Engagement Edge: The Science & Practice of Political Involvement

Beyond the Great Idea in the Shower - For Your Elevation - Insights for Clients of The Showalter Group

The problem with elementary benchmarking research is that it does not compare successful advocacy campaigns and unsuccessful ones. I read with a combination of intrigue and amusement a recent article about  the best mediums for advocacy communications. Before you start lighting torches and hoisting your pitchforks en route to my office, I do believe that having benchmarks is useful, but who determines if the benchmark represents successful persuasion? As you can imagine, I have an opinion.  Listen here.

Why You Need to Think Like a Hollywood Mogul for Attention, Persuasion and Action

Do you know the IQ (Influence Quotient) of your priority legislators, particularly those who will be meeting with your advocates?

In our second biennial GRIP® (Grassroots Influence Pulse) research, my colleague, Dr. Kelton Rhoads, had an insight that was superb, true, and vital for advocacy professionals and those they serve. One of the questions we asked was whether the organization’s relationships with elected officials was better or worse than the previous year. A majority responded that they were having better relationships, although they would also cite that legislators were less accessible, so I’m not sure how that squares, but they felt that the relationships were getting better. They also reported that legislators were voting in favor with their issues less frequently than in the past.

One of the reasons our advocate training is advanced training, is because we live in Realville. We teach advocates that the lawmaker constituent conversation is a two way influence street. It’s not a simple exercise where you fill the legislator’s empty brain (although I’m sure that is true at times) with information and they make a decision based on the volume of identical information they receive. We may wish it was that easy, but it’s not.

As I think more about the challenges advocacy and PAC professionals have with establishing proper program metrics, I realized that they cannot be solved with the same level of thinking that created the elementary, volume-oriented metrics commonly used. So, presto! A new Amyism.

“Despite declarations to the contrary, no dramatic PAC or advocacy program transformation happens with one tactic. When building an influential advocacy program or large PAC, there is no single event, no grand video, no solitary viral tweet, no “killer app,” no single meeting that transforms your program. Rather, it occurs through consistent thinking, testing and honest evaluation. That consistency produces momentum that leads to transformation.”

Amyism #63 - PAC Objections

“There are no new PAC objections known to mankind. The crime is not in the objection, but in us not being prepared to welcome, validate, and have a dialogue about them...and to remember that we are answering a person, not a question."

Our year-end issue intentionally does not include any reflections or “lessons learned” from 2020, as you are probably reading enough of those missives, and I trust you have had enough time to reflect and learn from the many adjustments 2020 handed to us. I do wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season, however it may look for you this year.

Since we are all inundated with electoral politics right now, I am intentionally sharing with you non-electoral politics information! I believe it will help you make better decisions as you consider tactics for your next influence campaign, as well as for your internal advocacy and PAC engagement.

I read something a few days ago that spurred, yes, a new Amyism on the importance of original messaging, and how you damage your brand when you "cut and paste" your way to engagement.

Amyism # 85: Original PAC and Advocacy Messages

“It’s intellectually lazy to appropriate materials and messages from other advocacy and PAC campaigns. The sloth is compounded when the messages are deemed as “new,” “original,” or, God forbid, “disruptive.”  Superior political engagement professionals devote earnest thought, effort and exertion into their engagement strategies and messages. Those who copy and paste their way to engagement via the thought leadership of others puts their professional brand as an expert clearly up for grabs.”

Authenticity engenders trust, which leads to influence. In this audio recording, I share highlights from my recent presentation at ASAE's 2020 Annual Virtual Conference on the importance of personal and advocacy authenticity. In today's cancel culture, is there a risk to being authentic? Which generation considers authenticity to be one of their top ten values? Empathy is an element of authenticity---what does the research reveal (so far) to be the empathetic leader archetype? Tune in to find out!

Our Grassroots Influence Pulse research asked respondents to share, based on their grassroots success and reputation, the  "most admired advocacy organization," and why they are admired. The #1 reason?  "Discipline of their followers."

The top three organizations (in no particular order) the AARP, the National Association of REALTORS and the National Rifle Association representatives shared their insights with me.  How do they encourage advocate discipline? They spend less time on a common activity and more time on something you should be doing.

Amyism #84: Developing Your Advocacy and PAC Leader's Evangelism Quotient

"Government relations staff cannot, and should not, serve as an organizations' primary advocacy and PAC evangelists. Every one of your advocacy and PAC leaders has a "why" regarding their engagement. It's our job to find it, bring it to life, and teach them how to communicate it in a compelling way."

