How to get support for innovation in political organisations. Slides from a presentation at UK GovCamp, January 2010

1. The Democratic Society
The political sell
How to make the case for innovation in
political organisations
Slides from a presentation at UK GovCamp London, 23 January 2010
Co-presenters Steph Gray and Paul Clarke

2. THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Who are you pitching to?
Politicians?
or o cials?
http://www.demsoc.org

3. THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Know your organisation
• Who’s the “green light person”?
• Whose voice does that person listen to?
• What messages will appeal to them?
http://www.demsoc.org

4. THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Use the right words
Civic
Community
Savings
Neighbourhood
Self-help
Empowerment
Civil society
http://www.demsoc.org

5. Use the right evidence
Politicians don’t trust Politicians trust
THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
Central Gvt
O cials trust (in local gov) Councils under
their party’s control
Statistics
Councils under
another party’s control Good narratives
Thinktanks
Voters they canvass
O cials don’t trust
Big companies
Political party
Local Gvt
(in central gov)
http://www.demsoc.org

6. Know your audience’s prejudices
The net is
Only the
THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
dangerous
middle classes
use the net
Online politics
is extremist and
unrepresentative
http://www.demsoc.org

7. THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY Challenge the fears
• It will cost a lot
• There will be porn
• People will say bad things about us
• We will be sued
http://www.demsoc.org

8. THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY
Presentation by Anthony Zacharzewski
for the Democratic Society, January 2010
ajz10@demsoc.org | @anthonyzach
http://www.demsoc.org