June 25, 2006 at 1:16 pm · Authored by Ewan · Filed under SMS

I just posted a long rambling viewpoint on the state of UK political parties and the medium of SMS. 

I looked up a ‘connecting with your electorate’ thought-piece that we wrote way back in 2003 and sent to anyone who would listen to the possibilities of using the medium of text to help connect and engage local and national politics.

Unfortunately and perhaps rather ironically, no one was listening!   Ergo, I’ve decided to go open source and publish the text here in the hope that it might be useful to someone, somewhere.   It’s a bit salesy at times ("Neo One…blah blah blah..") but I the ideas and text could still be useful to someone. 

Although we no longer actively market the service drop me an email if you need any anecdotes or viewpoints based on our experience.  As for the text, feel free to cut and paste away.  If you do manage to implement any of this, please send me a note so I can blog it here!

Interacting with your electorate
Last month, almost 2 billion SMS messages were sent by the UK’s mobile-obsessed population.  SMS or “short-message-service” (also known as ‘texting’) is a facility found on every mobile phone which enables messages of 160 characters to be immediately transmitted to any other mobile handset.  Messages are addressed by using the mobile phone number of the recipient.

It is clear to see why SMS usage has caught on and continues to transcend expectations.  It’s immediate – messages are delivered in seconds; it’s personal – messages are delivered to your handset carried on your person, not a post box or email account; it’s unobtrusive – a telephone call interrupts a meeting whilst an SMS message can be read without interruption; it’s cheap – at around 3 pence per message; it’s international – SMS messages can be sent and received worldwide; and finally: it’s two-way – the recipient has the ability to reply to the message thereby allowing users to conduct conversations with each other.

SMS or “mobile” is now an increasingly important communications medium and must not be ignored by the UK’s political bodies.  SMS is widely acknowledged as one of the most popular communications mediums for the 18-30s demographic, coincidentally one of the most politically lethargic segments ever seen.

Organisations are struggling to comprehend the true power of the medium as almost every communications strategy is one-way.  The marketing and communications industries are expert at devising fantastic one-way ‘broadcast’ messages but are absolutely hopeless at managing replies from users.

For example: a sportswear company might send the following text message to 5,000 potential customers:

“Check out the newest range of ACME trainers – in all good sports stores now (RRP £90).”

If the users were profiled correctly, many of them may well appreciate receiving the communication and some may well act upon it.  Marketers view this type of direct messaging as the ‘holy grail’ as they can guarantee their message is received and at least reviewed by their target audience.  The point of failure is in the return-path.  Since the SMS medium, by its nature features a reply facility, customers regularly write back to the messages they receive.  For example a response to the above sports offer might be:

“Hi, thanks for this.  Can you tell me where I might buy a pair of ACME blue trainers? I can’t seem to find them anywhere and your stockists were not helpful.”

Multi-billion pound companies are brought to their feet by a single message such as this from a consumer.  The consumer is expecting a quick and accurate response. The same flexibility and immediacy of the medium that enabled the company to send a message direct to the handset of the consumer applies also to the sender.  Most companies are consistently failing to comprehend this concept.  Indeed, many ensure that their outgoing SMS communications do not have a return address – because they don’t have the infrastructure resource in place to respond to hundreds of SMS messages per hour.  They’ve no idea how to interact with their customers through the medium.  They don’t have the technology to facilitate it.  Nor do they have the expertise to manage it.  Neo One has both. 

Neo One’s CitizenConnect service is a communications platform aimed at Members of Parliament whose remit is to function as an intermediary between their constituents and the corridors of power.  Politicians are expert communicators – it’s a job requirement.  You can meet with your MP to air a grievance, ask for support or solicit advice.  You can write to your MP.  You can fax – and if you’re particularly lucky, you can also email your MP.  But can you ‘text’ your MP?

In order to send a text message to your MP, you’d need to know their mobile phone number.  While an MP is a public servant, it is unrealistic to expect or demand that an MP’s mobile phone number be made public.  However, constituents should still be able to communicate with their MP (or the office of the MP) via SMS. 