It's always been essential to have credible, motivated advocacy and PAC leaders at the local level. In today's emphasis on virtual stakeholder engagement, limited staff travel and physical distancing, it's irresponsible to neglect the development of your "ground forces." Here's the story behind the story on my newest Amyism.

All breeds of fundraisers, specifically PAC fundraisers, are facing challenges due to uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 virus and the blistering economic conditions.

It’s not unlike previous conditions (the September 11 terrorist attacks, the great recession) that caused PAC professionals express angst at the daunting task of asking people for personal money, for a political cause, that has no immediate return on their investment. 

Add to the current economic challenges a highly divided electorate where every behavior is interpreted through a political lens, and, well, you have “a situation,” don’t you? 

But let not your heart be troubled - for those who are intellectually curious and are willing to do the extra work, there is light (and money) on the other side.

In this episode, I discuss my thoughts on why your grassroots influence past is prologue, and how to take what’s happening now and leverage it to improve your future grassroots influence capacity.

Remember you only develop grit and character (and hence, the ability to help others) when you go through difficulties. It's OK to feel angry, scared and sad at the situation you are in. Embrace it by acknowledging it, then flick it off your shoulder, stomp on it, and move on. Allow yourself to worry for a limited time, then get on with it. And, remember how you came through OK when dealing with previous challenges. Maybe you were not "OK," but you learned something that allowed you to help others, which to me, is the light on our path.

Don't waste the pain.

Your pre-virus work projects may have lost momentum. If that’s your “new normal,” this podcast episode outlines my top 12 tips and suggestions for making the most of this time while your typical work has been decelerated.

Amyism #80
The Purposeful PAC®: “Every PAC should have a purpose beyond the transactions of collecting and distributing money. A Purposeful PAC® drives emotion, emotion drives commitment, and commitment drives contributions. Is your PAC a Purposeful PAC® or a transactional PAC?”

What happens when Amy discovers her new client is leaving out the best part of their Purposeful PAC® story? Listen in to find out!

In this episode, Amy speaks about why good enough, isn't good enough anymore - especially for political action fundraising.

My focus at the Data & Advocacy Summit was to share what advocacy professionals should measure in 2020 based on what currently predicts legislative success. This episode shares some top line highlights from a presentation I delivered with Shoshana Weissmann at Grassroots Professionals Network's Data & Advocacy Summit. 

Our recent GRIP research examined 114 variables to grassroots influence success, with over 6,400 (not a misprint!) possible correlations. So, we have data. But as you know, it’s relevant data that matters. 

In this episode, I share the descriptive data regarding trends in legislator behavior and various grassroots influence tactics. 

As always, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions. 

An overview of the seven (really eight!) habits of ineffective, unproductive, grassroots and Political Action Committee leaders.

You should want to produce work that lasts for years and leave an enduring legacy among your stakeholders. However, every incentive in today’s world is to draw your attention to an immediate “hit.” Many “thought leaders” and “experts” make everything seem so easy.

Telling you how to “hack” your way to engaging more stakeholders, gaining more committed PAC contributors, and developing your professional skillset is made to look so easy because it gives you the mental sugar that makes you think you have discovered the secret mother lode of grassroots or PAC success.

The Advantages Of Resting Your Grassroots

Amyism #81 - The Premise is Paramount

"Organizations love to talk about their strategy, of course, because it conveys that nothing they do is random. However, basing your PAC, advocacy or communications strategy on an untested, evidence-free premise is just that -- a "random plan" rather than a "strategic plan". The premise on which your strategy is based is the holy ground, because the wrong premise leads to the wrong strategy, the wrong tactics, and ultimately, a failed outcome."

Amyism #19 - Encouraging Advocate Feedback

It's amazing how the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the lack of communication from the grassroots ends when someone on the government relations staff is actually held responsible for finding out what's going on in the district. 

Demonstrating Advocacy Technology ROI

Amyism #70 - Volunteers

No matter what you want from your work: a vibrant grassroots program, a big PAC bank account, or victories in the legislature - it all comes from other people.

Lowest Common Denominator (LCD) Syndrome

Amyism #77 - Persuasion v. Awareness

"We increasingly see many campaigns that are deemed successful due to 'increased awareness'. It stems from the idea that 'every little bit helps,' however is a fall back position when the campaign doesn't do anything else. We know from social psychology research that there are eight steps to persuasion. 'Awareness' is step two of eight. There is much to persuasion beyond 'awareness'".  --Kelton Rhoads, Ph.D.

Amyism #35 - Rogue Advocates

Not all Rogues should be summarily dismissed from your grassroots efforts. One of the reasons the Rogue exists is because he or she does not know better. It's our responsibility to teach them to know better so they do better.