MACE 2016 Policy, Politics and Advocacy Conference speaker Bill McCoshen speaking about what works and what doesn't.

1. MACE
Midwest Association of Chamber Executives
November 10, 2016

2. SURPRISE!!!
PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP

3. Webster’s Dictionary defines lobbying as:
To conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and
especially members of a legislative body: To promote or secure
the passage of legislation by influencing public officials: to
attempt to influence or sway towards a desired action.

4. So, lobbying is just influence peddling, right?
Wrong!

5. The true art of lobbying is the ability to make it easy for
the decision-maker to make the decision you want
them to make.

6. GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESSFUL LOBBYING

7. #1 The MOST IMPORTANT Lobbying Rule:
• Anything other than a YES is a NO.

8. #2 Clearly define your legislative objective first
“Define your win”
• Are you trying to pass a specific piece of legislation
that will be helpful to your members?
• Are you trying to kill a bill or rule that will be
harmful to your members?

9. #3 Create a campaign plan to achieve your objective
• Not all bills/rules are created equal. Your strategy and
tactics should factor the degree of difficulty of the issue,
and, or political environment, into the plan.
• Relationships are a tactic, not a strategy.

10. #4 Hire experts to help you win!
• Yes, that’s a shameless pitch from a contract lobbyist, but very
important nonetheless.
• You may need a General Consultant or Campaign Manager to assist
in drafting the plan and building the team.
• Other potential resources include pollsters, PR consultants and 3rd
party validators to provide expert analysis on your issue.

11. #5 Establish the “need” for action
• You must start by defining the problem that decision-makers need to
solve. Be prepared to push back on others that challenge your
narrative.
• Make your case inside and outside the Capitol.
• All messaging should be easy to understand, and ,whenever
possible, data-driven.

12. #6 Build a strong coalition!
• Chambers can easily add allies from other business related
organizations. Also, consider allies from non-traditional
groups such as academia and unions.
• Identify key influencers in your state and attempt to bring
them into your coalition.

13. #7 Identify and assess your potential opponents
• Once you create a list of potential opponents, then
determine if there are tactics that may neutralize or convert
them to your side.
• If your opponents are ideologically opposed to your issue,
then overwhelm them with data-driven facts in favor of your
position.

14. #8 Identify champions on both sides of the political
aisle
• Having the Governor as your champion is Position A
• You absolutely MUST have strong champions in the majority
party in both chambers, but you also need support from
minority party members if possible.

15. #9 Consider your strengths and weaknesses
• Recognize when it is best to play lead or step back and
play a support role.
• Can business be the lead if you have a Democrat Governor
and Legislature?

16. #10 Measure your progress
• Polling
• Media: Earned media and Paid Media
• Vote Count (by public statements by decision-makers)

17. #11 Be nimble
• You need to know when it’s time to make a deal. There may
be more than one way to achieve all, or a good share, of
your objective.
• Just because you didn’t think of it, doesn’t mean it won’t
work.

18. #12 Do the math
• You need X votes to pass a bill in the house and Y votes to
pass it in the Senate. Keep a real-time scoresheet.
• Once you pass the bill through both houses you need to
make sure you can get it past the goalie… or the Governor.

19. #13 A. B. C. − “Always be closing!”
• You need X votes to pass a bill in the house and Y votes to
pass it in the Senate. Keep a real-time scoresheet.
• Once you pass the bill through both houses you need to
make sure you can get it past the goalie… or the Governor.

20. #14 Be patient
• Controversial issues often take more than one session to
accomplish.

21. #15 Win and lose gracefully
• The butt you kick today may be the one you are kissing
tomorrow!

22. A Wisconsin Case Study: Transportation Funding

23. DRIVE
Statewide campaign
Business associations
Economic development orgs
Create political support
Just Fix It
Grassroots movement built at the local level
Organic growth through social media
Pro-transportation groups
Local units of government

24. ACTION PLAN | Objective
Secure an additional $750 million per year in new long-term
funding for the Wisconsin Transportation Fund
#2 Clearly define your legislative objective first
“Define your win”

25. ACTION PLAN | Goals
Educate the public on the need for full funding of transportation,
maintenance, repair and expansion
Create a favorable political climate for Governor Walker and
conservative Senate Republicans to support new revenues for
transportation
Reframe the debate with conservative media infrastructure in
Wisconsin
#3 Create a campaign plan to achieve your objective

26. ACTION PLAN | Solution
The solution for the transportation funding problem in Wisconsin
requires the skilled management of a coordinated, cohesive, and
consistent organizational platform.
Drive messaging in a directed and impactful package of advertising,
media, grassroots and lobbying.
Deliver clear and convincing public support for transportation
funding and the political momentum for a new long-term funding
source.

27. ACTION PLAN | Strategy
The day to day business of the campaign will be managed by the
WTBA-led oversight committee and Capitol Consultants
An executive committee led by high profile political figures will be
focused on promoting our key messages on a statewide basis
Professional polling, grassroots advocacy, social media, paid and
earned media
#4 Hire experts to help you win!

28. Strategy | Message
Development/DeliveryTo achieve our objectives and desired outcomes, the campaign
must answer three questions:
 Who are our targeted audiences to help us reach our desired
outcomes?
 How will we reach our target audiences?
 What do we say to our targeted audiences to inspire them to action?
#5 Establish the “need” for action on the issue

29. Strategy | Message
Development/DeliveryWho are our target audiences to help us reach our desired outcomes?
We have preliminarily determined four primary target groups:
• Statewide 2016 presidential election voters in general.
• Southeast Wisconsin (WOW Counties) 2016 presidential election voters.
• Business associations, transportation dependent businesses, local governments.
• Legislative incumbents, candidates and their staffs

30. LFB: $939 Million deficit in 2017-19 budget

32. #6 Build a strong coalition!

38. #7 Identify and assess your potential opponents
#1 Governor Scott Walker
#2 Conservative talk radio
#3 AFP-WI
#4 MacIver Institute
#5 Conservative Senators

40. And the other side of the debate….

41. Assembly Speaker RobinVos
"I just disagree fundamentally with Gov.Walker's
assumption that we can kick the can down the road,
push decisionsonto a future legislature,which will
end up being more expensive and potentially not in
the interest of taxpayers,"Vossaid.
"I don’t intend to passa state budget that doesn’t
actually fix thisproblem.”
#8 Identify champions on both sides of the political aisle

46. #9 Consider your strengths and weaknesses

47. #10 Measure your progress

51. #11 Be nimble

52. #12 Do the math

55. #13 A. B. C. − “Always be closing!”

59. MACE
Midwest Association of Chamber Executives
November 10, 2016