CitizenConnect offers the facility to easily create, respond to and manage all SMS communications from constituents.  It requires little training and no additional software or hardware – only a computer with access to the internet.  Each instance of the software is allocated a real mobile phone number (for example, 07797 80 68 11).  This number is virtually attached to the CitizenConnect platform.  SMS messages addressed to the number are routed directly to the CitizenConnect web browser console.  To view the message, one simply logs onto the CitizenConnect service with the correct username and password.  SMS messages appear in a list much like email messages would in Microsoft Outlook, whilst reading and replying to messages is just as simple.  Outgoing replies are routed via the Neo One SMS gateway directly back to the constituent.  Replies are affixed with the relevant MP’s SMS number as the originator to enable the constituent to hit the ‘reply’ function on their mobile handset to send a reply back to the MP.   

Utilising the CitizenConnect platform opens up a previously unavailable medium to MPs. It enables them to offer an alternative and more convenient communications method for their constituents and represents a phenomenally powerful marketing resource come election time. 

The following text illustrates examples, suggestions and marketing insights for a Member of Parliament seeking to use the medium of SMS to communicate with constituents.

Publish your SMS number
Once you’ve adopted this technology as one of your chosen methods of communicating with your constituents, you must tell them about it.  Place your SMS number where you publish your contact details: -
•    Leaflets, mail drops
•    Websites (party website, personal website, House of Commons website)
•    MP directories
•    On the footer of all electronic messages
•    On all stationery
•    Business cards
•    All press releases
•    Journalists should be encouraged to include the SMS number in any stories, where relevant.

SMS “Coming Out” Party
MPs can generate substantial publicity by conducting interviews with local press to publicise their new SMS facility and demonstrate that they are doing their utmost to move with the times and actively interested in listening to constituent viewpoints.

Talk about your constituents
As constituents begin to send in SMS messages, the MP will begin to develop a large, flexible and compelling resource from which to draw upon.  The real-time nature of SMS enables constituents to provide (or be asked to provide) their views immediately.  So if an MP is questioned by a reporter over a particular vote, the MP is able to reply “Well, I’ve already received 200 SMS messages of support from my constituents this evening and this demonstrates…”

Or alternatively, “Well, let me respond to your question with a point that one of my 19 year old constituents made to me yesterday….”

CitizenConnect generates content that MPs and their political agents can easily integrate into news stories and use as qualified and persuasive support for particular viewpoints.

Track issues and opinion
It’s essential for an MP to be at the forefront of the argument and to be fully informed prior to entering a debate.  CitizenConnect is a great way of tracking previously undiscovered issues or opinions often before they arise in the media. 

Develop an opinion panel
It is important to respond to incoming SMS messages from constituents swiftly and reliably.  As part of the response, it may well be appropriate to ask: “As you indicated an interest in this issue, would you be interested in joining our opinion panel?”

If the user responds positively, add them to the relevant opinion panel SMS mailing list.  The next time the MP needs the perspective of his/her constituents, simply send a broadcast SMS message to all those on the opinion panel mailing list.  Response rates are high, immediate and incredibly valuable. 

Real time voting
Once SMS opinion panels are formed, it is possible to conduct quick polls which can be tremendously influential for an MP’s position.  For example, the MP could send out the following message: -

“What’s your view on the Government’s Referendum plans? Are you in favour? Reply YES or NO to give us your opinion.”

“YES” and “NO” tallies can be displayed real-time on the CitizenConnect platform, providing invaluable and immediate insight into the perspectives and feelings of the MP’s constituents.

‘Touch’ constituents – increase votes
Since SMS is an easy and familiar method of communication, it represents a fantastic way of reaching out to demographic subsets who would not ordinarily participate in the political process for a number of reasons. By offering to communicate via a medium familiar to them, the MP is able to be seen to be actively listening – personally – to each and every constituent.  If a 25 year old sends in a text message asking for the MP’s view on crime, the MP’s political agent or assistant can compose a suitably appropriate response.  The personal nature of SMS will ensure the memory of this successful communication with the MP is retained and that the MP is remembered as one who took the time to listen and respond. 

SMS is a fantastic method of reaching out to thousands of constituents without the overhead of physically interacting with each.

