Repairing the Illinois Republican Party's Brand Name

t should be clear to anyone that follows Illinois Politics in least that the Illinois Republican Party is in pretty bad shape when it is losing elections in districts that it should be easily winning and in which President Bush carried over 50 percent of the vote in previous years. An imprisoned Governor, a string of poor showings and candidates in statewide elections and bad decision on the part of the state leadership have left the Republican brand name in Illinois badly damage and the Republican Party should take a few ideas from marketing to help repair it’s brand name.

Product Differentiation- The Republican Party needs to present a clear well thought out alternative to the Illinois State Democrat Party, not a mushy mixed of slight differences between the Republican Candidates and the Democrat Candidates. We need to present a clear vision and set of policies based off personal freedom, small government and reduced government spending, pro-economic growth, government reform and anti-corruption. The Republican Party is at its best when it is the party of ideas and that what we need to return, not running on platform of being slightly better than the Democrats. We need to make it clear that we will not tolerate any kind of corruption on the part of Republican candidates and office holders.

Market Segmentation- The Republican Party needs to do a better job of identifying different voting blocks and then tailoring it message to address the concerns of those groups. After identifying different voter groups and their needs we Republicans need to find ways to package our message so that it appeals to these voters’ needs and problems and show them that our policies will give them a better opportunity to improve their lives. This does not mean pandering to different groups of voters as the Democrats and many Republicans do, but showing people how our policies can help them help themselves, not trying to buy them off with more government programs that do not work or help them. Like a business can have the best product in the world but if can not find a way to make it appeal to different groups of consumers they will not be able to sell it, the same goes for political parties, they can have the best set of ideas and policies in the world, but if you can not package them in a way that appeals to different groups of voters they will not be able to get their candidates elected.

Advertising- This does not just mean campaign ads during elections season, but it means getting candidates, potential candidates, and Republican volunteers out into the public and communities all of the time. Having volunteers and when ever possible, particular in local elections, candidates walking precincts so that voters can see them face to face and talk with them. Having local Republican leaders attend community events and gatherings not to push political agendas at them or troll for votes but to establish connects and ties to people with in the community that may pay off in future elections.