I MAGE M ARKETING

2.4.1 Priceless Image¹⁰

Chang Yong-chen’s, 1993 “Non-profit marketing, Campaign practice” states that fine business image is an invisible asset and has priceless value for businesses. Any business owning this priceless value is like a goose that can lay golden eggs. It will continue to generate profits. Significance of image in non-profit institutions or political competition is the same. Political parties or politicians with bad images will be forsaken by voters. On the contrary, political figures with fine images will win the long-term support and trust of voters. However, political figures need to win the recognition of the majority of people after long-term selfless efforts and contributions.

10Business image: Chang Yong-chen, 1993, “Non-profit Marketing: Chapter of Practice of Election Campaign”, Taipei City, Yuang-Liou Publishing Co. Ltd.

pp.110-115

Fan Yang-song also pointed out in 1993 that the identification of the image of candidates continues to be updated, including: election organization of competitors, controlling process and encouragement method of election teams, marketing method of candidates, leadership analysis of competitors, organization of decision-making team, and vision of the election assisting team. All of these are the points that candidates will pay attention to when carrying out promotion and image management.

11 During the second legislature election, Hsieh Chi-Ta was elected in Hsinchu City.

As a woman candidate, she did not have the backing of a political party, or ballot allocation. She did not have the support of a consortium, party faction or even any election experience. Under these circumstances, she defeated two other KMT candidates during a fierce election. What she had been “imaging”? Therefore, as we said before, image is priceless for candidates. From the ballots received from candidates, it is obvious that voters in Hsinchu emphasized “image”. Therefore, they cast their sacred votes to Hsieh because of her “fresh image” and “clean morality”.

2.4.2 Achievement-Orientation

Growth and sustainable management of businesses depend mainly on the trust and support of customers. Of course, whether or not the merchandise quality and service quality provided by businesses will satisfy customers will serve as an important factor for repeat orders, requests of purchasing and sharing this information with others.

The same principle will be applied to election campaign. Voting behavior of voters is like the purchasing behavior of merchandise. The quality and service of political parties or election candidates depend on the support of voters. If Kaohsiung City Councilor would like to run for re-election, “political achievements” will serve as the best tool to win the support of voters. As long as there are such achievements, most voters will recognize the efforts of candidates and cast their votes once again.

2.4.3 Opinion Poll

The definition of marketing is “to satisfy customers and create market”. The first step is “to understand customers and know the market”. The major way is the well known market survey. By the Deductive method and analysis from the information collected by market survey, businesses can grasp the needs and satisfaction of potential customers, as well as the market scale and competition to evaluate their own

11 Image positioning: Fan Yang-song, 1993, “Analysis and formation of strategy on competitor”, pp. 26-27

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). At the same time, marketing variants, strategy, and tactics will be set based on the conclusions perceived. Market survey applied in the election campaign is called “opinion poll” or

“opinion survey”. “Opinion poll” is an election prediction tool based on objectivity and science for countries on the track of democratic politics. It is also an inevitable tool for making policy and understanding policy implementation. With the advancement of survey skills, other than some exceptions, its precision is as high as over 90%. However, Taiwan's opinion polls usually display pre-assumption or conclusions before they are conducted. Fair and true results will thus hardly be obtained. Its accountability has engendered many disputes and questions. Therefore, it should be done cautiously. However, its function and value cannot be denied.

Caution needs to be paid when applying it to strategic planning. When Hsu Guo-tai was running for re-election for the third time, his election think tank launched the first wave of opinion polls in August and hired two experienced marketing experts to set four goals: (1) Understanding the fame and popularity of candidates; (2) Finding the satisfaction of voters toward the political achievements of candidates; (3) Finding the condition of ideal legislators of voters; and (4) Collecting the issues of concern to voters as reference for policy and promotion. Two opinion polls were conducted. After cross analysis, young voters, especially laborers aged 20-30, had the lowest preference satisfaction. In the first and second promotion, contents were focused on policy and achievements. Starting from the third promotion, the requests of laborers and the new generation became the focus, such as “tax reduction, opposing land reform, welfare state and establishing housing on constructive land.” Several “Nights of Youth and Labor” were held, and he thus won the election.

2.4.4 Internet Marketing

The internet is regarded as equal to mass media, television, magazines and media in terms of advertisement. Generally speaking, communicating with stakeholders via technology can effectively save printing and mailing expenses. In 1998, the results of Poll Online of Harris Interactive showed that 21 out of the 22 American election polls were correct.¹²

Marketing is a process combining the concepts of creativity, merchandising or service

12 E-Questionnaire Research: E-marketing, Fan Wen-chan, 2002 Judy Strouss, Raymond Frost, 2001. Taipei City, Chi Sheng Publisher

to create trade and satisfy the needs of individuals or organizations by delivering, promoting, setting the price, planning or implementing the concept. Sales people first of all propose the marketing project with 4P. After it meets the needs of customers and marketing units, it will be carried out. Internet marketing influences traditional marketing in two fields: (1) enhancing efficiency of traditional marketing; (2) technology of internet marketing transforms marketing strategy. Compared with traditional method, it is faster and cheaper without mailing expenses and the salary of interviewers. To sum up, internet survey has the following advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages Disadvantages

Fast and reasonable price Sample selection/generalization Global users and minority of internet

surfers can be the targets of opinion poll

Pre-assumed prejudice Computer key-in to reduce mistakes Uncertainty of respondents Honest answers to sensitive questions Rude and dishonest replies Everyone can reply or those who are

invited and protected by password can use it

Repeated sending

It is easy to make a chart of electronic data

Steep increase and decrease of learning curve

Table 2-1 Advantages and disadvantages of internet market survey Source: Fan Wen-chan, Internet Marketing, 2002

Integrated marketing communication (IMC) by internet means the entire set of media project, including: advertisement, promotion, public relations, direct selling, personal businesses, and other integrated marketing with profound impact on key customers.

Many internet marketing media will build up a data bank of customer satisfaction.

Personal web page (candidate blog) and email are the most suitable tools. Sending messages by mobile phone is the second choice. Whenever there is an election, all of us have the experience of receiving messages from emails or mobile phone messages from candidates. However, as of today, they are only utilized by teams of candidates and key customers who are good at using internet.