How to Be An Effective Advocate and Interacting With Decisionmakers

1. How to Be An Effective Advocate and Interacting With Decisionmakers June 2011

2. Advocacy Basics

3. Advocacy • Active support of an idea or cause etc.;  especially the act of pleading or arguing for  something. • Key components • –Knowing your objective  • –Understanding your audience • –Crafting your message • –Perfecting your delivery

4. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers

5. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Be on Time, Patient, Prepared • Legislators are busier than most folks and often have multiple appointments and time commitments in a day. • Being prompt allows you more time with the Legislator to get your points across. Being prepared is essential to getting your message across, rehearse ahead of time what you are going to say, and bring materials to “leave behind”.

6. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: First Impressions • The first thing you should say is “Thank You” for taking time to listen. • Most legislators are part of the silent majority. The purpose of the advocacy is to get them to convert their silent support into a more active and visible role. • Introduce yourself and note what connection you may have to the legislator's district. Let them know if you live in their district (constituent).

7. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Roles of Advocates • Someone should be appointed to be the meeting facilitator, who speaks first, introduces folks, designates certain members to speak on particular issues of expertise and wraps up the meeting. • Another advocate should be designated the note taker, who records what happened at the meeting and the Legislator’s response and record any additional information that needs to be sent to the Legislator or follow-up taken.

8. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Stay On Message • Many legislators like to talk about their involvement with an issue. Let them briefly. • The key is to make a personal connection with the legislator and make the issue personal. • However, do not let too much of your limited meeting time be used to talk about these pleasantries. • You need to bring the conversation politely back to your message of wanting the Legislator to take action in support of.

9. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Meeting Tone • Advocates are there to educate Legislators about the issues and not to berate or lecture them. Be polite and patient. • Remember that honey always works better than vinegar. You want to educate them about the issue. • Never get belligerent or angry. You can express frustration and disappointment on the issue, but do not get mad at the Legislator.

10. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Leave on a Positive Note • As you wrap up the conversation, make sure you repeat one last time what action you hope the Legislator will take and then thank them for meeting with you. • Make sure you leave them any written material you brought supports your point of view.

11. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Follow-Up • Follow-up is key to successful grassroots advocacy efforts. • The meeting facilitator should send a thank you note to the Legislator for meeting with them and include any additional information the Legislator requested.

12. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Bottom Line • KISS: Keep it Short and Simple • Our mission is to ask legislators to support an issue. • You may only have the legislator's ear for five minutes, so get to the point as soon as you've introduced yourself. • Be clear about why you are there, why they should care, and what you want.

13. Tips For Meeting with Decisionmakers: Bottom Line • Let this be just the beginning of your relationship with your legislator. • When you get home, send them a thank you note, thanking them for their time and giving other information about your organization that may be of interest to them. • Invite him or her to local events or other activities that they or their families may enjoy. • Be a resource to your legislator.

14. Contacting Elected Officials

15. Contacting Elected Officials • Written Letters, Emails and Faxes • To make the most of your letter be sure to: • Keep your letter/email to one topic. • Keep your letter/email short and to the point. • Let your lawmaker know how the issue affects you personally. • Let your lawmaker know you live and vote in the district.

16. Contacting Elected Officials • Phone calls • Identify yourself as a constituent. Lawmakers are most concerned and interested in the thoughts and opinions of people who live and vote in their state or district, who may vote for or against them in the next election. • Be brief, clear and courteous. Always limit your call to one subject. Be brief and specific. Never threaten or use abusive language. State why you are calling, give a bill number if possible, and the action you would like the lawmaker to take on the issue.

17. Building Relationships with Elected Officials Focus on Establishing and Maintaining Credibility: • It can take months or years to establish credibility with a legislator and staff. • Provide timely, factual and concise information Develop your Relationships Early: • Waiting until the hectic high-stress legislative session to make your first introductions to a legislative member or their staff is a recipe for failure.

18. Communication with Elected Officials • Personalize and tell YOUR story! • Often times individuals send “form letters” that they receive from state organizations to members of the legislature. • Using a form letter to form the basis of your letter is ok, but you must personalize the story.

19. Thanking Elected Officials • Say Thank You… • After all of the work is done make sure to express your appreciation to elected officials and their staffs. • Letters to the editors and recognition at local events are very effective public ways to express your thanks.

20. The Elevator Pitch

21. The Elevator Pitch • You should be able to understand in the time it would take to ride up an elevator. • It should contain a “hook” or “theme” and go no longer than 60 seconds.

22. The Elevator Pitch Components • 1. Concise: Use as few words as possible, but no fewer. • 2. Clear: Do not use acronyms and it should be understood by  • anyone. • 3. Compelling: Explain the problem your solution solves. • 4. Credible: Why you are qualified to see the problem and provide a solution?  • 5. Conceptual: Stay at high level, do not add to much detail, and do not get in the weeds. • 6. Concrete: Be specific and tangible. • 7. Customized: Address specific interests and concerns of the audience. • 8. Consistent: Every version of the pitch conveys the same basic message. • 9. Conversational: The goal is to set the hook or start a conversation.

23. Other Tips

24. Get Involved • Make sure family, friends, and co-workers are aware of legislation and encourage them to get involved. The more people involved in our efforts, the better our chances of success. • Sign up at the legislator’s website or office to receive newsletters, emails etc., and periodically respond to them with questions, thanks, or general interest. • Attend a lawmaker’s town meeting. These meetings are generally quite informal and very small so they are great places to get to know your lawmaker, and ask your questions.

25. QUESTIONS???

26. Contact • Misty Snodgrass • Legislative/Government Relations Director • American Cancer Society—Missouri • 2413 Hyde Park Road • Jefferson City, MO 65109 • 573.635.4839 (o) • 573.268.9046 (c) • misty.snodgrass@cancer.org