The Loop: April 2023

Welcome to The Loop! April 2023

Make an Impact with Your Advocacy

Understand that much of your time should be dedicated to tasks that will generate revenue for the company, so it’s essential that your efforts align with larger business priorities. But when you’re working with limited resources, you must accept that you can’t be everywhere. Instead, focus on building incremental impact. Look to others to extend your reach: Hire consultants and contract lobbyists, partner with trade associations, etc. Having more folks on board will allow you to speak with confidence on more issues, and boots on the ground in relevant locations will provide you with a deeper understanding of which issues are truly important – and which are not.

Don’t overcomplicate your decisions: If it seems simple, it’s probably the right call. And most decisions are reversible, so move fast when you can. There’s a level of entrepreneurship needed when you’re leading a new government relations function; you have to be creative to stand out  and use the tools available to you to maximize your potential.

Leverage your connections.

You don’t need sharp elbows to run a successful advocacy program. “For one to win, it doesn’t mean someone else has to lose,” said Barba. In fact, seek out organizations with similar advocacy goals and work together. And use your partnerships with non-profits as a win. Leverage these memberships as much as possible – have them advocate for your issues, get your executives speaking opportunities, etc. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you need. Additionally, look for non-promotional avenues to form connections. Thought leadership can help you to stand out. An educated industry is good for everyone, and providing education can be an effective way to get your executives’ names out there without pushing your own agenda.

Ensure alignment in your branding.

To find success, you must differentiate yourself from your competitors, but  to maximize your efforts first ensure your organization is in alignment. Communicate with your business colleagues so you’re all on the same page concerning each of your objectives and how they intersect.

Once you’ve achieved internal alignment, your audience can help to boost your brand, so shift your focus to the external. Make sure the people you’re trying to reach understand who you are and what you’re doing. If possible, get ahead of the media to tell your story to lawmakers in your own words. You can align yourself with government officials that will bring value to your efforts. Set up roundtables with committee members to discuss policy issues to raise your profile among  influential groups. Meet with leaders in-district and invite them to those roundtables. Overall, be sure that you understand your identity and are actively communicating your story with your audience.

Remember: All roads lead back to the business.

Advocacy is frequently seen as costly, so ensure you’re doing everything you can to become a revenue generator. Every action you take should keep the business in mind – always keep in mind your organization’s audience and your team’s story. And don’t be afraid to repeat your team’s value to internal stakeholders. On average, it takes someone hearing a piece of information seven times to retain it, so don’t worry about overcommunicating. Know that it’s okay to fail at the tactical level as long as you succeed at the strategic level – you only need one big break for the ROI to be justified.

Remember that you have a valuable vantage point into what’s coming down the policy pipeline and are uniquely positioned to translate that into the language of business. For instance, policy insights on upcoming legislation can be valuable from a sales perspective. Make your case for government relations by discussing what you’ve accomplished. Make the numbers reasonable to hit and use those wins. Keep in mind that wins don’t need to follow a rigid formula; there are many ways you can frame your story.[/vc_toggle]

Meet Alex Donovan, Public Affairs Associate

As a member of the practice team, I’m well integrated into developing the programs, workshops, resources, and one-on-one member inquiries that the Council offers.

My programming and expertise are focused on policy communications, ESG and assisting in our global practice areas. One practice area I’m excited to be expanding is our investor relations and financial communications materials and programs.

I’m also helping develop programming for the Digital Media & Advocacy Summit in June as well as spearheading the Council’s on-site DC Study Tour taking place this October.

What drew you to a career in public affairs?

I’ve always had an interest in policy and developing messaging strategies, particularly in cases of risk. I come from an advertising family, where my grandfather was an “ad man” who worked at J. Walter Thompson during its heyday in the ‘60s and my mom worked in advertising on accounts like Hasbro and the U.S. Navy, so I’ve always fascinated by how to reach people on a mass scale and the role companies have assumed in American life.

In college and graduate school, I studied international relations because I was interested in how nations and corporations fail and succeed in mitigating risk, responding to crises, and preparing for the next crisis.

My journey took me to the Council after working in similar outreach and communications roles on Capitol Hill, development banking, and corporate law, providing me with a large-scale perspective on how Washington and the public affairs industry operate.

