While we move...

We are in the process of updating our website. In the meantime, you can find out information about us here. For further information, please email us:
Chip Ahlswede
Meredith Weisel

Monday, February 15, 2010

Rulemaking - how good laws go bad

Even when you've done your job to the best of your ability, gotten support, consensus and then passage, you still have one more spot where it can all go wrong - rulemaking.

Whether its regulatory, internal staff, or just the implementation procedures, you can still see your hard work disappear without your knowledge if you dont have a hand in the rulemaking process.

Your last ask in the process of getting your issue passed is to offer your assistance to work with staff to help them make the rules.

This is especially important the smaller and more localized the government entity is.

Why? Simply put part time elected officials rely on full time staff to carry out their "vision."

If this "vision" isn't theirs, because it's YOURS, then you need to stay on top of that effort

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Leaders who branch out

One of the keys of leadership that most organizations miss is that leadership is intended to grow new leaders.

The problem with growing that new leadership is that the existing leaders need to let go and let the new leaders lead.

But what does that mean for the current leadership? It means they need to give their experience to other organizations. However more often than not they have no plan to do so.

Take a look around your community. Ask yourself -

- Are there other business organizations for my members to succeed in?
- Are there community organizations or fraternal organizations to succeed in?
- Are there appointments or elective positions that my members are ready to take on?

Growing leadership means building a network of advocates. A strong advocacy program revolves around how others view your organization, and leadership is key to positive interaction throughout the community.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Who Speaks for You?

One of the biggest barriers to success when working with the public, is how are your spokespeople received?

Most organizations make their president the spokesperson. While this is a great leadership opportunity, it neglects a few very key components of communication -

- Presidents change constantly, a lack of continuity creates confusion
- Not all presidents are great speakers, work to their strengths not their desires
- Not all presidents translate well in the public eye, don't put them in a bad light

When you look for a spokesperson, you need them to be -

- credible on the issue
- personable to the community
- deferential to the organization

Spokespersons can change based on issues, direction of the organization, or with time. However make sure the person speaking for your organization knows how to put the organization in the best light

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Know What You're Talking About

While the idea of manufacturing an issue can be rather appealing, the one caveat to it is you had better know what you are talking about. That point was amazingly illustrated during this year's Super Bowl.

It came out that the faith-based Non Profit Organization "Focus On The Family" had bought an ad during the Super Bowl. The commercial was to feature Heisman Trophy Winner Tim Tebow and his mother.

Tebow is a strong Christian, his mother considered an abortion but didn't have one. Focus on the Family is against abortion.

Those facts are all it took for pro-choice advocates to protest the ad placement. News stations had segments all attacking CBS for allowing the ad.
Fox News addressed it HERE
MSNBC addressed it HERE

The New York Times to the San Francisco Chronicle, and even the USA Today had opinions on the matter... Long before anyone had ever seen the ad.

The issue of whether or not CBS should air the commercial gained so much air time before the super bowl that Focus On The Family got well more than their money's worth buying the $2.5 million ad.

They had a FABULOUS publicist who leaked the "concept" that sent the media into a flurry of hype...then they did a "PC" commercial that wouldn't create a stir. The message was already out there before the ad aired. They didn't need to do a controversial ad; they had accomplished their press mission and got more air time than the spot!

Stated public relations specialist Melanie Porpiglia

Then the ad came out. This was it -

Not exactly something to explode over. But the statements had already been made.

And the response? Perhaps the entertainment industry blog TMZ summed it up best -
Tim Tebow's Super Bowl Ad -- That Was It?

Posted Feb 8th 2010 5:00AM by TMZ Staff

After weeks of hype and outrage, the Super Bowl commercial with Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow finally aired Sunday night -- so what was all the fuss about?

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/08/tim-tebow-super-bowl-commercial/#ixzz0ey2Eo2ZM

And now, those pro-choice advocates will have to re-frame their objection to the ad.

Regardless of your position on abortion, Focus on the Family, the National Organization for Women or the Super Bowl, this episode in media history made one thing clear -

Make sure you know what you are saying before you say it.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Re-Evaluate - The Mirror of your program

When was the last time you took a look at your Government Relations Program?

It is easy to sit back and allow it to just go on auto pilot, but when you do that, what changes in the community are you missing?

Simply put take a quick scan -

What policies are you standing for - and what policies are currently being discussed that affect YOUR policies?

Who are the community leaders - and do they know what your issues are and why they are important?

Where does the public stand on your organization - and is it possible to sway them?

Occasionally it makes sense to do a quick checklist and make sure you are hitting your marks.

Let us know if we can help

Friday, February 5, 2010

Changing perspectives

You can't change minds overnight. But over time you can shift perspectives to your side.

Don't be discouraged if your first effort isn't as successful as you'd like. These things take time & you'll get better at it the longer you stick to it.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

A Chorus of Voices

You've tried writing letters to staff, elected officials and consultants on issues, but why should you be sending letters that are only read by a few people?

Take a lesson from "Ellie Light",defending President Obama's policies. Regardless of what you think about Obama's policies, this individual got their opinions published in nearly every newspaper in the country.

