How to Inspire Voters

These tips from experts will help you find the right words to mobilize our voters and engage those who are persuadable

You have the power to inspire others to vote for Democrats. Every conversation is an opportunity. But to be persuasive, we need to frame discussions in a way that helps us connect with others, asking questions and speaking from the heart.

Below you'll find guidance from experts who use tested tactics that have been shown to motivate our base and reach the persuadable middle. While a long list of irrefutable facts might win in a debate team setting, the way to reach voters is via listening and storytelling.

Becoming a successful communicator takes practice – don't expect to get it right the first time.  But after you try the formula below, your influence on people in your network, people they know, and voters you meet will be far greater.

Four tips to help you inspire voters…

Tip 1: Connect. Start by sharing a value, not a problem

Conversations about politics often follow a familiar order: lead with problems, move to a solution, end with a call to action. Well, the problem with problems is that people don’t want more of them.

Instead, start with a positive value that you and the listener share. Discussions that open with shared values make people want to hear what you have to say.

Speaking from the heart opens a conversation instead of shutting it down with a laundry list of facts and concerns. Asking questions like, “What do you care about?” lets the listener know you want to hear them and engage, rather than preach.

Say: All of us -- even if we’re from very different backgrounds — want to feel safe in our neighborhoods.
Don’t say: Too many people in America own guns and that’s why we don’t feel safe.

Watch this short video to hear what it sounds like to share values instead of problems.

Tip 2: Name the real villains and their motives

When we’re discussing an issue, it’s important to name who is causing the problem, who is preventing us from moving ahead, and what their motive is.

Our opponents falsely claim that the villains are immigrants or “welfare queens” or China. We need to counteract these claims by identifying the real villains.

The real villains are the MAGA Republicans who are out of touch with the what the vast majority believe and desire. Their motive is to grab more power for themselves and wealthy donors, not to help Americans.

Villains to name:

  • MAGA Republicans who use our government to help a tiny group of super-wealthy donors.

  • MAGA Republicans who planned, paid for, and pardoned the January 6 attack where people died

  • Greedy corporations

  • Judges who take gifts from billionaires

Watch this short video to hear some examples of effective ways to identify the villains.

Tip 3: Speak Simply: Skip the jargon

Using simple words is the most effective way to communicate with everyone. Though you might know the latest acronyms for important bills, it’s meaningless to most Americans if you talk about the CHIPs Act or Build Back Better. Instead, use clear direct language, and show that you care. When you speak simply, your ideas are more likely to be repeated and spread.

Say: People who work for a living should be able to provide for their families.
Don’t say: We’re trying to address the gender wage gap, the racial weath gap, and systemic inequities.

Watch this short video for tips about how to use language that everyone can understand.

Tip 4: Dream. Share a promising vision for the future

Before ending a discussion, be sure to share a vision of a better future that we can reach by electing Democrats. Try to end by focusing on a positive outcome, not on the process for getting there. As you’ll see in the video, it’s the brownie — not the recipe — that motivates people.

End with: We can join together to keep our country a place where freedom is for everyone, not just the wealthy and powerful few.
Don’t end with: We need to get 10 more seats in Congress so we have control of the House.

This short video gives some pointers about ending with a vision that inspires others.

Last step: Putting it all together

Shared Value:
We all deserve leaders who hear us, act in our interests, and govern in our name.

Villains and Their Motives:
MAGA Republicans who serve the wealthy few are taking away our rights and freedoms.

Vision for the Future:
We’ve done it before and we can do it again. We can turn out in record numbers for [CANDIDATE NAME HERE] to protect… [PICK ANY OF THESE] …our freedom to decide whether and when we have children; the freedom for our kids to learn with open minds; the freedom to earn a good living and be able to feed our families; the freedom to be ourselves; the freedom to love who we love.

Crimson Goes Blue member Chris Cooper, talking with new voters.

A great example of listening, sharing and persuading in a conversation

In this video, a volunteer in support of a bill about transgender rights is able to change someone’s opinion. Notice how he listens, asks questions, and speaks from the heart. He also takes his time — the video is eight minutes long, but worth the extra time to see how it ends.