Getting the Message Right to Garner Support for Legislation

The project We were asked to test various messaging concepts and determine what, if anything, would cause voters to approve a proposed referendum.

The work We determined that a two-month field test would yield enough information for the stakeholders to determine how to proceed. The first step was to develop a target market of 5,000 likely voters that represented a cross-section of the population. We then established a baseline for the research by determining pre-campaign views on various issues related to the referendum. Once we established the baseline we then conducted a "mini-campaign" with the test group receiving mail, live phone calls, door knocks and campaign literature with various messaging. The group was then tested again at the end of the effort. Each group was tracked over the test period and results were broken down to show strengths and weaknesses that should be addressed.

The results Based on the findings from the test group, the stakeholders were able to produce a potential budget for the proposition campaign, determine what election cycle worked best for their effort and use the data for fundraising efforts. This matter is ongoing.