APIC Influence TrainingMay 18-19, 2015

If Insurance Is Your Profession, Politics Is Your Business

Welcome

Mick LundyFirst Vice Chair

Why Be Involved?

• Legislators are accountable to you – their constituents

• Legislators need your first-hand knowledge and expertise

• There is strength in numbers

The Power of Individual Involvement

You are uniquely suited to advocate on behalf of your clients

Using personal stories has enormous impact with lawmakers

Your clients are their constituents

Herb ThompsonNAIFA MemberApril 1940

“Now in the past we have felt . . . that possibly the people who are in the life insurance business

have placed too much reliance upon the generosity and the activity of a few strong men,

and so consequently . . . we have been endeavoring to set up . . . a grassroots organization which will build a broader

foundation for legislative activity from this time on.”

Politics Is Relationships

You must cultivate the trust before you ask for your

lawmaker’s support

It’s very important for NAIFA members to develop a relationship built on mutual trust with a member of Congress, because many of the issues we cover are very complicated, certainly tax and insurance issues.”

- Rep. Charles Boustany

It’s important that all members of NAIFA get involved and not take anything for granted. Certainly, I appreciate hearing from NAIFA.”- Rep. Adrian Smith

There is no way members of Congress and their staff can have any comprehension of all the ways the federal government is trying to put out of business- YOU have to come and YOU have to educate us.

- Senator Ron Johnson

NAIFA Members Make A Difference

• Where did you both grow up?• Know any of the same people?• Common high school activities (e.g. sports, theatre,

clubs)?• Same college, university, military branch?• Same fraternity/sorority or other organization

involvement?• Community or charitable organizations you have in

common?• Shared relationships with colleagues, clients, friends,

family & other elected representatives - “Third Party Validators”

Look for Common Ground

Do Research:

• What political issues do you agree on?

• What recent vote can you thank him/her for?

• What “pet project” can you support?

• Is there a staff member you are familiar with and can compliment?

Common Ground a Little Thin?

The Many Ways to Be Involved

• Set up a meeting with your legislator and bring three to four others who share the same interests to the meeting

• Read NAIFA’s GovTalk and GovUpdate

• Volunteer for your representative’s reelection campaign

• Attend a fundraiser for your legislator

• Donate meaningfully to IFAPAC

• Host a fundraiser for your legislator

The Many Ways to Be Involved

• Attend town hall meetings and offer to provide content for a future meeting (e.g. “How to Fund Your Child’s College Education” )

• Sign up for your legislator’s email list to keep yourself abreast of the issues

• Sign up to receive NAIFA’s blog• Join a charity board on which your legislator

serves• Compile an email list of colleagues to whom you

can forward legislative information and NAIFA GovAlerts

• Respond to all NAIFA GovAlerts

more

The Many Ways to Be Involved• Organize your business colleagues and clients in a letter-

writing campaign on an issue

• Recruit volunteers for the legislator’s reelection campaign

• Write a letter about a legislative issue to the editor of your local newspaper

• Outline your issue position (e.g. “life insurance is for the living; don’t tax dependents”) on your email signature block

• Encourage the involvement of individuals in other organizations with similar interests

• Invite your representative to speak at your association

• Mentor a YAT in the ways of grassroots politics

EVEN MORE!

Mission, Challenges & The Political Environment

Ed Anderson, LUTCF, CLU Chair

National APIC Subcommittee

APIC MISSION

The Advisors Political Involvement Committee shall actively promote the involvement of agents and

advisors in the election of candidates for local, state and national office, consistent with the legislative

interests of the NAIFA federation.

APIC volunteers shall identify and foster the creation of significant insurance agent and financial advisor

relationships with elected officials.

Purpose of Meeting

To Demonstrate:

• How to build and maintain relationships with your elected officials

• Your ability to influence lawmakers

• That if insurance is your profession, politics is your business

• Develop relationships with elected officials & their staff

• Communicate our industry’s benefit to the U.S. economy & American businesses & families

• Ultimately get agreement on stated objectives

• Identify a bench team & future leaders

Objectives of APIC

Your Mission

• Be prepared

• Find common ground

• Build trusted relationships!

