Assignment 2: Project1 – The Pitch

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DUE: Friday 9/11

Create Your Pitch

Each Team should create create a post on the site that outlines your pitch for the Project 1: ‘Get Out the Vote Campaign. (For details about how to create a post and upload images to this site see instructions in the OpenLab help sections: Writing a Post, Adding a link to a post, and Adding Images. ) Make sure you categorize your post under ‘Student Assignments.’

Plan to present your post to the class this Friday 9/11/20. The class will serve as your ‘client’. You should all have access to the post and be able to collectively edit it. You can upload related images and links that support your research. Please make sure your pitch addresses the following details. Each team will need to persuade the class that they have:

1. Defined a specific target audience for this campaign backed up by research. This should include a detailed analysis and description of you targeted community (demographic). This might include: where they reside, age group, interests, lifestyle, socio-economic situation, daily challenges, concerns, etc.
2. Proposed a clear and appropriate messaging. This should include:
   • research as it relates to the ‘Get Out the Vote’ campaign. For example: what does this community need to know/understand as it relates to voting; deadlines, registration, mail-in ballots vs. in person voting?
   • research as it relates to your target community. For example how does the messaging apply and relate to your chosen communities needs, challenges or preferences? For example: could there be language barriers? could there be obstacle’s related to transportation, childcare or health concerns that might prevent someone from voting in person?
3. Defined a clear vehicle for delivery of campaign. How can the messaging be delivered consistently (in addition to a printed poster) to your chosen community from different venues? I.e. Social media, interactive, direct marketing, media pitch, TV commercial, etc.

Six Additional Tips

1. Focus your message – clear messaging:

• Define the problem. What is the problem? Define it. 
• Define the solution. How does your solution address the problem. Pain a clear picture of your target community and the challenges they face as it relates to voting—how is your proposal uniquely qualified to solve these challenges?
• Market Size/Opportunity. How many people are within your community?
• Competitive Advantage. What makes your messaging better? Stronger? What sets it apart? 
• Competitive Landscape. For our purposes you might ask what contradictory messaging might your community be facing in regards to going out and voting? Apathy? Disenfranchisement?

2. Use numbers and data to back-up your story

• Demographics? What details can your extrapolate about the community you are targeting? 

3. Pack an emotional punch

• Build on the data by creating a story and connecting emotionally to your community.
• When you’re pitching you want to appear passionate and well-informed, like you’ve done your research and know what you are talking about

4. Keep things focused and straight to the point

• What can only you deliver to this audience and how?
• Presentations should not be longer than 10-15 minutes.

5. Entire team should be involved in the presentation

• Split up presentation so everyone gets a chance to shine. Having multiple voices present a consistent solution makes pitch more convincing.

6. Make sure pitch looks great

• Organize the presentation in a logical order that helps to ‘tell’ your story: beginning, middle and end. 
• Use images that are impactful, relevant, and help reinforce your story.

3. Submit Your Work

Make a folder with your name on it and save your work as PDFs (all files should have your name on them) into the class Dropbox folder: >>Assignment 2 – The Pitch