May 26, 2020
Messaging Opportunity: Op-ed case study from Illinois Policy Institute
State think tanks from all across the Network are engaging in powerful messaging and communications to connect with citizens, lawmakers, and donors during the coronavirus pandemic. SPN continues to bring state think tanks examples of this great work and how they can do the same for their organization.
The Chicago Tribune recently published an op-ed by the Illinois Policy Institute that serves as an excellent example of how to combine policy solutions, storytelling, and empathy in a piece on the coronavirus pandemic.
The article provides a model on how to write an effective op-ed. The piece features a compelling story of individuals impacted by policy, makes the author relatable, and connects readers to a policy solution.
In the op-ed, author John Tillman, CEO of Illinois Policy, starts by acknowledging how each of us is impacted by the pandemic and offers praise for the frontline workers who are most directly affected. He then shifts to talk about how businesses are suffering due to the economic impact of the crisis.
Tillman then transitions from focusing broadly on businesses to an individual story about a Chicago restaurant owner. Accompanied by a compelling photo of the owner in her empty restaurant, the op-ed shares the owner’s thoughts about the consequences to her business and family. It personalizes the impersonal statistics of “thousands of business owners” and gives a face and a name to which we can all relate.
Tillman segues into how he too was a business owner and joined Illinois Policy during a bleak economic period. He relates to the restaurant owner’s story, and then shares his own struggles that establish him as credible, authentic, and epathetic.
The op-ed concludes with a direct connection between the challenge, those impacted by that challenge, and what Illinois Policy recommends to help alleviate the hardship. In this case, the organization recommends delaying the collection of business taxes. Other similar policies are also outlined, with a direct connection to how they help business owners and the overall economy.
Finally, the op-ed ends with a powerful quote that will leave readers thinking: “Our shared imperative is to act responsibly and compassionately today to empower our business community tomorrow.”
As you continue to communicate about the policy ideas that will help your state recover from the coronavirus pandemic, consider how you can incorporate empathy, real stories, and powerful solutions.