1,612 bills of interest to NAIFA members introduced in the 113th Congress:

• 267 financial services bills• 674 health insurance bills• 329 retirement and employee benefits bills• 150 long-term care bills• 68 life insurance bills• 55 property & casualty bills• 13 estate tax bills• 56 annuity bills

Legislation is Introduced Every Day That Effects Us

What is Grassroots Activity?

• Grassroots vs. Grasstops

• APIC Structure– Federal Coordinator– Key Contact– Legislative Contact– Constituent Group

• Reporting Your Activities to NAIFA

Your Role & Influence

• Now is the time to build the foundation

• Lawmakers want to hear from you

• You are the most effective advocate

• Collectively, we can reach every Member of Congress

You Wield More Power Than You May Think

YOU

Other

NAIFA Professional Staff

Editorial Endorsement

• “Trusted Advisor” does not mean you agree on all issues with the Member of Congress

• APIC contacts represent the entire Federation and must adhere to a certain Standards of Conduct

• Find common ground when issues divide

Professional Conduct

www.NAIFA.org

• APIC contacts must be current IFAPAC contributors in order to deliver PAC checks to a Member of Congress

• Never just assume your fellow NAIFA member is contributing to the PAC; verify it

• To find out who has contributed:– Contact a NAIFA National IFAPAC staff person– Ask your State Executive or State IFAPAC

Chair; they receive monthly reports

Delivering IFAPAC Contributions

www.NAIFA.org

Please report your activities

to National APIC!!

Using Social Media Effectively

Maggie FoggPolitical Involvement Manager

Survey Question

Most of the social media postings to our platforms provide us enough information and context to determine if the post is from a constituent

In the next 5-10 years more constituent communications will come in via social media than email, phone, and other means

Social media have made Members/Senators more accountable to constituents

Social media enables us to have more meaningful interactions with constituents

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

5%

33%

15%

25%

31%

30%

55%

51%

Strongly Agree Agree

Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements:

Using Social Media - Overview

• Facebook: share articles, ideas, photos, etc. with a controlled personal and/or professional network

• LinkedIn: keep track of professional connections

• Twitter: (re-)broadcast news publicly

Using Facebook

Using Facebook

Reminder – Be Positive!

- Hill Staffer

Connecting with NAIFA

Using Twitter

• Why Twitter?• It’s Quick and Easy• It’s Social

• Legislator’s office can easily respond• It’s PUBLIC• Makes it easy to share

• It’s Ubiquitous

Using Twitter

Using Twitter

• Be Positive• Tag Your

Legislators (@)• Use Hashtags

When Possible (#)

Make the Most of 140 Characters

Using Twitter

Survey Question

Other

Number of comments

The prominence or influence of those engaged

Quality of comments

Whether issue/post gets press coverage

The number of new followers a post generates

Number of likes

Number of shares and/or retweets

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

7%

20%

21%

26%

31%

40%

61%

84%

What does your office consider to be the most important metrics for the success of your social media postings?

Survey Question (LA/LD Only)

79%

11%

Have you or your office ever followed advocacy groups, businesses, individuals or others on Social Media for the Mem-

ber/Senator?

