You may have heard the adage: was Napoleon a product of his times, or were the times a product of Napoleon? In 2024, political copywriters find themselves asking similar questions.
“Does my client support Trump? Should I invoke the name of Trump to boost my fundraising copy? Should I try to write in the style of Trump? Will unsubscribes skyrocket if I mention Trump? Will engagement skyrocket if I mention Trump?”
But in reality, donors don’t give to Trump because he’s a businessman, billionaire, or Republican. His unprecedented success was always his ability to say plainly what his voters were already thinking. There is no sugarcoating, no beating around the bush, and no legalese.
The truth is: all of these questions are extraneous. This is good news for good, conservative copywriters. It means we can stop asking the Trump question.
“What was the most shocking thing my donor base saw on the news today? What was the biggest challenge my audience faced this month? What kind of language makes me feel small? What kind of language invokes my ability to make a difference?”
When these are the questions we’re asking ourselves as writers, our copy is going to become more genuine and more authentic, which as Trump has proven — is what matters when it comes to raising money. Whether you’re writing for a Republican challenger in a purple district or a longtime incumbent from the Bible Belt, your mission is to get in touch with your audience and say it like it is.
Here are three different pieces of copy, “written” after a fictitious vote on H.R. 363:
Example 1 – Candidate Centric: “Today, I voted in support of H.R.363, the Second Amendment Protection Act. It’s my duty to protect the Constitutional Rights of Americans, and I am proud to have done that this afternoon. Please make a contribution to ensure I’m able to keep up the good work in the future.”
Example 2 – Conservative: “Today, 214 gun-grabbing politicians called your Constitutional Rights into question – and voted AGAINST protecting your 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. Will you join me in holding them accountable for betraying the American people?”
Example 3 – Moderate: “Crime and unrest aren’t just problems of big American cities anymore, you and I live in increased danger every day thanks to the failed policies of partisan politicians. It shouldn’t be up to them – it should be up to YOU. Will you join me in ensuring your Constitutional Right to protect and defend your family is preserved?”
Making it all about the candidate, as in example 1, is often a mistake of those trying to create space between themselves from Trump. It’s unnecessary and unrelatable. This is the stage where writers might throw up their hands and say, “Well, I just can’t bring in the money without invoking Trump, it’s not my fault.”
But example 2 and example 3 convey the same message as example 1, but they have nothing to do with the candidate and everything to do with the recipient of the email.
As writers, this is our job. To know our client, to understand our audience, to put ourselves in their shoes, and then to write a tailored, relevant message that resonates.
You don’t have to quote Trump, or even mention his name, but you do have to learn from him: Writing puff pieces is never going to pay the bills.
Quinn Huckeba, head copywriter at Politicoin and RNC alum is a Marine Corps spouse currently stationed in Hawaii with her husband and two daughters.
