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Effective Legislative
Communication

    Katy Stafford-Cunningham
    Vice President of Government Affairs
    Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce
The Basics of Lobbying
Lobbying is not a bad word
 First Amendment!
 Your elected representatives want to
  hear from you
 You have the right and the responsibility
  to speak up about issues that are
  important to you
 Lobbying is the process of promoting
  change
  effectively
What’s the issue?
   What do you want to lobby about?

   Find out what the official position is on a
    particular piece of legislation
Make it personal
 What is your personal story?
 How does the issue affect you?
 Communicating your personal story lets
  Members of the General Assembly know
  what is important to their constituents
What to say
 Tell your personal story
 Explain the issue
 List the impacts
 Recommend a specific course of action
Know your “ask”
 What specific course of action are you
  asking for?
 Do you want a Member of the General
  Assembly to vote for, hold hearings on or
  cosponsor a bill?
Be Specific
   Be specific – refer to legislation by bill number
    and name
   Examples
    ◦ “Please vote against SB XXX, regarding sales tax on
      services.”
    ◦ “Please write a letter to the Chair of the Ways and
      Means Committee in opposition to SB XXX.”
Do your research
   Before you contact your legislator, do some
    research

   Where does the Member stand on the issue?
    ◦ Are they already a supporter?
    ◦ Do they need some convincing?

   Gauging interest in a particular issue is an
    important first step. It will help you shape your
    call, meeting or letter and tailor it to each office
When to lobby
   There are certain times during the
    legislative process when lobbying can be
    particularly effective
    ◦ Before a committee hearing
    ◦ Before a vote
    ◦ While legislation is being drafted
You are the expert
 Members of the General Assembly and
  their staff don’t have time to be experts
  on all of the issues coming before them
 They rely on constituents, groups and
  lobbyists to provide them with
  information
Practice
 Before making any contact, practice what
  you are going to say
 You want to feel comfortable and natural
 Know the facts
How to make contact
            Write a letter

             Make a call

         Schedule a meeting

           Send an e-mail

         Send a text message
Write
 Keep the letter short
 Tell your personal story
 Explain the issue and the desired action
  and outcome
 Include your full name and address
 Email it as attachment and then mail it
Calling your legislator
 Call the office of your Member
 Ask to speak with their Legislative
  Assistant, who handles the issue you are
  calling about
Calling a State Agency
 Figure out which agency to lobby
 Call the Department of Education and ask
  to speak with the office that handles
  licensing, special education or the specific
  topic area you wish to address
During the call
 Have the information in front of you
 Be concise
 State your name and location
 Have a specific request or action
Meet
   Meeting face-to-face with your
    representative is the best way to lobby
Meeting with your Member of the
General Assembly
 Call the office of your Member of the
  General Assembly
 Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a
  meeting with the Member – staff
  members are very knowledgeable and will
  pass along your message
Meeting with a State Agency
 Call the agency with the person or office
  that handles your issues or that is
  involved in the legislation you are calling
  about
 Ask to schedule a meeting. Be flexible
  with your schedule.
At the meeting
   Be early
   Be brief – Get to the point. Stay on message.
   Leave something behind – Give out your card.
     Have a fact sheet ready that explains the
    issue and your ask. Bring extra copies.
   The Statehouse is an unpredictable place. Be
    understanding if the office needs to
    rescheduled.
Be a source of information
 Members and staff don’t necessarily know
  about the issue. You are the expert.
 Learn about the issue before the meeting
 Be ready to answer questions
 Be prepared to get back to an office on
  any requests for information
Build a relationship
 A major part of lobbying is building a
  relationship with a staffer or an office so
  that they listen to you and are open to
  hearing your ideas
 When you call or meet with someone,
  start to build a relationship with them by
  being informative and friendly
Follow up: Be persistent!
   Follow up: Send a thank you card or
    email to any staffers you met or who
    helped you get a meeting

   Send any information that was requested
    in the meeting and ask if any additional
    information is needed
Use a group effort
   Members of the General Assembly and
    state agencies are more likely to act if
    they hear from multiple constituents

   Ask others to write, call or schedule a
    meeting in support of the issue
Conclusion
 Members of the General Assembly want
  to hear from their constituents
 Be a source of information
 Build a relationship
 Be persistent
 Don’t be discouraged
 Use a group effort
Useful Online resources

            www.fwchamber.org/GOV
                www.in.gov/iga
     http://www.in.gov/house_republicans/
      http://www.in.gov/house_democrats/
     http://www.in.gov/senate_republicans/
     http://www.in.gov/senate_democrats/
  http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/
Questions ????
Thank you!

