E-Strategies That Worked

There have been thousands of articles written, TV hours spent, and blog comments posted about what happened in the 2004 elections. But at the end of the day, what happened is very simple: The Republicans won and the Democrats lost. More "red" voters turned out than "blue" voters in the places where it mattered most.

But why did it happen? Let me offer a perspective on how the Internet helped to decide the outcome of this election.

(Full disclosure: I am a Democrat, so it pains me greatly to write what follows - that the Bush campaign and the Republican Party outmaneuvered the Democrats in key areas, and at key times, during this past election cycle.)

The Internet played a big role in this election cycle. But Web sites and e-mail did not replace traditional methods of political involvement. Voters still needed to meet their candidates face-to-face and feel comfortable with their style of leadership. The media successfully balanced the need for breaking news stories with long, thoughtful profiles and in-depth analysis of key issues.

And each campaign still sent direct mail, aired television ads, made get-out-the-vote phone calls, held rallies, and granted interviews to generate favorable media coverage. This election was decided on the ground. The Republicans had a better-planned and executed effort to deploy volunteers to get out the Republican vote. And they used online tools much more effectively than the Democrats to get out the vote.

Back in June, President George W. Bush's campaign unveiled "Your Virtual Precinct," a tool that allowed Bush supporters to set up their own "precinct" of friends and family across the country to contact others on behalf of the president's campaign, and a peer-to-peer network designed to help supporters "spread the word about President Bush's record of accomplishment by sending letters to undecided voters in target states." The system even offered users the ability to download a walk list, complete with map and directions. Using this system, the Republicans were able to identify potential supporters, and then leverage the time and energy of their volunteers most effectively in seeking them out.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry's campaign certainly had its advantages online - fund-raising in particular. Both national campaigns successfully took full advantage of the fundraising opportunities online by quickly and inexpensively conceiving of, writing, delivering and then watching as their efforts generated significant returns. Kerry's campaign raised 60 percent of its contributions through its Web site, many from first-time donors making small contributions.

During the final week of the election, the campaign continued to send out fund-raising messages - nearly twothirds of the messages Democrats received from the campaign asked for a contribution, while only 30 percent focused on getting out the vote and just 14 percent focused on issues or current events. In contrast, of messages the Bush campaign sent during the final week, only 8 percent focused on fund-raising, while 38 percent focused on getting out the vote and 54 percent focused on issues.

The Bush campaign created a direct line to their supporters to ask them for what was most imminently needed: votes and unity on issues. The Kerry campaign sent as many messages, but asked for something far less urgent in the final days leading up to an election: money.

In messaging also, Republicans seized the opportunities online much more effectively than Democrats. They had compelling, timely and well-delivered messages that both attacked and defended against attacks, and reinforced their overall campaign messages and themes.

The Democrats, meanwhile, passed on most opportunities to deliver messages online in a targeted way - to people reading the newspaper online or perusing a health carerelated Web site, for example. The Bush campaign was said to have as many as seven million e-mail addresses in their database, compared with just 2.5 million for the Kerry campaign. But the numerical advantage alone did not deliver a victory for the president. Republican campaigns simply made better use of their audiences.

The Internet has created new opportunities for political campaigns and organizations to communicate better with their supporters. A strong Web presence and strategic use of e-mail and other online tools allows campaigns to reach supporters, donors, volunteers, and the media more effectively. These online tools must be incorporated into the overall strategy of an organization and used as a key extension of everyday activities to maximize the benefits.

Remember, Web users are not like the target audiences for television and direct mail, and they need to be approached differently. The Internet is an effective tool for educating and energizing subscribers or supporters. But if you look at it only as a tactic for raising money you are missing out.

[Author Affiliation]

Brian Reich is a strategic consultant and director of Boston operations for Mindshare interactive Campaigns (www.mindshare.net). He writes regularly for Campaign Web Review (www.campaignwebreview.corn) and National Journal's The Hotline about the impact of the Internet on politics and campaigns.