Marketing Your Point of View
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For many, lobbying is a four-letter word. However, government relations doesn't have to be a rogue function. It can and should be part of an integrated organizational strategy to tell your story to policymakers who matter.
The political world can be rough-and-tumble. The legislative process isn't linear. The attention spans of many politicians can be very short, unless they are asking you for a campaign contribution.
So, it's a tough audience.
As a new Congress and state legislatures prepare to convene, here are some tips for an effective government relations program:
Don't be defensive. Marketing your organization's point of view is perfectly okay. In fact, it often is essential to ensure the public debate on an important issue considers all the relevant facts. If lawmakers or regulators don't hear your side of the story, don't be surprised if laws or rules result that you don't like. Your opponents won't hesitate to tell their story, so don't be defensive about telling yours.
Enter the debate early. Too many organizations wait on the sidelines watching an issue simmer before jumping into the fray. Your best opportunity to influence the direction of an issue is when it is just forming, not after it has boiled over, become a bill and is scheduled for a hearing in front of a legislative committee.
Engage your critics. Instead of reading what your critics have to say in the newspaper, engage them directly. Listen to their concerns, share your perspective and look for common ground. Maybe common ground involves a legislative compromise or perhaps an operational or procedural change. A smart concession can save a lot of heartache.
Frame your issue. One of the skills employed by the best lobbyists is framing an issue to show off its best attributes. Issue framing is no different than positioning a product in an advertisement. Emphasize what sells.
Keep it simple. "If lawmakers just understood all the facts." Great, but they don't. Rattling off a bunch of statistics or heaping mounds of background materials on lawmakers' desks won't achieve much. You will get far better results by spending time simplifying your message to its essential elements. Focus on what is really important and choose words, charts and images that convey what's important crisply, clearly and unmistakably.
Stick with the facts. Lobbying gets off the track when it veers from the facts. Good lobbyists guard their integrity. That integrity is built on a reputation of making accurate representations, even when the facts aren't so pleasant. Trying to spin the truth may work for a while, but not for long. Stick with the facts and build your credibility.
Integrate your message. What you say to a lawmaker should be consistent with what you say to a customer, shareholder or Wall Street analyst. You won't remain credible if you pose as one thing in public while pushing a very different lobby message.
Know who's who. Knowing whom to talk to is critical to success. Knowing how to talk to the right person may be just as critical. Some policymakers want the basic facts, while others want details. Still others want the big picture. Just like in any sales call, do your homework. Know who makes the decision and how to make your pitch resonate with that person.
Little things count. The Big Three automakers rolled into town apparently giving little thought to the message they gave by how they arrived. Their request for a billion dollar bailout never recovered from the astonishment on Capitol Hill of hat-in-hand auto executives with their private jets lined up at Ronald Reagan Airport. Remember that what you do is as, or even more, important than what you say.
Learn more about CFM Public Affairs and Federal Affairs services.
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