Better to promise less and do more - Prof. Lees-Marshment to politicians

With the 2020 General Elections around the corner, Political Marketing Expert, Prof. Jennifer Lees-Marshment has advised that politicians are better off promising less and delivering more to succeed.

According to Prof. Lees-Marshment, campaign seasons are periods where politicians try to woo voters through various ‘unrealistic’ assurances which they are unable to fulfil in the end.

She averred that “empty promises only lose the trust of voters which is bad for democracy.”

The world’s leading expert in the field of Political Marketing was speaking at the Vice-Chancellor’s Occasional Public Lecture at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The emergence of political consulting industry in other parts of the world, according to research, has contributed to job creation, enhanced the work balance of politicians and contributed significantly to nation’s GDP and democratization.

Hence, the event was organized to initiate a national conversation with key stakeholders on how Ghana can broaden the democratic dividend through effective political management.

Lecturing on the topic ‘The Emergence of Political Marketing and its Impact on Democracy’, Prof. Lees-Marshment stated that Political Marketing involves components like researching, strategizing, organizing, communicating and then delivering.

However, delivering shows that politicians promise the earth and create promises they cannot fulfill once they are in government.

She explained that “Politicians can’t build houses in a day and transform infrastructure or transport at short notice. So if you want voters to be repeat customers and if you want them to vote you in again, it would be much more wiser if you reduce your promises down and make sure they are actually deliverable.”

In an interview with www.ghanaweb.com, she added that candidates who have the confidence of voters are likely to get the license to do more ambitious things in their second term.

“So it’s actually better off promising less and delivering more and succeeding and then voters will vote for you again,” she said.