Message Development

Inherent in all of Summit’s consulting is message development.  Whether it is a campaign for Congress or developing a script for fundraising, all campaigns require a focused message.

The key to any successful campaign is having a clear, concise message and ensuring that the target audience hears the message.  As such, the first step in our message development is a thorough consultation with the client, during which time we listen and internalize the client’s message.  The second step in our message development consulting is identifying the client’s target audience.  We work with our clients to tailor their message to their target audience.  This is an essential step to success – the message itself is not changed, it is simply recalibrated to reach the target audience in the most effective way possible.   Finally, we determine which mediums to utilize to ensure the target audience hears the message most effectively.  Depending on the client and campaign, we utilize direct mailings, network and cable ad buys, new media, and/or field efforts as mediums to deliver the message.

In political consulting, Summit understands the difference between a client’s message and his or her policy positions. Many campaigns are lost because this distinction is not clear.  Summit will work with a candidate to create white papers that state his or her policy positions, but that is the basis from which the message is derived, not the message itself.

Developing a clear and concise message and ensuring, through a variety of mediums, that the target audience hears the message is key to a winning campaign.  Summit understands this and considers message development to be the cornerstone of any successful campaign.