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Advocacy 101 for Chamber - 122311

  • 1. Effective Legislative Communication Katy Stafford-Cunningham Vice President of Government Affairs Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce
  • 2. The Basics of Lobbying
  • 3. Lobbying is not a bad word  First Amendment!  Your elected representatives want to hear from you  You have the right and the responsibility to speak up about issues that are important to you  Lobbying is the process of promoting change effectively
  • 4. What’s the issue?  What do you want to lobby about?  Find out what the official position is on a particular piece of legislation
  • 5. Make it personal  What is your personal story?  How does the issue affect you?  Communicating your personal story lets Members of the General Assembly know what is important to their constituents
  • 6. What to say  Tell your personal story  Explain the issue  List the impacts  Recommend a specific course of action
  • 7. Know your “ask”  What specific course of action are you asking for?  Do you want a Member of the General Assembly to vote for, hold hearings on or cosponsor a bill?
  • 8. Be Specific  Be specific – refer to legislation by bill number and name  Examples ◦ “Please vote against SB XXX, regarding sales tax on services.” ◦ “Please write a letter to the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee in opposition to SB XXX.”
  • 9. Do your research  Before you contact your legislator, do some research  Where does the Member stand on the issue? ◦ Are they already a supporter? ◦ Do they need some convincing?  Gauging interest in a particular issue is an important first step. It will help you shape your call, meeting or letter and tailor it to each office
  • 10. When to lobby  There are certain times during the legislative process when lobbying can be particularly effective ◦ Before a committee hearing ◦ Before a vote ◦ While legislation is being drafted
  • 11. You are the expert  Members of the General Assembly and their staff don’t have time to be experts on all of the issues coming before them  They rely on constituents, groups and lobbyists to provide them with information
  • 12. Practice  Before making any contact, practice what you are going to say  You want to feel comfortable and natural  Know the facts
  • 13. How to make contact Write a letter Make a call Schedule a meeting Send an e-mail Send a text message
  • 14. Write  Keep the letter short  Tell your personal story  Explain the issue and the desired action and outcome  Include your full name and address  Email it as attachment and then mail it
  • 15. Calling your legislator  Call the office of your Member  Ask to speak with their Legislative Assistant, who handles the issue you are calling about
  • 16. Calling a State Agency  Figure out which agency to lobby  Call the Department of Education and ask to speak with the office that handles licensing, special education or the specific topic area you wish to address
  • 17. During the call  Have the information in front of you  Be concise  State your name and location  Have a specific request or action
  • 18. Meet  Meeting face-to-face with your representative is the best way to lobby
  • 19. Meeting with your Member of the General Assembly  Call the office of your Member of the General Assembly  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a meeting with the Member – staff members are very knowledgeable and will pass along your message
  • 20. Meeting with a State Agency  Call the agency with the person or office that handles your issues or that is involved in the legislation you are calling about  Ask to schedule a meeting. Be flexible with your schedule.
  • 21. At the meeting  Be early  Be brief – Get to the point. Stay on message.  Leave something behind – Give out your card. Have a fact sheet ready that explains the issue and your ask. Bring extra copies.  The Statehouse is an unpredictable place. Be understanding if the office needs to rescheduled.
  • 22. Be a source of information  Members and staff don’t necessarily know about the issue. You are the expert.  Learn about the issue before the meeting  Be ready to answer questions  Be prepared to get back to an office on any requests for information
  • 23. Build a relationship  A major part of lobbying is building a relationship with a staffer or an office so that they listen to you and are open to hearing your ideas  When you call or meet with someone, start to build a relationship with them by being informative and friendly
  • 24. Follow up: Be persistent!  Follow up: Send a thank you card or email to any staffers you met or who helped you get a meeting  Send any information that was requested in the meeting and ask if any additional information is needed
  • 25. Use a group effort  Members of the General Assembly and state agencies are more likely to act if they hear from multiple constituents  Ask others to write, call or schedule a meeting in support of the issue
  • 26. Conclusion  Members of the General Assembly want to hear from their constituents  Be a source of information  Build a relationship  Be persistent  Don’t be discouraged  Use a group effort
  • 27. Useful Online resources www.fwchamber.org/GOV www.in.gov/iga http://www.in.gov/house_republicans/ http://www.in.gov/house_democrats/ http://www.in.gov/senate_republicans/ http://www.in.gov/senate_democrats/ http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/