What if instead you took 2 paragraphs to explain your issues, and brought that message to the general public by bombarding the local paper with similar letters?

Free publicity for your issue, and the paper may do an opinion piece on your issue if you manage to raise awareness and attention on this issue.

Make a difference by puting a little effort into getting your message out there.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Make Waves


Do you worry that you dont have an issue that will get you the notariety you need to make the issues you want?

Make one up.

Edward Segal, CEO of the Marin County Association of REALTORS, found that by developing an advocacy tool he was able to pre-empt some major issues in his communities.

"point of sale is a way that elected officials like to pass policies without having any skin in the game, but can act like they did something positive. The problem is it takes a long time to implement, and unfairly burdens home sellers."
Explained Segal.

"So we developed the 'housingturnover index' and the councilmembers realized that what they were doing would take decades to implement... so that ended that discussion!"


You probably have an issue that comes up frequently in your neighborhoods as well. Tell your story before its an issue and you too will pre-empt these types of problems.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Other Side

Do your arguments stack up to what the other side is coming at you with? You had better be prepared for what they are bringing otherwise your argument is lost.

Here's a good guage of how you know where the holes are in your argument -

1) What would you say to shoot down your arguments? Yeah not that creative, but its where you stard. follow it up closely with what your peers would say.

2) What's been said in the past? Has the issue been addressed before? if so what was raised and how could you adress those issues? Did those old arguments expose new holes?

3) Are they giving you their game plan? If you know who is coming out against you, do they post their materials online? You'd be surprised at how transparent even the most seemingly sophisticated groups are when it comes to their advocacy strategy. Use it against them if you can.

3) What does the average person say? take your issue to a friend who doesnt have much of an opinion on your issue, they are most likely to theow you the curveball that will catch you off guard.

Know your issue, know your weaknesses, know your opportunities, and try to prepare for the inttangible... from there you will have a successful strategy.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Friends, Foes, & Sycophants

In politics you will often find elected officials will say one thing in private and do something completely different in public. Dealing with it is up to you but the key is to know the difference.

Friends - they're the ones who will promise to do something, and actually follow through.

Foes - they're the ones who wont do anything to you want. But at least you know where they stand.

Sycophants - they're the ones that are pleased as heck to get your endorsement and support... and really think your issue is very important and wants to support you. but gee... wouldn't you know it... the chairman needed a vote... so I just couldn't... but NEXT TIME I promise...

They're the worst

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Free Publicity

Your issues and your organization represent something bigger than you and your current membership.

There are litterally thousands of people out there that would be great supporters if they only knew more about you.

So what are you doing to let them know you are there?

One of the most valuable ways you can get your organization's presence to grow is through the press... and the free publicity they can provide.

Pick your top issue. Write an editorial about why you are right (target 300 to 500 words). Call the editor of your local paper and ask them to meet about your issue. Give them your editorial.

It may not happen right away. It may not be 100% your message when it comes out. But when it does you will have put your organization in front of a large number of people who otherwise didnt know about you, and now want to know more.

The press needs stories and your story needs attention. Bring the two together!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Are You At The Table?

There's an old saying in politics -

"If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu."

What are you doing to make sure your organization is at the table on issues that concern you? There is a simple way to make sure you are invited, follow these steps -

1) State Your Issues - Send a letter to elected officials and staff explaining the issues of importance to you, ask that they include you in any discussions.
2) Follow Up - Send an email, a phone call, take 'em to coffee... whatever it takes to make sure they get it.
3) Monitor - Look up the agendas, read what's going on, keep in touch.
4) Make Friends - If you have a strong coalition in place, they can help keep you in the loop if they come across something.

Set it up right and you'll spend more time looking at the menu than wondering if you're on it!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Who Knows Your Story?

With all these great moves you are making, who are you telling?

You should have 3 messages that come out of each effort -

a) What matters to your most ardent supporters / members / consumers
b) What matters to those who are likely to support you / future members / coalition members
c) What matters to the general public.

Another way to look at it is,

a) What you would send in a newsletter
b) What you would put on your website
c) What you would like to see in the newspaper

Re-examine your efforts, and figure out what you can do to get those messages out.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Intangibles

Just like you can't account for weather in your game, there are outside forces that don't show up that you need to be aware of and account for.

Sometimes an elected official will agree with you, however there are other forces that prevent them from being publicly in support of your position. That doesn't mean they can't be helpful.

When you are faced with this situation, call on the individuals influence. They may not be able to vote for you, but they can probably find you someone who will.

Know it.
Use it.
Reflect it (internally).

Monday, January 18, 2010

What's Your Box Score?

Often with policies, the end result isn't as simple as a "yea" or "nay" vote. Even more so much of what you are trying to do is a process more than a one time deal.

Knowing this, the best way to gauge how you are doing is by knowing how far you've come.

Identify key interactions on each policy, and rate each influence maker on those interactions:

- Did they meet with you?
- Were they receptive to the discussion?
- Did they agree?
- Did they support?
- Did they sponsor?
- Did they co-sponsor?
- Did they vote in committee?
- Did they vote on the floor?

