When you find yourself in a rut, it’s important to take a step back and reassess your approach. Here are four viable actions to refurbish and boost a political party in times of stagnation.

Evaluate your brand and frontrunners

Sometimes simply a fresh coat of paint does most of the magic in reviving a struggling brand. Whether your party belongs to the old-fashioned establishment or resembles a young startup, you may want to consider updating its visual identity to better reflect its vision and increase the potential to resonate with new audiences.

In 2017, the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) had successfully undergone a complete rebranding under Sebastian Kurz. Recoloured its branding from the old black to a new turquoise, the dust-covered ÖVP turned to presenting itself as “The New People’s Party”, a popular “movement” in which, at least in theory, also non-members could participate.

If you take the path of rebranding, don’t be too thrifty by just letting your own communications and marketing teams play out their creativity. The complexity of strategic design and storytelling is too often underestimated in party politics. You will for sure be better off if experienced specialists have a go at it.

You may also want to take a look at your frontrunners and spokespeople. Are they relatable to your target audiences? Do they embody the qualities you want your party to be known for? Are they willing to go on learning and improving? Don’t be afraid to propose changes if deemed necessary.

Engage with new social movements

Fridays for Future, Black Lives Matter, Querdenker (anti-vaccers) — around the world, social and political movements have been gaining in importance recently. Some even have established themselves as alternatives to long-standing parties in their countries.

The best-known case is En Marche!, which carried its founder to the Elysée Palace and won an absolute majority in the National Assembly in 2017. But France is not the only European country with successful cases of institutionalised social movement.

Founded in 2009, the populist Five Star Movement won the 2018 parliamentary elections in Italy by a clear margin. In Spain, Podemos emerged from an anti-capitalist protest movement in 2014 to become the third strongest political force in the federal elections one year later.

At the same time, some of these stars have already started sinking again. The bright shine of En Marche!, for instance, faded quickly the more difficult it became for President Macron to push through his reform agenda against massive opposition by strong interest groups. Structural weaknesses and communication failures added to the problem.

It’s nonetheless advisable — for traditional parties as well — to engage with new social movements that are gaining traction in and around your communities. Find ways to support them. Whether it’s climate change activism or old-age poverty, demonstrate that your people are listening and ready to take action on issues that matter most to groups they have not really represented previously.

Invest more in talent development

Your party can only be as prosperous as its young supporters and members. Invest extensively in talent development to ensure the entire organisation commands a diverse, capable pool of activists, experts and future leaders.

Offer training, mentorship, networking events, and most of all, create career development opportunities to enable eager supporters to reach their full potential. This will increase your chances of attracting as well as keeping talented and skilled people long-term, and help condense your party’s network and vision.

Professionalise your marketing strategy

Make sure that your messaging is clear and concise. Invest in a strong, professional media presence and consider hiring marketing and communications specialists to refine your messages, channels and funnels.

Next, it’s time to get your party’s faces and experts on Twitter and Instagram, and especially frontrunners also on Gen-Z platforms like TikTok. But don’t just post boring event pics and policy updates. Make sure you’re engaging with your followers and creating shareable content. Memes and Reels are very effective crowd-pleasers, as long as they are not perceived as cringy (another good reason to hire professionals).

Lastly, think about stepping up your game when it comes to events and feedback opportunities. No more humdrum rallies in local town halls. It’s time to think outside the box. How about pub quizzes, hackathons or political workshops? Get creative, have fun and infect others doing so.

There you have it. A few workable measures to revive your limping party and lead it to success. And if it all turns out to be more tedious and protracted than expected — which it likely will, I’m afraid — remember the encouraging words of Sir Winston Churchill: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” 😉