Winning Edge

• The hardest part of storytelling is knowing where to begin.
• Most people start with way too much setup… or none at all.
• Use one simple formula to fix it:
• “So…” + Specific Time + Person + Action + Place + Goal/Tension
• Why it works: your listener instantly knows what’s happening and why it matters.
• A good opening line buys you attention for the next 90 seconds.
• Keep stories tight: 90–120 seconds is enough to land a point.
• Script your first line, test it, tweak it, and use it everywhere.

Download the one-page summary:
[PDF Link Here]

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

Summary
Over the last 25 years, American politics has swung back and forth like a pendulum—every “permanent majority” has proven temporary. From Bush’s “thumpin’” in 2006 to Trump’s return in 2024, one truth stands out: no single win defines the next one.

This episode is a reminder to focus on what we can control.

Key Points

• 2000: Florida recount and a divided nation.
• 2004: Talk of a “permanent Republican majority.”
• 2006–2008: Democrats surge back under Bush and Obama.
• 2010–2024: Power ping-pongs between parties nearly every cycle.
• Lesson: Politics never stays still, and neither should your campaign strategy.

Takeaway
The best strategy isn’t predicting the future, it’s preparing for it.

• You control how many fundraising calls you make.
• You control how well you prepare and practice.
•  You control how deeply you connect.

Quote of the Week

Source:
Stockdale, Courage Under Fire: Testing Epictetus’s Doctrines in a Laboratory of Human Behavior (Hoover Essays Book 6), pp. 7–8.

Listen or download the one-page summary: [PDF Link]

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

• Twenty days before the 1980 election, Reagan’s team debated one question: should he face Carter again?
• A memo warned his biggest hurdle was proving he was competent, compassionate, and not dangerous.
• In the final debate, Reagan asked, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”
• That single question swung the race and gave voters permission to change their minds.
• The best closing messages do three things:

1. Decide the emotion you want voters to feel.
2. Make it safe for them to change their mind.
3. Provide a simple fact they can use to explain their decision to themselves and others.

Reagan didn’t tell voters what to think. He asked what they felt.

To learn more, download this PDF one-pager. 

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

• Even the best speakers lose people after 90 seconds.
• To keep attention high, use attention spikes—moments that re-engage your audience.
• Think of attention like a power line: if you go too long between interesting moments, it sags.
• Add “power poles” every 6–10 minutes to lift energy and reset focus.
• Five ways to create attention spikes:
  • Tell a Story – Short, 30–90 seconds, to reinforce a key point.
  • Ask a Question – Get people thinking or responding.
  • Play a Short Video – A quick clip can reset energy and add humor.
  • Create a Mystery – Reveal part of a chart or image to spark curiosity.
  • Run a Quick Poll – Invite participation and self-reflection.
• Plan your spikes before you speak. One every 10 minutes keeps your audience engaged.

Download the one-pager recap of this episode (PDF)

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

In June 1984, Hal Riney sat at a bar and began to write. Over the course of a few hours, he drafted the scripts for what would become the most iconic ads of Ronald Reagan’s reelection campaign. One of them was Morning in America.

The ad came out at a precarious moment. Over the past four years, the U.S. economy had started to recover from a deep recession and over 18% interest rates. But it wasn’t yet roaring. The challenge was how to tell that story, how to show progress without drowning people in statistics.

Riney’s solution was to create an ad that was a feeling supported by a few important numbers woven into the story. The opening line set the tone:

“It's morning again in America. Today more men and women will go to work than ever before in our country's history.”

This gave people a narrative, words to match the optimism they were beginning to feel about the economy.

The ad continued:

“With interest rates at about half the record highs of 1980, nearly 2,000 families today will buy new homes, more than at any time in the past four years.”

It reinforced that the recovery wasn’t just vibes, but was grounded in facts.

Next came another image:

“This afternoon, 6,500 young men and women will be married, and with inflation at less than half of what it was just four years ago, they can look forward with confidence to the future.”