Those number show the work that goes into this, much more than a final score does.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Follow Up

Honestly it is as simple as that.

You've done the work

You've set your priorities

You've crafted a message

You've establushed rapport

You've prepared information on your issue

You've delivered your pitch...

Now follow up!

Even with people who disagree with you. It builds trust and professionalism with the people you work with.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Get Further By Being Shorter

Looking at your policies, you may be concerned that one of two things is likely to happen, either -

A) These policies are going to be too hard to understand, or
B) There is too much supporting information that people need.

These thoughts are common, you want people to care about your issue as much as you do, and you want them to understand it at the level you have.

Here's the thing, they don't and they wont. But that doesn't mean they wont support your issue given good reasoning and research.

You simply need to condense your message, and provide reasons to trust your conclusion.

STEP 1 - Condense Your Message

Take a lesson from Twitter. If you can't convey a message in 140 characters, its not going through.

Think 2 sentences.
- Identify a problem
- Offer the solution

They will ask for more, which takes us to...

STEP 2 - Make Them Comfortable

Another lesson from Twitter - trusted people have bought in. For them it was celebs and CEOs, for you it will be researchers, academics, and practitioners...

And good messaging includes all 3.

STEP 3 - Link to More

Back to Twitter, think of those weird little links such as - http://bit.ly/9QPGJg

Ever click through to them? Well here is where all the background information that you are so passionate about comes in, give them the information to learn more if they want.

There is no reason to over sell someone who agrees, and you'll save time with someone who doesn't. Either way you will be professional, honorable, AND HONEST... the kinds of traits that win over even your most ardent opposition in time!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Priorities and Principles

One of the hardest things to do is to determine your organization's policy agenda. You hear the same questions pop up -

  • What if people become upset?
  • What are the issues?
  • What do we address first?
  • What is politically possible?
You can address each question, and spend hours going in circles not making any progress. Alternatively you can follow a path to get the answers to these, and other questions, that will define your road to success.

WHAT IS OUR MISSION?

The first question you have to ask is, what is the mission of your organization? Your policies should mirror your mission. If your organization's mission is to improve business opportunities, consider what hindrances exist for businesses.

Identify 3 major policy objectives that accompany your organization's mission. In the above example, you could consider suggestions along the lines of:

  1. Support legislation that encourages business attraction and job creation.
  2. Work to abandon policies that have proven ineffective or have been obstructions to business growth.
  3. Create opportunities for businesses to connect with local employment bases.
These three models offer opportunity to define your policy priorities based off of your organization's mission, which will help grow the support of people affiliated with your organization.

What Issues Might Affect Us?

There are many ways to find out what legislative proposals might affect your organization.
  • You could look to similar organizations to see what their concerns are.
  • You could look to industry organizations you work with to see their priorities
  • You could follow and track legislation manually
  • You could hire a lobbyist, or a political tracking firm to follow issues.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you know what you need to be involved with, and try not to over extend yourself. Many bills are introduced, very few become laws, and only some of those are going to have a real impact on your daily procedures.

What Can We Offer?

Your organization wants to make a difference. So do so. Identify some laws that could change to make things better, and bring them forward. Build a team of supporting organizations. Make your positions clear as to why you are interested in these issues, and what the benefit to everyone would be if your position were adopted. Make others want to buy into your vision.

Who Are Our Champions?

No matter how good your organization is, you are going to need help. If for no other reason than you can't introduce a bill in the legislature unless you are elected to do so!

Identify some key politicians that can be your supporters, your champions, and arm them with the information to help them be successful on your issue.

By the way, you should do all you can to help showcase their success with your issue as well. Not only is it nice to be recognized, the more recognition one politician gets, the more the other politicians are going to want that recognition as well! So do press conferences, events, and promotional efforts to show what a great job that elected official did for you!

What Could We Do Next?


Success breeds success. As people buy into and see your vision, bring them along. Make sure they see your long term vision, what you could eventually do if given the opportunity, and why others would want you to succeed. There is always something that could be improved upon, and you are the right organization to make that happen.

WHAT IF...?

Everything else is circumstantial. You may not be able to introduce laws in the order, or to the extent you'd like to see them go in your first swing, but that doesn't mean you aren't doing the right thing. And if people get upset that you are having success... its because they are disappointed in the results of their own efforts, don't sweat it!

Your job is to WIN, not worry about other people's feelings.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

What Does It Take?

Succeeding with government affairs isn't as daunting as most people think it is. It takes careful planning. It takes attention to detail. It takes dedication. Just like anything else.

However there are three basic components to government affairs.

  • Policy - You have to have a sound strategy of what you want to advocate, and make sure that it is something that can be done.
  • Politics - Its great to have ideas, but you have to have friends with influence who can help you make those ideas a reality.
  • Public Advocacy - Your ideas and your friends are a good start. But if you can't communicate your plan well... either your opposition or any random person out there might just do that for you.
With an effective strategy in place for each of these components, you will be successful. But if you think you can do it without any individual one of these components, you will have problems.