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Health Care Messaging & Persuasion Workshop

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Agenda for Today:

I. Why Health Care Persuasion

II. Our Message: Health Care Reform

III. Tying it All Together: Structuring Your Conversations

IV. Practice

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What is our ultimate goal, and how do we achieve it?

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Persuasion is a key part of our “Voter Contact Phase”

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Strong support among Women is critical to our success nationwide

Women consistently represent a majority of the electorate

Support among Women dropped significantly in 2010

2004 2006 2008 20100%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%54%

51% 53% 52%

Source: CNN 2004 and 2008 National Presidential Exit Polls, CNN 2006 and 2010 National Congressional Exit Polls

2004 2006 2008 201040%

50%

60%

51%

55%56%

48%

Women as % of the electorate Democratic support among Women

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Health Care Reform is a central point of confusion for Persuadable Voters and women

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, November 2011

Sample: n= 1,209 adults

So far, would you say you and your family have personally benefited from the health reform law, or not?

Yes No0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

11%

85%

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Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, November 2011

Sample: n= 1,209 adults

Do you feel you have enough information about the health reform law to understand how it will impact you personally, or not?

55%No

44%

Yes

Voters are uninformed about the Affordable Care Act

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Support for the Affordable Care Act increases dramatically when we convey our message and provide information

Source: BSG Poll #2328, July 2011

Democrats Independents Undecideds0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

% Supporting health care law after messaging

Sample: n= 800 voters in the 2008 presidential election and likely 2012 voters

92%

73% 74%

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Women most want to hear from women like themselves, which is why women-to-women outreach is effective

Women like yourself

Your husband or other men in your life

Teachers

Your local newspaper

Your minister or pastor

Michelle Obama

Firefighters and police officer

Nurses

Ann Romney

None

Preferred Source of Information

In addition to the candidates themselves, here are some people you might hear from as the election gets closer. Which are you most interested in hearing what they have to say, choosing your top two: [Multiple Response]

*All figures on this slide are only of women respondents

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The Challenges We Face:

What is most intimidating about persuasion calls to other women?

What has worked as you’ve engaged friends and neighbors in persuasive conversations?

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Typical Approaches to Challenging Persuasion Calls

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Our Health Care Message is based on the President’s Middle Class Values

Contrast: President Obama refuses to go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power. He’ll continue to stand up to Republicans working to take away benefits and protections that are already helping millions of Americans.

The President believes

• Affordable health insurance you can rely on is part of the middle class bargain

• Americans who work hard and pay their premiums should have the security that comes with good health care

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Women are most persuaded when we emphasize benefits that are life-stage specific. Which benefit you?

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Medicare(65+)

45-64

26-44

18-26• Remain on parents’ health insurance until age 26• No more charging women more than men

• Free preventive services in Medicare – like mammograms, colonoscopies, and free annual wellness visits with your doctor

• Closing the “doughnut hole”

• Free preventive services like birth control pills and cancer screenings

• No more caps on the amount of care covered• No discriminating against women with pre-existing

conditions

• No more charging women more than men• No more caps on the amount of care covered• Insurance companies can’t cancel your insurance

because of small mistakes in your paperwork

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There are four steps to having a meaningful conversation tapping into shared values and related POTUS accomplishments

Acknowledge and relate: Validate the voter’s concern. Listen to the voter and find common ground on things they care about. This is a chance to use an aspect of your personal story.

Values: Bring the conversation to the value that you share with the President, and connect that value to the voter’s issues and interest

Pivot to Accomplishments: Shift to a POTUS accomplishment that impacts the voter and links to the values discussed above

Contrast: Draw the appropriate contrast with the Republican candidates on those values or issues– what would happen if Republicans gained office?

PROBE

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Practice