Reminds me of last night's Apprentice

Yeah, okay, I'm fascinated by crappy TV.

Last night's episode saw the juxtaposition to two sales strategies. One from a guy who thought he was a hell of a salesman because of his shear force of will; the other approach was to get to know your customer and appeal to what turns him or her on. Kerry's smart enough to know which approach wins votes, even if some of his supporters don't get it.

[vision]

19. If you get the customer interested

Than you can try and sell the product. Myself I apperciate the soft sell, and being in retail I know that it works. It is also what keeps the consumer coming back.

Yeah the hard sell can win some over but it will also makes others feel taken advantage of. I rarely go back to somebody that has hard sold me something without a little soft selling first.

[Crachet2004]

6. I have already been disappointed three times...

In a perfect world, for me, it would be DK. Then, given my background, I would have to support Gephart. But when Howard became frontrunner, I became a little attached to what I saw there!

So now I am a Kerry supporter! Because that's reality.

I just don't want to be disappointed this Fall!

[el_gato]

8. come 2005 I would rather be spending my time

complaining about Kerry rather than complaining about bushco

[DuctapeFatwa]

9. I would add truth and accuracy in advertising. 1) Kerry is a product.

He is a product that his supporters believe can beat bush.

What Kerry does is put the status quo into nicer words.

He is not Che. He is not a socialist, or a leftist or an ideologue.

He is a shrewd politician with an exceptional talent for oratory.


2) Don't change your sales pitch.

If Kerry is elected, the crusade will continue.

Medical treatment will still be a commercial product.

The value of a day's labor will still be below the price of a day's survival.

These are all the reasons Kerry supporters have been insisting that he is electable.

Your credibility is not enhanced by trying to tell people who supported other candidates anything different.

The goal you have chosen is to replace bush as spokesoaf, not change your government.

3) Take a tip from Kerry himself. He has been in the politics business a long time. He is not knocking himself out to get the votes of the "left wing fringe" or rural southerners, or the poor.

Kerry is one of the best there is at appearing to be on both sides of every issue, but no politician can be all things to all people.

Kerry does not need the votes of the poor, or rural southerners, or people for whom bush's policies are as abhorrent, if not more so, than bush himself.

4) Don't waste your time. Go after the votes of people who will be satisfied with a different head on the screen and some very visible cosmetic changes.

The goal, after all, is to beat bush, not his policies. Again, that is why Kerry has received the support he has, and why his supporters were pushing him last week.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. Are you actually FOR anything? what? or are you anti-everything?

Many here at DU believe that you are wrong to believe that no good will come from electing John Kerry as president instead of George Bush.

But assuming for the sake of argument that you are correct - what conclusion do you draw from your beliefs? What course do you recommend in favor of, since you are recommending against the course of supporting Kerry?

[DuctapeFatwa]

11. This particular thread is about marketing as it applies to candidates

Why not show your respect for the person who started this thread by starting a separate one if what you wish to discuss is "what many here at DU" think about whether I am right or wrong or my beliefs?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

12. What are you FOR? You are against Kerry, we get that.

Are you in favor of anything? Are you advocating for anything, or is your sole purpose here to attack Kerry?

Just wondering.


I can understand that you may wish to disguise your intentions, however, I would like you to reveal them.

Why are you unwilling to do so?



Btw, I reserve the right to speak freely about the subjects I choose to speak about, using the manner of expression I choose. If you don't like reading what I have to say, you have the option of ignoring me. :hi:

[RichM]

13. The best sell for Kerry: "We admit he stinks, but he's better than Bush."

That's the ONLY appeal that could conceivably get me to vote for this disgraceful sellout in November - and even then, only if the race is terribly close, and only after much vomiting & holding my nose.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

14. Well, that's why no one should spend any energy trying to convince you

of anything.

[sangh0]

16. I guess you didn't get the memo

Feanorcurufinwe, the proper response is to get on your knees and beg him to do what we all know he won't do. You see, agreeing with those who hate Kerry is the best way to convince them to vote for Kerry, even though they will never vote for Kerry

[littlejoe]

18. Cease fire!

[mzmolly]

20. I totally agree.

It's actually a disservice to Mr. K....

[BruinAlum]

21. I've always been behind Kerry since before Iowa. I'm not going to dumb it

down now waiting for others to catch up while they get over their disappointment with their own candidates losing.

While I do have some compassion for the disappointment felt by others and I'm not doing anything to rub it in, this is not my first election and I think some people are taking this far too personally.

In every primary it always comes down to ONE candidate and I have not always picked the eventual nominee, but I didn't resort to tantrums or feel as though my best friend just died a tragic death either. It's all part of the process and the will of the majority prevails. I always support the Democratic nominee in the end. Period.