Call to action
SMS is well suited to informing constituents of upcoming elections and reminding them to cast their votes.  It’s also useful for organising protests – “Come and show your support for your MP Mr Smith as he campaigns outside Sainsbury’s this afternoon…”

Communicate with the party faithful
SMS is an efficient method of communicating with many people simultaneously. For example, during elections it is important to target the right areas for face-to-face visits by activists. CitizenConnect can be used to send out updates to hundreds of activists in different areas of the constituency.  The updates may contain a formal response to an issue by an MP; or perhaps a new policy initiative which might encourage turn-out.

It may not just be party activists on the mailing list – there should be a separate SMS mailing list containing the mobile numbers of all local and interested journalists.  Should an issue arise a statement can be sent to the mailing list immediately.

To find out more about CitizenConnect, talk to Hetty Browne at Neo One.

June 25, 2006 at 1:04 pm · Authored by Ewan · Filed under SMS

This is a long post.

I have no political affiliation.  I once went to a Conservative party meeting in Chelsea (it was a business thing, they were interested in our texting services).  I arrived at the event straight from business meetings and was thus sporting the brightest, sharpest pinstripe Saville Row could muster.  My business partner Hetty was similarly dressed.  Almost immediately we were accosted by some Conservatives (or ‘Tories’) in their thirties. 

‘Are you Tory?’ one asked.  The congregation of about 6 of them waited, holding in their breath, to get my answer. 
‘Not at all,’ I responded.  Each of them drew in a little more breath, some eyes widened.
‘But, you’re.. er… a business man?  At a Tory event?’ one asserted.
‘I’m a Capitalist,’ I responded, then modified that to, ‘Caring Capitalist.’
‘Ahh so you are Tory then!!’ exclaimed one relieved and clearly excitable young lady with huge teeth.
‘No,’ and then I qualified this by explaining that I felt ‘They’re all [political parties] as bad as each other’.

Put someone like the British equivalent of Jack Welch in charge of UK Government.  That’d be good.  We’d all get an efficiently run, thoughtful and caring service run to a set of agreed objectives and principles on all levels. 

The real issue I have is that it doesn’t matter what I think or believe.  It doesn’t matter what ideas or thoughts I have.  What matters is that party A, B or C gets into power and then tries to stay there as much as possible.  At the last election, there were 5 different candidates standing for the local election as councillors.  None of which I’d met.  None of which came to the door.  None of which gave a hoot about my thoughts. 

I think there was a leaflet shoved through the door by the Labour Councillor.  I noticed that it was devoid of all mention of Tony Blair (as advised and architected centrally) lest that tar the councillor with a national political brush.

There’s probably a local council thing I can go to.  Some dusty hall, somewhere.  That doesn’t work for me though.  I don’t interact that way.   I don’t want to sit and listen to people on the elder side of 50 debate whether the local fishmongers should be allowed to install double glazing.   Time is precious.  I have Sky+ (’tivo’) so that I can record the odd TV broadcast that is relevant to me.  Rarely do I ever watch anything live.  I have better things to do.  Life has moved on, the pace of life has changed.

Talk to me by email, blog,…. or text.

A few years ago in 2003, I began to get really, really annoyed that the political process in this country is limited to screaming at people in town hall meetings or watching political figures participate in stage managed television appearances. 

The grass around the town I’m currently living in needs cut.  It’s been left to grow knee high in some places.  Somebody fix it.  Who do I speak to?   I am not phoning the local council.  I’ve done it a few times.  A faceless jobsworth civil servant takes my call, transfers me through various departments where half the time, people are out at lunch, on fact finding trips to Jamaica or busy in ‘meetings’.  Eventually I leave a message with a clock-watcher who’s annoyed I’ve phoned at 4:58pm as they were already meant to be out the door. 

The issue is connecting with responsibility. 

Almost every single one of us in Britain has a mobile phone (according to the over saturation statistics).  Why can’t we text (or email) enquiries to our local councillors and get an immediate or quick response?

That would re-engage me.  I’d participate in the local and national debates.  IF I thought that a) someone was listening and b) that my participation could well have an effect.

Every house should have a little business card stuck on their Refridgerator containing the text number of the local councillor for their ward or area, the text number of the local MP and a national text number for national related issues and enquiries.  (Similarly with email — but I’m focusing here on text since it’s much more immediately available to everyone than email).

If I have an issue at 2am in the morning, I should be able to fire off a question to my local councillor and get an answer by 10am the next day.  That would make me feel engaged. 

