Elements of Political Communication/General guidelines/Importance

Stress the importance of your topic. Apply the issue broadly to reach as much of the audience as possible, but understand that simply stating "this is important" is not enough. Convince readers and listeners of the importance of your subject by putting the issue in their "back yard", especially when referring to local issues. Apply the issue on a personal level to the reader, not the writer. Exaggeration (though not to the extreme) may help your case. For partisan issues in which a consensus or compromise may be necessary, indirectly approach the topic to appeal to those who might typically be on the other side of the issue.