Newcomer to politics needs to find a way to get her name out

I was a little shocked to read that one of the mayoral candidates said that they would not be using electoral signs or go door-to-door to increase awareness of their candidacy. I have to question if they are really serious about this election.

Corel Corporation had a better word processing product, and yet I am currently typing in Microsoft Word, not WordPerfect. Again to Corel, they also used to be the dominant player in image creation software, but they let Adobe eclipse them. Microsoft and Adobe solidified more partnerships than Corel and flooded the market with their products and advertising. Corel could only console itself with the knowledge that their products were superior as they watched the competition ride off with the lion’s share of their customers.

Most times, it does not pay to have a better product. People have to know about products and have easy access to them. A better mousetrap will lose out to a better marketed one. Really, theField of Dreamsmovie mantra “if you build it, they will come” is often no more than a field of dreams.

I’m sure her friends and family believe that Hyrniewicz-Hache has a better mousetrap, but playing devil’s advocate for a moment, one has to ask what if her “product” is not as good as the competition. Then she can’t even count on her message to help her win (if people do find out about her).

Regardless, I’m not passing comment on the inferiority or superiority of her mousetrap/ candidacy — she is an unknown to me other than as a motivational speaker. However, as a new-comer, up against experienced candidates, logic would dictate the need to really get her name plastered all over the city.

Hyrniewicz-Hache’s reason for not using signs was that she doesn’t believe in them. While I respect that she is taking a stand (something many politicians have a difficult time doing) I wonder if it isn’t a vital part of the game. It’s like a pizza joint that decides to not distribute flyers, has an unlisted number, and only accepts orders online (she does have a website). If Hyrniewicz-Hache is opposed to signs for environmental reasons, why not simply buy recycled/ recyclable material signs? If she doesn’t like that some people forget to take them down, she could promise to be the first candidate to have all their signs down. Maybe she’s worried her name won’t fit across them?

But no signs? I’ll hand it to her, she’s got moxie. Maybe that is the message, that she is an unconventional candidate? Or, maybe she isn’t serious enough to front money for the signs? Perhaps she doesn’t have the organized team in place to roll out a campaign (including posting signs)?

When I heard she also won’t go door-to-door to meet prospective voters, I raised the other eyebrow (leaving me looking rather astonished). Taking the pizza restaurant a step further, now in addition to lack of flyers, and unlisted number, the pizza joint doesn’t deliver — you have to go to it.

I would think a mayoral candidate would want to meet the people of the community that they hope to lead — even if they do catch some people in the middle of dinner. Wouldn’t a no soliciting sign on peoples’ houses be enough of an indication for which doors not to knock on?

I hope that at least we’ll get a direct mail piece from each candidate. Or is that considered too intrusive to voters as well?

One does have to wonder that if Hyrniewicz-Hache is blazingly bucking all of the standard channels for campaigning, how does that translate to her holding office? Is she prepared to knock on the doors of funding agencies for us? Is she prepared to put up signs that the Sault is “open for business” and a great place to grow, learn, and prosper?

If she did win it could change the face of elections radically. I think all candidates would be thrilled to not have to pay for signs, and/or organize the required volunteers to erect and remove them. It would be a coup indeed.

Attempting to win a mayoral election with an untested promotion and distribution channel (focused on an online presence, visits to parks and a message of empowerment) seems to be a stretch as well as only capable of reaching a narrow demographic of voters. I wish her the best, and I’ll reserve judgement until I see what tricks she has up her blouse sleeves.

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