Communicating for Political Effectiveness

1. Pamela Seelman Senior Public Information Specialist pamela.seelman@ces.uwex.edu (608) 262-9311 http://www.uwex.edu/ces/employeeresources/political/ Communicating forPolitical Effectiveness

2. What are your questions about this topic?

3. Communications matter! • Communicating for political effectiveness translates into… • Buy-in from “power actors” • More funding • Continued programming • Better lives for those we serve

4. Where the money comes from… • In Wisconsin… • County funds – 25% • Federal funds – 26% • State GPR – 42% • Program revenue – 7% • In your state… • ? • ?

5. Communicating effectively quotient • Quality programming • Personal and professional relationships • Communicating our good work • Value of programs • Relevance of programs • Internal and external environments • We don’t always control these, but we can work to influence them!

6. What is political effectiveness? What does political effectiveness mean to you? Personally? Professionally? Historically?

7. What is political effectiveness? • http://www.uwex.edu/ces/employeeresources/political/ • “Political Effectiveness – What and Why?” • “Principles for Political Effectiveness”

8. What is political effectiveness? • Responsive educational programs • Strong relationships with key decision makers • Effective communications • Fiscal awareness, political sensitivity

9. Strong relationships • Who are the decision makers for your programs? • What audiences do you need to reach with your successes, value?

14. Expanding our influence with elected officials Developing, building relationships with state legislators is important • Showcase valuable work • Establish credibility • Build a bridge to communicate needs assessment, evaluation of work • Serve as expert, resource • Identify their interests, link them to our work

15. Welcome to the worldof state legislators Pressure to know everything and be an expert on all subjects • Pressure to be the best • Pressure to get press • Pressure to be important • Pressure to excel at three completely different skill sets

16. Ongoing communicationswith state legislators • Introductory meeting followed by steps that build the relationship • One page fact sheet • Targeted message

17. You are a powerful resourcefor state legislators • Legislators can only be an expert in three to five issue areas • You are a resource and a stakeholder in the legislator’s success • You have deep and solid connections in your communities • The stronger the relationship, the more legislators become Extension champions

18. We provide valuable services –We need to communicate that to elected officials • When legislators understand our valuable work • Our expertise • Our powerful networks • Connection to the community • A working partnership is developed

19. Political effectiveness ccommunications check-up • Assessing your communications • Internal changes? • External changes? • Who makes decisions re: $!!! • Internal? • External? • How do you communicate?

20. Assessing your political effectiveness • http://www.uwex.edu/ces/employeeresources/political/ • “Political Effectiveness Assessment tool”

21. Effective communications:How do you communicate? • Press releases • Web pages, blogs, twitter, YouTube • Newsletters • TV • Radio • In person visits • E-mails • Letters • Marquees • Community calendars • Neighborhood flyers • Speeches at organizations • Posters, brochures, flyers

22. Local interests • Local needs, local interests • Program priorities • Who’s a friend, who’s a future friend?

23. Programming • What programs do we offer that are of interest to decision makers, both internal and external… • Political agenda • Personal interests • Constituents’ interests

24. Responsive educational programs • Family financial management • Active children programs in 4-H • Foreclosure data • Teen court • Education for jail populations • Divorced parenting education • Nutrition • Community development • Senior housing

25. Public value • What’s in it for the county elected officials’ constituents? • Tie in public value…so what? • Use your success stories, outcomes • Build trust • Build networks

26. Connect the dots… • Bridge the gap between decision makers’ interests and Extension programming

27. Mapping exercise • Personal profile • Personal network • Make the connections • Links to Cooperative Extension • Links to personal and political interests

29. Be strategic about communications • Specific Audience • Specific Message • Specific Outcome

30. Manitowoc County green sheet • Improving Quality of Life for Manitowoc County Residents • Fact: Every year Cooperative Extension education programs touch the lives of over 16,000 county residents. That’s 1 in 5 county residents. • Educating and Empowering Citizen Volunteers • Fact: Cooperative Extension volunteers donated 30,602 hours to county residents in 2006. The dollar value of their service was a whopping $478,304! • Adding value to the local economy • Fact: For every $1 that Manitowoc County invests in Cooperative Extension, county residents receive an estimated $7.88 in educational services

31. Ways to inform • Face to face visits – establish a relationship • Go to office hours, make visits • Bring a program participant, testimonials • Get business cards • Follow up with thank you’s, answer questions, concerns • Jot down your notes about their interests • Invite them to events, open houses • Make them part of recognition programs • They LOVE publicity

32. Ways to inform • Written communication… • Letters • from you! • from program participants • to newspapers via Letters to the Editor • Fact sheets • with program impacts • list constituent involvement by district

34. Ways to inform • Call them about successes, programs they might be interested in, tours, events • E-mail • Fax • Indirect communication • Media campaigns

35. Tips • Continue to offer excellent programs • Excellent programs = support for programs • Keep decision makers informed • Show and tell • Ask partners and clientele to contact decision makers • Visit, write, contact • Simplify your message • Include financials, if possible • Thank supporters • Awards, photos, food!

36. Tips online • http://www.uwex.uwc.edu/government/documents/WorkingWithElectedOfficials.pdf

37. Questions? Comments?