What advice do you have for public affairs professionals right now?

Pay attention to as many controversial state and local policies as you can, whether it is in tracking legislation or hearing about them in news stories in podcasts. Policies that have started small in the states and gained attention through copycat laws and the news cycle make up much of what drives Congress and corporate teams’ policy communications. State governors are looking to grow their national profile and state legislators want to fill the policy void of a divided Congress.

What are you most looking forward to with the Council in 2023?

With the lifting of Covid restrictions, the Council had a great return to form with in-person events last year. I think in 2023, we’re hitting our stride when it comes to our conferences and gathering the community.

We are once again hosting the Digital Media & Advocacy Summit, this time at the Marriott Georgetown, on June 12, which will cover all the recent developments in technology and media platforms. The D.C. Study Tour will also build on the success of last year with visits to Congress, trade associations, corporate offices, and regulatory bodies across the city.

Where can we find you in your free time around D.C.?

I used to run cross country and I live right by the National Mall, so if you’re out taking in the monuments in D.C., I’m probably on your left listening to Green Day or my daily podcasts.

Otherwise, I’m a regular at trivia at Irish Channel every Wednesday and organizing picnics in Logan Circle when the weather is nice.

How can members reach you?

My email is [email protected] and my phone number is 202.787.5978.[/vc_toggle]

Revamp Your PAC Strategy

It’s essential your PAC provides a sense of identity and belonging for its members. To begin, you must first understand the membership, engage leadership, provide comprehensive messaging and create tangible benefits and value. Once you understand who your eligible class is, you can determine where you’ve fallen short and how to improve. You’ll understand which issues matter to your members and what would entice them to join or contribute. Educate leadership on the purpose of the PAC and make sure they’re aware it belongs to the entire eligible class and not just any one segment. Once leadership is aware of the PAC’s purpose, you can design a communication strategy for reaching your entire eligible class. Additionally, ensure PAC messaging and materials are created through a DEI lens to achieve inclusivity.

Deep dive into the data.

Data is key to understanding your membership. The information you glean should guide your efforts moving forward. If you’re working with a smaller budget, consider partnering with an external group to help you with this audit. But don’t dismiss this process entirely, you should always be going back to your data when considering strategy. If you understand which segments of your eligible class are currently contributing to the PAC, you can leverage that knowledge to determine why you’ve been successful with them and how to achieve success with others.

Once you have that information, gather all the PAC materials that you have – brochures, pamphlets, emails, etc. – and use the data to make them more attractive to prospects. Remember, inclusivity should be a guiding practice in these efforts.  Don’t worry too much about reaching a preset number of communication touchpoints; your takeaway should be mining  touchpoints that you do have for the data. You want people to not just receive your communications, but to actually open and read them. Let the data drive you to those higher open rates and, from there, drive your strategy for converting open rates to giving – that’s where the opportunity is.

Re-focus your messaging.

The PAC is a valuable part of the advocacy tool kit. To ensure it’s treated as such, it’s important to understand and be able to communicate the PAC’s goals to educate, connect, engage and protect. Use these goals in combination with what you’ve learned about your membership to drive your messaging: What’s the value proposition? Who do they want to hear from? How are they affected by the issues you focus on? When are they most likely to join? Create an elevator pitch for your PAC so you can capture the attention of those who aren’t aware of its purpose. Beta test issues to understand what’s most important to your members and which issues will inspire them to contribute. Consider creating an all-access pass, and you can pivot your messaging to that group from issue-specific to programmatic. Eligibles are most likely to join the PAC when they encounter a perceived threat because they feel they’re defending hard-fought gains, though understanding your members also means understanding when you should and shouldn’t use fear as a motivator.

Have fun!

As a collective, we’ve come through a difficult time and are now facing tremendous burnout. Look for opportunities to provide lowkey ways of demystifying the PAC. Fun events incentivize your eligible class to get involved with the PAC, as they provide an opportunity for them to engage with it in a no-ask setting. These are particularly useful with Gen-Z and others early in their careers. Get creative , but keep in mind that authenticity is key.[/vc_toggle]

Welcome New Members!