8. However you choose to
engage policy makers always
remember to do it with……
CONFIDENCE
9. Representative Involvement
• Establish a history of Involvement
• Constituents trust is a two-way street
• Constituents depend on their elected/appointed officials to serve
honorably and ethically on their behalf
• Elected/Appointed Officials depend on Constituents to:
• Raise issues of importance
• Assist with informed decisions
• Involve themselves in taking action
10. Our Job as Advocates
• Keep our elected or appointed officials informed on activities and
needs of our industry
• Let your officials know the impacts of their Actions on their precincts,
district, state(s) etc…
• Lobbyists are effective
• HOWEVER, NOTHING IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN THE VOICES FROM
HOME.
11. Why Serve as an Advocate & Carry the Message?
• Direct impact on your life or your family
• Direct impact on the community you live in
• You understand the message/issue better than 99.9% of the
population
• If you don’t someone else will…
12. The Senator Example
• The Average population within a Senatorial District in Texas is 811,000
• Members and even staff on many issues are a “mile wide and an inch
deep” in understanding the issues
• With involvement, you set yourself apart and are a valued resource
when advocating for solutions to issues impacting you and your
industry
13. What is Advocating?
• The Oxford Dictionary defines a advocacy as “a person who publicly
supports or recommends a particular cause or policy, or a person who
pleads on someone else’s behalf."
• Effective advocating requires building relationships before you need
them.
• It's difficult sometimes because we as a society tend to only do things in
life when we need to, i.e. we are very reactive rather than proactive.
• If you're running a marathon do you wait until the morning of the race and then
just go out to run?
• What it is:
• Developing relationships or contacts
• Building partnerships that support goals and objectives
• Sharing information or a positive message
• Ongoing and reciprocal in nature
14. How to Advocate Effectively
• 1) Be Visible
• Advocating is a “contact” sport, you have to get out and connect with people.
• 2) Build Solid Relationships
• Trust is key! V.C.P.
• Visibility – They know who you are and what you do
• Credibility – They know who you are, what you do and they know you do it well
• Profitability – They trust you enough to do business with you or listen to you
• 3) Diversity - If you only advocate to people who are like you -- i.e. in your
industry or social group etc. – “your message becomes insular.”
• 4) Maintain: Your message will be useless if you don't maintain it and continue to
update it -- that means constantly reaching out and advocating.
• 5) Give back - It's easy to drop off when you're not actively in need of something.
But you need to remember that advocacy is a perpetual give-and-take.
• 6) Practice, Practice, Practice
15. Successful Advocate’s Are:
• Open-minded and willing to meet new people
• Prepared and persistent
• Informed and up-to-date on current events (i.e. news, industry, etc.)
• Respectful of everyone they meet and thankful for everyone’s time
• Able to set clear, realistic and achievable goals
• The key to successful advocacy is to remember that you’re working on
building real, deep relationships with your contacts and carrying a solid
message collectively together.
• Advocating is more about “farming” than it is about “hunting.” It’s not just
about developing a message – its about how well you portray it.
• Cultivating the depth of your message to your target audience coupled
with an advocacy network is extremely important.
16. Tips for Successful Communication and
Engagement with Policymakers and Staff
• Basic Rules:
• Legislators want to hear from you and unless they hear from you they don’t know what you
need.
• You are an expert so do not be afraid to talk.
• Talking with legislators (or staff) is relationship development.
• A relationship can be hard to build but easy to erode!
• Develop Relationships
• Majority, if not All Politics are Local, Keep it that way
• Use specific examples and materials
• Obtain materials of support (letters, calls, etc..) from local entities
• Meet/involve elected officials whenever possible in the District, outside the district and have their staff
involved
• Identify Local Advocates and Get Them In Front of the Member and Staff.
• Key folks with a story to tell
• Schedule regular contacts with both local staff and capitol staff.
17. Tips for Successful Communication and
Engagement with Policymakers and Staff
• Be Clear and Succinct.
• Stay focused and limit your message.
• Develop an “ask,” or a message for your legislator.
• Convey the importance of the issue to your work, employer, community, state etc.
• Never state information you do not know to be true.
• If you do not know an answer—tell them that you will research it and get back to them with
an answer.
• Ask them for questions.
• Reiterate top points and capture follow up items.
• Always, Always, Always - Follow up.
• Thank the participants (verbally and by an email or even better a hand-written
letter).
• Reiterate key takeaway points in the email or letter.
• Contact office every three – four months—to build an ongoing relationship.