(Continued from last week)
Waiting until a political is in government to address local community and national issues is not helpful in branding a political party.
Addressing such issues while a party is in opposition is a sign that such a political party has strategic and effective leadership to do more when it is a ruling party.
It is from such a background that what is also critical in political party branding is how membership is drawn.
It has been argued that the more members a political party has; the more that party is said to be popular.
However, a political party that wants to brand itself effectively, needs careful selection of its members. Getting anyone as a political party member or allowing some unscrupulous members of the public to be masquerading as members of your political party can jeopardise a good reputation (if it is there) of your party.
Ensure that all your members at every structure level understand what your manifesto says on critical issues for local community and national development processes. Let every member be a good ambassador for your party.
Most of the party members should be members of the public with good personalities and who are well established in their respective businesses or professions. They must be people with traceable backgrounds.
A good political party member is one who inspires many members of that community through good personality and high morals.
Avoid mob membership as a sign of party popularity. Let each member’s particulars be accurately recorded in party documents at every part structure level. To achieve this, establish and develop accurate and up-to-date membership registers at all levels.
A political party’s sound financial position should be drawn from contributions, efforts and sacrifice from all members at all party structure levels in all parts of the country; and not from one or few members at national level.
The calibre of most members of a political party influences promotion of peace and stability in a country; especially during and after elections.
Therefore, political parties should avoid people who are violent to join their political parties. It is also dangerous for the future of a political party to have members; especially in senior positions who like violence and therefore sponsor political violence; especially during political campaigns.
A political party that wants to brand itself effectively should denounce and expel any member (s) involved in proven corruption, any immorality and in any political violence whether in intra or inter-political party violence.
Such approaches to branding and marketing a political party makes political campaigns for any elections easy and effective against competing political parties.
Accusations and quarreling among political party members at all levels should be avoided at all costs.
As leaders and as members of a political party, always demonstrate that you are selfless; and put the interests of the community members first before yours. Always demonstrate unity of purpose to improve on the welfare of citizens.
Dr Kenneth Kaunda and his ministers and other members of parliament demonstrated high levels of selflessness during the UNIP regime.
From the above factors in effective political party branding, one can see that effective political party branding is actually professional PR practice at all times.