OK, let’s talk about the election. Stop! Don’t click away — we’re not talking candidates. Through the years, we’ve had more than a few of our B2B tech clients ask for PR and marketing recommendations during an election cycle. Yes, there are big opportunities, especially if a candidate is proposing a policy that directly impacts your business, industry or customer base. It’s a great chance to share your insight with a wider audience. But it also provides the opportunity to step in something warm and squishy.
The TL;DR recommendation is this: Be super careful. Here’s how.
Add value to the conversation
No decision flowchart leads you to a zero-risk probability. But if you have smart people to say smart things, the possibility of a good outcome increases exponentially. The key is keeping the “E” in SME in mind. Your experts’ comments must be grounded in a ton of knowledge and crystal clear. They don’t have to know every detail of a larger topic, but their area of expertise must be beyond reproach.
Comment (super) carefully
In most situations, we recommend being a neutral analyst on topics related to the election. The goal isn’t to sway voters — it’s to demonstrate expertise and offer unbiased commentary. For example, if a potential policy would impact your industry, your SME should lay down the facts and offer anecdotes that show how the proposed policy will affect stakeholders. It’s important that the expert stay away from “good or bad” commentary, but instead offer an objective prediction based on his or her own professional experience. It also helps if your expert shows data that backs up any assertions — this further removes the possibility of perceived partisanship.
Take publication bias into account
You must consider the potential political bias — or perceived political bias — of a news site before moving forward with an opportunity. Even if your SME is completely neutral, his or her mere appearance on some sites could give the impression of partisanship — especially if the publication or channel is widely perceived to lean toward one side of the aisle. In this case, as the saying goes, the juice may not be worth the squeeze.
Do media training
If you’re going to comment on the election or policy-related topics, it is smart to conduct media training first — even for a seasoned SME. Every statement could be scrutinized, and your spokesperson has to go into a media opportunity with a clear understanding of what to say, how to say it and, most importantly, what not to say. Most reporters aren’t going to offer you the chance to review an SME’s quote or its context ahead of time, so statements have to hit the mark as they come out of the expert’s mouth.
Corral your “media mavericks”
It’s great when you have a spokesperson whom reporters reach out to directly. However, you have to ensure that your SMEs understand and follow the process. We’ve had a few situations when a client pops up on a media alert because an SME took an interview without giving anyone a heads-up. Your SMEs should understand that every media request must be directed through PR or marketing to ensure that it’s the right opportunity and uses the right spokesperson. And this protocol takes on even greater significance during a national election cycle — it only takes one out-of-context quip to initiate a damage control exercise. This is why we recommend email interviews when given the option. These allow you to control the message from start to finish through a series of reviews.
Keep social media top of mind
This is a really good time to review your employee social media policies and make any necessary changes. Of course, remind the staff of these policies to ensure that they are using their channels in a manner that keeps everyone out of hot water. For your company’s social media, keep a close eye on emerging events, and edit/remove scheduled posts that may unintentionally appear insensitive based on the current news cycle.
Avoid product launches or important news
Pushing out product news the week before, the week of or the week after a presidential election should be avoided for two specific reasons. First, there will be a lot of noise to break through, and this could lower your chances of getting the attention you’re hoping for. Second, during such a divisive and emotionally charged election as this one, putting out a product could be seen as tone deaf or insensitive.
Trust your PR and marketing gut
Participating in opportunities during an election requires a lot of thought, preparation and hyper-focused judgment. Being 100% certain that moving forward makes sense doesn’t guarantee a perfect PR and marketing outcome — but the reward may be bigger than the potential risk. However, if there’s any doubt at all, pass and move on.
Coordinate with HR
Political statements and actions go outward and inward, and politics can be extremely personal and private. There may be some boundaries, rules of engagement, or other HR or legal concerns that marketers may not be fully aware of. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
This isn’t an easy time, as we navigate the minefield the coming weeks will bring. If you have more questions or would like to chat about how we can help solve your most pressing B2B tech PR and marketing challenges, let’s talk!