Together, these lines implied that the work wasn’t done, but the country was on the right track.

It closed with: 

“It's morning again in America, and under the leadership of President Reagan, our country is prouder and stronger and better. Why would we ever want to return to where we were less than four short years ago?”

Morning in America was so successful because it did more than reflect the data. Riney had sold hope and the ad captured how people felt and then gave them language to describe it.

That same day, he also wrote another ad, Bear in the Woods. It showed a bear, symbolizing the Soviet Union, lurking in the woods and talked about how we must be ready if the bear attacks. President Reagan himself liked the Bear ad more, but it only ran once. Why? Because the hopeful message of Morning in America resonated far more.

When creating our own messaging we want to remember Morning in America. The most persuasive messages mix emotion with fact. There is a saying: we buy on emotion and justify with facts. People wanted to believe things were getting better. The ad gave them the words, and a few solid numbers, to support that belief.

So think about your own campaign or message. 

1. Start with the feeling you want to create.
2. Then ask, what is the simple, true line that captures it?
3. Back it up with one or two facts, framed as a story and not as a spreadsheet.

The next time you need to craft a message, remember Morning in America. Lead with emotion, back it with a few facts, and let one memorable line do the heavy lifting. That is how you create the line people remember long after the rest is forgotten.

Checkout our PDF One Pager

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

In this episode, we revisit the power of the one-pager as a persuasion tool. No matter how much things change, the person with a piece of paper usually wins.

We walk through the core elements of an effective one-pager:

• Start with the bottom line. Write one sentence to summarize and one to state the action you want.
• Define the problem from your audience’s perspective.
• Lay out your solution using the 3-2-1 approach: three steps, two contrasts, or one big thing.
• Add data with two or three points that strengthen your case without overcomplicating it.
• Include a short story, ideally with a picture, to make it memorable.
• Use a clear visual to draw readers in.

We also cover three templates you can adapt for any situation:

1. The One Point – one point, one story, one call to action.
2. The Lawmaker Special – problem, facts, story, solution.
3. The Reverse Mullet – design and highlights up front with dense detail on the back.

Your one-pager does not need to say everything. It should reinforce your message and make your ask clear. The next time you prepare for a persuasive talk or meeting, remember: the person with paper wins.

For more tips on creating you one-pager, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

The Mini Golf Story:

• Garnet Carter created first Tom Thumb Golf course as temporary solution for delayed full golf course
• Added obstacles: logs, rocks, things to shoot around
• More popular than full-size course when it opened
• Franchised thousands of courses across the country
• Success: simple, affordable, easy to replicate

Why Mini Golf Worked:

• Took something big and intimidating (golf) and made it bite-sized and fun
• Broadened the audience significantly

The Mini Golf Treatment for Email Newsletters:

Keep it Small and Simple:

• Make content bite-sized and easy to skim
• Test: send to your phone to ensure mobile readability

Make Subject Line Sticky:

• Use ChatGPT or Grok to brainstorm 20-30 options
• Pick the one that grabs attention

Adjust Preheader Preview:

• Customize preview text next to subject line
• Use AI tools to create 10 versions under 150 characters

Use 3-2-1 Structure:

• 3 Quick Updates: casual topics or steps
• 2 Points: contrasts or comparisons
• 1 Big Thing: focus on single most important issue

Repeat Your Message:

• Approach same topic from different angles weekly
• Example: budget impact on taxpayers, small businesses, local towns

End with Fun:

• Compete with social media
• Include photos, cartoons, or light stories

Bottom Line: Turn heavy issues into bite-sized emails to create loyal readers.

