Issue advocacy can affect change, but while you won't always win a legislative battle, the data generated and lessons learned from all advocacy interactions will help your organization across the board, from member / customer retention and acquisition to events, product sales and more. This deck will give you a background on issue advocacy, where we've been, what's changed, and the fundamentals of a good advocacy effort. It also looks at what data is generated from every interaction and how that information can be used across the board to improve your organization.

2. What is Issue Advocacy?
• COMMUNITY: A group comes
together around an issue.
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• ACTION: Together, they can
affect change

3. Traditional Advocacy
• IN THE PAST: Issue advocacy belonged to
Government Relations. Only “used” when needed.
• RESULT: Siloed,
centralized
communication
resulted in poor
results.

4. What’s Changed?
• FRAGMENTATION: Social means
bad content can be pushed
• OVERLOAD: Always-on
content distracts users
• NO BARRIER: Any group can join
the conversation at any time
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5. How Do We Turn the Tide
• CONNECT: Be Genuine with
stakeholders
• BUILD TRUST: Timely and
informative content builds trust
• DRIVE THOUGHT LEADERSHIP:
People “buy” from folks who “do good”

6. Step 1: Educate, Equip & Engage
Educate
Equip
Engage
• EDUCATE: Drive Trust through
timely and on-topic content
• EQUIP: Build Thought Leadership
by giving users points they can relay
• ENGAGE: Provide next steps,
actions that users can take

7. Timely Engagement

8. Right Message @ Right Time

9. Now Interacting, What’s Next
Educate
Equip
Engage
Measure,
Target &
Encourage
We need to understand what users are doing,
group them together & ask them to do more

10. Step 2: Measure, Target, Encourage
• MEASURE: Understand and take
stock of actions and messaging
• TARGET: Segment based on
history and actions taken
• ENCOURAGE: Customize content
& messaging to encourage further
interaction
Measure,
Target &
Encourage

11. Humanizing the Data
Measure,
Target &
Encourage
Convey
Results
Now gathering both quantity and quality, we need
to convey those results to legislators, staff & others

12. Step 3: Conveying Results
• Genuine stories win out
• Legislators are looking for
stories to share with others
• Union of Quantity and Quality

13. Case Study
Who they are:
“Main Street is a grassroots community of
advocates interested in how public policy
impacts commerce. Join us!”
What do they do:
• Connect with ebay Sellers
• Deliver News, Talking Points, Action Options
• Newsletters, Insight, More
• Events with Legislators
Why it works:
By framing this as a small business issue, they
protect their own interests.

14. The Full Lifecycle
Educate
Equip
Engage
Measure,
Target &
Encourage
Convey
Results
Humanize
the Issue
Humanize
the Data

15. Affect Change (?)
THE HOPE: Action by your
stakeholders has convinced the
right people to support a
specific bill / regulation / etc.
THE REALITY:
You win some, You lose some.
It’s what you do next that
moves your bottom line

16. Moving Forward
• Every (in)action is a data point
• Data points include
• Issues
• Timing
• Actions Taken
• Legislators & Districts

17. Translation
• DISCOVERY: Find new,
potential stakeholders
• ACTION: Maximize
follow-up based on
interaction and details
provided

18. Move Your Bottom Line
• EVENTS: Events & Event Registrations
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• CONTENT: Content Creation & Sales
• SALES & RENEWALS:
Retention & Acquisition
(Member, Customer, Employee)
• FUNDRAISING: More, Larger Donations

19. Wrap-Up: Implementation
1. EDUCATE, EQUIP & ENGAGE
2. TRACK, MANAGE & ENCOURAGE
3. CONVEY RESULTS
Set this foundation and you will:
1. BUILD A STRONG COMMUNITY
2. AFFECT CHANGE
3. MOVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE
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20. Additional Reading
Issue Advocacy Data & Your CRM:
Learn More About Engage & Salesforce:
Issue Advocacy Best Practices:
New Issue Advocacy Professional:
Connect with Me:
bit.ly/advData
bit.ly/engageSF
bit.ly/advbest
bit.ly/advprof
bit.ly/bsfDF14