HOW TO WRITE A MANIFESTO

What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘Manifesto’? Is it promises that politicians use to win your vote? But that is not always the case!

A manifesto is a unique way of communicating to your desired audience. It is one way of addressing your audience and asking them to unite and take charge. Apart from the political manifesto which relates to the vision and intentions of a politician or political party, there are other categories of manifestos such as art manifesto which is an artistic movement, a humanist manifesto which is the title of three manifestos laying out a humanist world view, and finally, a personal manifesto which is a declaration of what you want in life. So how do you write a manifesto? This step-by-step guide will help you become a pro in writing a manifesto that will make your audience unite and take charge

What is a manifesto?

The word "manifesto" originates from the Italian word manifesto itself derived from Latin manifestum . A manifesto is, therefore, a written statement publicly declaring the intentions, motives, or opinions of the issuer. Manifestos are often used in a political context and they are very significant in the major historical and political changes such as the manifesto of the Communist party by carl max and Friedrich Engles. A manifesto helps bring some sense of direction in one's political or social life because you are guided by what you believe in. During the process of writing a manifesto you get to interact with the people and hear the issues straight from them, this, in turn, helps you form policies for your manifesto.

How to Write a Manifesto

A political manifesto is written by a political party or a movement calling on its supporters to rally and unite towards or against a common goal. Below are steps to follow when writing a manifesto;

Introduce yourself

You should start by introducing yourself. You should tell the people what are your reasons and purposes for doing what you do and what you hope to achieve. What motivates you to want to pick up this role and what is your vision .it also helps sell your ideas and the political party you are affiliated to. The manifesto should also convince your readers that you are the best pick for them and that they deserve you.

Talk to the people (To find out what affects them most)

Before writing a manifesto, you who is an interested party should be informed. This is done by carrying out a lot of research on what affects the lives of the people and brainstorming ideas on how to make them better. This knowledge will enable you to formulate policies that appeal to the people. You can only find these results if you go out there and engage with the people. This could be a need for infrastructures and social amenities or even security. A manifesto should have policies that are geared towards improving the lives and livelihood of the people.

Make reasonable promises

When writing your manifesto, you should also consider whether the policies in the manifesto are practical and attainable. The policies should not be very far fetched in fact they should be attractive and more promising to the readers. When writing your manifesto, it should be SMART; specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Using this method means that your intentions are clear and well understood and that the electorate will be able to hold you accountable later on.

Be brief and simple.

Your manifesto should be brief in order to encourage a potential voter to read it all. It can be intimidating to read a ten-page manifesto. what to do instead is be precise. The language you also choose should be simple that is understood by many so you don't lose out on voters scared by complicated vocabularies or be seen as a person who will complicate their lives instead of making it better. Avoid using slang words or proverbs, be straight forward. Make sure there is something for everyone In your final draft make sure every member of the electorate is included and stands to benefit in a way. A manifesto should cater to the needs of different people in the society and those from different backgrounds both social and economic backgrounds. These people, from different backgrounds, will have different needs and expectations and if what appeals to them is in the manifesto they'd want to be part of your journey

Brand your manifesto

A manifesto should have a catchy Slogan that makes you stand out above the rest and colours that singles you as a brand. Make sure you present an eye-catching display that on its own draws your potential supporters to you. The colours you choose to use in your displays should be complementary and also unique to only you. An example of a catchy slogan is Barack Obama's 2008 campaign chat "Yes We Can". It is simple and yet many people could relate to it. In 2008 Barack used the slogan "Change We Can Believe In". Both slogans were instrumental to him winning the elections for the two terms. https://www.youtube.com/watch/Fe751kMBwms

Evidence-based

Your policies and promises should be based on evidence, not just rumours and hearsay. Another important thing to remember during the campaigns is to focus your energy in explaining your policies and not trying to discredit your opponents

Watch your tone

The tone of your manifesto can be pleading, attacking or even opposing. It is your job to make sure that the tone of your manifesto fully communicates your intentions. Your tone in a manifesto should bring hope and a promise of good things to come to the people. At the end of your manifesto make sure to repeat your name and ask them to vote for you. It's even better to add your slogan at the end.

Revise

Once your draft is ready have your friends and team members read through it to make sure there are no errors and even provide better-suited terms to be used or better yet add new terms and policies until you feel that you have the perfect final draft

Final thoughts

The main thing to remember is that a manifesto is about the people and what you think given the chance you will help them change. It should always show your beliefs and dreams that you hope to achieve. Your manifesto should also be a tool that helps keep you in check and help you fulfil and act on the policies you have promised. By following the above steps, I am sure you will write a great manifesto that will delight your audience and make them take action. However, if you need help with writing a manifesto, you can contact one of our expert manifesto writers to help you with the process.