For more tips on engaging email newsletters, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

The Rock City Story:

• 1936: Garnet Carter needed to advertise his tourist attraction on Lookout Mountain
• During the Depression, couldn't afford traditional advertising
• Hired painter Clark Byer to paint "See Rock City" on 900 barns across 19 states
• Offered free barn painting in exchange for advertising space
• Win-win: farmers got painted barns, tickets, and branded items
• Rock City stayed packed for 30+ years

Modern Examples:

• Buc-ee's billboards: "537 miles," "325 miles," "Next exit"
• Messages repeat until they win

The Power of Repetition:

• Road trippers ignored first few "See Rock City" signs
• By the third or fourth, kids start asking
• By fifth or tenth, people promise to stop
• Repetition breaks through busy lives

Messaging Lesson:

• We get tired of saying same lines before they break through to voters
• Voters are busy with work, family, daily life
• Can't expect them to remember budget messages after hearing once

Application:

• Find your "See Rock City" message
• Example: "Shapiro's got a Binge Spending Problem, the largest spending increase in PA history"
• Don't need voters to remember dozens of numbers
• Repeat one or two phrases over and over
• When you're sick of saying it, people are finally paying attention

Bottom Line: Think about what you'd paint on a barn - keep it short, simple, and repeat until you're sick of hearing it.

For more tips on effective message repetition, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

"Being Popular Doesn't Balance the Budget":

The Challenge:

• Governor Josh Shapiro positions himself as moderate but governs as liberal
• Most popular politician in PA due to political talent and millions spent on public persona
• Voters don't like his policies, especially the budget
• Largest proposed budget in PA history: over $50 billion with $5 billion deficit

The Three-Step Approach: Help voters "not be wrong" by giving them a path to feel right again

1. Respect Their Thinking

Acknowledge why they supported the politician

• Example: "A lot of Pennsylvanians voted for Shapiro because he pretended he was a moderate."

2. Highlight What's Changed

• Show how actions don't match campaign promises
• Example: "He said he supported school choice, tax cuts, and pro-business policies. But that's not how he's governed."

3. Show How They Can Be Right Again

Make it easy to update their view

• Example: "Voters trusted Shapiro to lead as a business-minded moderate and he let them down."

Key Message:

Being likable doesn't equal leadership
"Being a nice guy doesn't balance the budget"
Eventually, voters question ability to get the job done

Bottom Line: Don't try to prove voters wrong - help them stay right by respecting their thinking, highlighting changes, and showing them a path forward.

For more tips on messaging around popular politicians with unpopular policies, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.

Historical Context:

• 1965: Darrell Huff testified before U.S. Senate about misleading statistics
• Author of "How to Lie with Statistics" - best-selling statistics book ever
• Secret: Tobacco industry paid him to discredit smoking-cancer studies
• Was working on unpublished book: "How to Lie with Smoking Statistics"

Three Quick Tests to Spot Misleading Stats:

1. The Zoom Test

• Ask: How different would this number look if I zoomed in or out?
• Consider different time frames, geography, or demographics
• Would the trend hold with more context?

2. The Crop Test

• Ask: What's missing from the frame?
• What's been left out that would change your perspective?
• Look for omitted context or qualifying information

3. The Source Test

• Ask: Who took the picture?
• Check incentives of data collectors/presenters
• Be wary when same entity collects and presents data

Real Example - Shapiro Administration Claim:

• Claim: "300,000 Pennsylvanians could lose health coverage"
• Zoom Test: Used highest possible estimate
• Crop Test: Includes healthy adults who could work 20 hours/week will not to keep their benefits; includes ineligible people removed from Medicaid
• Source Test: Data from administration supporting their own argument

Final Gut Check:

• Ask: Do I want this data to be true?
• We're most easily fooled when numbers confirm our hopes
• Be especially skeptical of data that supports what you already believe

Bottom Line: You can't stop people from twisting numbers, but you can prevent them from tricking you.

Sources: U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Hearings (1965); Reinhart, Alex. "Huff and Puff" Significance (2014)

For more tips on evaluating statistical claims, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

Winning Edge gives you the tools you need to lead and influence in the political and policy arenas. Every other week, Winning Edge releases short (approximately 5-minute) spots—or “snacks”—focused on one of four areas: fundraising, media, policy, or persuasion.

For more, visit our website: www.thecommonwealthpartners.com.