Business Support: Winning Strategies for Legislation Success

1. Winning with Business Shelley Symonds & Shari Simon ssymonds@pacbell.net 510.219.0721

2. If you want to win, and win fast… • We need business to win • Business support will get you legislative support, public support and press support • Get them on your side • It’s easier than you think • It only takes a few, good business people Symonds & Simon

3. READY AIM FIRE Three step process • Ready • Find your coalition’s business leader(s) • Use them in creating the legislation • Create initial business messages • Aim • Find your business spokespeople • Finalize your messages and materials • Fire • Shape public opinion • Proactively set the terms of debate • Iterate, iterate, iterate Symonds & Simon

4. Why would business support a social program? • When it helps them • Increase revenue • Decrease costs Symonds & Simon

5. READY Symonds & Simon

6. READY Ready • Find your business leader(s) • Executive level • Private sector track record • Good professional connections • Time to devote to this • Use same process to recruit them that they will use to recruit business spokespeople • Use your rolodexes • Use business associations Symonds & Simon

7. READY Make it work for business, too • Make the legislation palatable to business • When drafting the legislation • Use business leaders to vet the legislation • Economically friendly legislation • Test: identify problem areas and positive areas • Create negotiating strategy • Associate with successful, well-perceived programs from businesses’ point of view Symonds & Simon

8. READY Make it attractive to business • When creating initial messaging • Business friendly language/messaging • Inclusive language for all important constituents • Make it make business sense • Make rational cost/benefit arguments • Emotional appeals will not work with business • Demonstrate return on investment (ROI) • Third party, credible sources • Track results • Build into the plan future studies to track actual experience • Goal is federal legislation – actual stats and facts are critical Symonds & Simon

9. AIM Symonds & Simon

10. AIM Who is “Business”? • Many different segments • Small businesses • Surprisingly receptive • Medium businesses • Start at the top • Large corporations • Longest sales cycle is with large businesses • May be easier to work through organizations Symonds & Simon

11. AIM Messaging • Set the discussion – fact based • University of Chicago study, 2000 Department of Labor Survey on FMLA, EDD study, California Labor Survey (political support across parties) • Create materials for a common voice • Be consistent • Train team members to use the common voice • Language that worked • State Disability Insurance, Family Temporary Disability Insurance • Language that didn’t work • Workmen’s Comp, Paid Family Leave Symonds & Simon

12. AIM Business messages that work • Make a business argument • Increase profits or revenue • Decrease costs • Business vs. personal • Use third party, impartial sources • Increased employee retention • Of “good” employees • Did not impact ability to remove “bad” employees • Time vs. money • Time is mandated leave • Money is disability insurance • Legislation 100% employee funded • Does not create any new employee rights to leave (time off) Symonds & Simon

13. AIM Business spokesperson profile • Executive level • Men and women • Well-prepared and coached • Accessible - ready to turn on a dime • Brief them as you would for any marketing campaign • Three points • Facts • Obvious conclusion • Stay on message • Personally credible and forceful Symonds & Simon

14. FIRE Symonds & Simon

15. FIRE How to reach businesses • Use business associations • The usual suspects • NAWBO, NOW, BPW, Catalyst Women, Am. Assoc. of University Women, Cosmetic Executive Women • Not just “women’s” associations • Manufacturers, restaurants, hotels, merchants organizations, industry organizations (ASBA, Social Ventures Network), professional organizations (NCHRA) • See who is quoted in the press • Use everyone’s personal rolodexes • Authors of legislation • Great for small/medium business contacts • Tell a friend is very powerful Symonds & Simon

16. FIRE Electronic outreach • Business runs electronically • Use list serves • Create your own or use existing ones • Have an informational website with actionable pop-ups • Business website • Concise and compelling messaging • Make it quick and easy to take action • Sample letters, emails, send-a-fax, tell-a-friend • For politicians • For press • For businesses • For personal contacts Symonds & Simon

17. FIRE Opposition – Unexpected • Women in business • Adverse reaction possible • Business women may view it as inhibiting career paths and/or compensation • Makes them less desirable as hires • Puts them on slow-track • Gives employer reason for lower pay • Counters: • Christopher Ruhm study and Gruber study Symonds & Simon

18. FIRE Opposition - Expected • Expect opposition from national or statewide organizations • Chamber of Commerce – well-organized • Business organizations – NFIB, Bay Area Council • What they will say • Grants rights to “paid leave” for less than 50-employee companies • Job killer • Enormous cost of program, budget deficit • Employers will bear additional costs • Temp or contract workers • Training and administration, lost productivity • Eventually will have to pay for legislation – new taxes • Abuse of system • Circumvents existing law – ERISA, FMLA • How to combat it • Neutralize their power with business support • Get the facts out there first • Use your business spokespeople • Not all members of these organizations agree with their positions • Companies with a track record • Use global experience Symonds & Simon

19. What we learned: Legislation was palatable to business Message well received Crafting effective message required due diligence Business is not monolithic It only takes a few, compelling spokespeople to make a difference What we recommend: Start early Involve business in the coalition immediately Proactive rather than reactive – set the agenda! Make a consistent business argument Use business organizations Leverage the volume to set the discussion Use everyone’s personal rolodexes Have clear and concise calls to action Use electronic outreach Find a compelling business spokesperson Then find two more Lessons learned Symonds & Simon

20. READY AIM FIRE Questions? Symonds & Simon