crafting & delivering your advocacy message

Crafting & Delivering Your Advocacy Message Presented by:Michael Splaine, Splaine Consulting;

Robyn GrantDirector of Public Policy & Advocacy,Consumer Voice

With a special guest appearance by Amity Overall-Laib

Session outlineTips on developing your message

Tips on presenting your message

Group exercise:◦Write a message◦Role play delivering your message

Crafting the Message Open with a statement that engages

your audience Present the problemProvide facts, data about the problemGive a real life, human example about

the problem Connect the issue to your audience

◦How it fits with what they care about/want/need

Make your request (the “ask”)

Crafting the Message Make sure to:

◦Prepare for arguments opposing your request

◦Research your audience For elected officials: http://votesmart.org/

Delivering the Message Arranging and preparing for the

meetingConducting the meetingFollowing-up after the meeting

Arranging and Preparing for the MeetingSet up a meeting time Review your message

◦Find out anything else you can about the person

◦Make sure your responses to “push back” are ready

Decide who is going to say what – and in what order; who will take notes

Decide what information to bring

Conducting the Meeting DO:Be on time!!! Start with

◦ Introductions◦ Identifying that you’re a constituent◦ A compliment

Present your message – remember to make “the ask”

Be courteous and politeTake notesAsk whom to contact for follow-upLeave your card and information

Conducting the Meeting DON’T:Make up an answer or guess Argue or debate Alienate the person Take too much of the person’s

time

Following-Up After the Meeting Write a thank you note right

away Provide information for

unanswered questionsDo visit report if part of a

campaign Follow-up again if you haven’t

received a response to your request

GROUP EXERCISE