On the other hand, this would give a proper mandate to those representing us. 

e.g. "I’ve had 400 texts from people in the town this morning complaining about the noise in the High Street last night."

Far more immediate.  Far more relevant and direct.

So it was with this view in mind that I worked with my colleague Hetty and crafted an array of mobile services for political parties here in the UK.  I wanted to help empower and engage and use our experience of managing and delivering communication between a wide array of participants via mobile. 
I was excited at the potential to actually play a part in changing the way politics is conducted for the better.  Text messaging represented the first time entire local or national communities could quickly, easily and cheaply voice opinions.  You didn’t need a £500 computer to join the debate.  Nor did you have to be constrained by time or location (to turn up to meetings). 

We met with as many MPs and political people as we could.  We emailed and phoned to get meetings.  We eventually connected with people right up the top of the Conservative party (hence my Chelsea experiences) but Labour was a fortress of "no", "sorry, no" and "errrrrrr no we don’t do that" whenever
we tried to get meetings.  Liberals had nothing to say to us.  The Green Party’s email system didn’t seem to like us.  So we focused on the Conservative party.   

The Big Conversation
Conveniently, the Labour Government had just launched it’s ‘Big Conversation’ (see BBC News article or the Internet Archive link) intended to engage the country in discussion.  I was excited at this because there was a text option.  Click the image to the left to see it in more detail.

I was scandalised by the fact it cost people £0.25 PLUS the cost of a standard rate text message (i.e. £0.35) to send a text to the service.  Outrageous!  There was no excuse.  Why should the Government be making revenue on opinions sent in?   The Big Conversation got some headlines and then disappeared from view.  Unfortunately I think that’s exactly what it was designed for. 

So we pushed ahead talking to the Tories.  I met up with their chief election strategist, a pleasant chap.  I explained the concept around the services we were offering.  He got it immediately. 

I’m paraphrasing now - he said something like ‘how do we get the mobile numbers and their permission?’  I was astonished that they didn’t have some sort of data capture strategy in place.  I discussed how I thought mobile numbers could be captured with permission — engage people on a local and national level, I said.  Challenge people to communicate with you — and then be absolutely 100% fantastic at responding and listening.  We can help with that bit.  Make sure you respond to every text message with an immediate acknowledgement ,I said.  Then follow it up with a personal response within the hour or within the day.  Demonstrate to people that they can have a personal dialog with you. 
Alas they had to use their funds for other purposes and we never managed to do anything with them.

I was agog. Shocked.  I thought political parties were smart.  I thought they’d have been loving the concept of using text to cut out mainstream media.

In fact, our trump card for converting politicians to texting was phenomenal.  At least I thought it was.  Here it is:  If you know a newspaper is planning a hatchet job on a candidate or the party — and you invariably know a few hours before the paper is distributed — you could use text to send a message to 500,000 people letting them know about the hatchet job and setting the record straight, … BEFORE they read the newspaper.

I thought that was extremely powerful.  I was expecting some political party somewhere to get this.  I was expecting someone, somewhere to say ‘right boys, 20% of all our expenditure is going on texting and blogging — this is the future of engagement’.

But no!  Once or twice I saw a few politicians use text messaging.  Here’s a PDF (link) about Tony Blair and London Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes using texting.

They just didn’t get it.  For some reason they seem to think that getting-people-to-text-you is a good thing.  It’s not about the number of messages. It’s the medium and the engagement.  It’s what you DO with the messages.  How you respond.  It’s a personal medium.  I text you.. I expect you to respond.  I don’t expect a ‘Thank you for your text please vote for me’ reply.  I expect to become part of the dialog and conversation — no different than if I was sat in front of Tony Blair or Simon Hughes for five minutes.

If it was just Tony and I, … I’d ask a question. He’d respond.  I’d follow-up.  I’d ask more.  He’d engage me.  I’d engage him.  We’d get somewhere.   This experience has to be mapped to the medium of text. 

Still, three years later, the political parties together with national and local government just don’t seem to have a clue.

We don’t bother talking to any nowadays.  We can certainly still provide the services.  If anything, I think the opportunity to use texting is quickly disappearing — leaving in place a nation of apathetic citizens sharing the universal viewpoint: ‘They’re all the same’.