YesNo

Using LinkedIn

Connecting with NAIFA

GR Mobile

Report your meetings and let us know about

your relationships with legislators

Access to GovCommunications Up to date

Talking Points

Connecting with NAIFA

Staying Informedwww.naifa.org/advocacy

NAIFA Tools & Resources

Communicating with NAIFA

• Report relationships with Members of Congress to the APIC office @ NAIFA

• Fill out Meeting Debriefing Forms

• Let us know when you attend an event for a Legislator

www.NAIFA.org

Washington Representatives Panel

Magenta M.R. IshakVice PresidentPolitical Affairs

Jill E. HoffmanVice PresidentGovernment Relations

Judi CarsrudDirectorGovernment Relations

Successful Advocacy – The 4 Ps

• Public Policy • Public Relations• PAC• People

Public Policy• Fiduciary (Retirement Accounts)• Tax Reform• Fiduciary (Investment Accounts)• NARAB• Medigap Coverage• Medical Loss Ratio• ACA (Targeted Revisions)• State Health Exchanges/Navigator Regulation• State-Sponsored Retirement Plans

Public Relations

• Advertising• Media outreach• Industry voice & influence• Social media & community

Political Action Committee - IFAPAC

• Helps fund campaigns• Establishes industry credibility • Enhances relationship development • Strengthens existing relationships

NAIFA’s PAC Strength

Insurance PACs

1. National Assn of Insurance & Financial Advisors

2. New York Life Insurance

3. AFLAC Inc

4. Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers/America

5. USAA

6. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance

7. Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers

8. Association for Advanced Life Underwriting

9. Metlife Inc

10. Liberty Mutual Insurance

Top PACs Overall (out of 4,000+)

1. National Assn of Realtors

2. National Beer Wholesalers Assn

3. National Auto Dealers Assn

4. Honeywell International

5. Lockheed Martin

6. American Bankers Assn

7. AT&T Inc

8. Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

9. Credit Union National Assn

10. Operating Engineers Union

11. Northrop Grumman

12. National Assn of Insurance & Financial Advisors

Largest in Insurance Industry & 12th Largest in U.S.

People

• APIC Key Contacts• APIC Legislative Contacts• Constituents• Company CEOs • Association Leaders• Industry Experts• Professional Lobbyists

The Role of Congressional Staff

John Wheeler, Jr. CLU, CRP, ChFC, CRPC

Regional Vice Chair National APIC Subcommittee

Hosting Fundraisers

• If you host a fundraiser in your home, you and your spouse may spend $1,000 each on food, beverage, and invitations and it does not count against the contribution limit of ($2,600 per person per election)

• Partner with the campaign staff from the start

• NAIFA has guidelines available

• The U.S. House and Senate restrict gifts to Members and employees. A gift is defined as “anything of value.” (Always check with the legislator’s staff first!)

District Meetings

Mick LundyFirst Vice Chair

District Meeting Request

• Contact the scheduler 2 to 4 weeks in advance

• Include: topics, primary contact’s name & email address, a short description of the group, the requested meeting dates/times

• Be flexible about time and location• Keep the number of attendees below seven

District Meeting Agenda

• We are members of NAIFA

• We develop relationships & educate clients about how to manage financial risks

• We serve Main Street not Wall Street

• Personal stories

• The Ask

District Meeting Protocol

• Request 20-30 minutes – no more (although you may get more time anyway)

• Representative may not make the meeting. Be cool with that• Say you are representing yourself, your clients & NAIFA• Provide client stories to illustrate your points• Leave the “leave-behind” packet with your business card in the

Business Card Jacket• Don’t discuss campaign contributions!• Thank the Representative for sponsoring NAIFA-backed

legislation• Offer to serve as a resource• Turn off your cell phone before you go into the meeting• Stay on NAIFA issue messaging

Follow Up After the Meeting!

• Send a “thank you” letter

• If you’re sending reference materials, send them electronically, send them in a timely manner and don’t send a bevy of documents!

Questions & Comments

Special Guest Speaker

Amy ShowalterFounderThe Showalter Group

Inspiring Others

Ed Anderson, LUTCF, CLU Chair

National APIC Subcommittee

Some Final Thoughts

• NAIFA’s issues do not fall neatly on the “D” side of the aisle or the “R” side of the aisle

• Our issues are unique - Offer your expertise to your legislators

• Don’t confuse general agreement on an Issue with everlasting commitment

I can think of no more effective agent in advancing our freedom to live as we choose than the insurance sales person… They are respected and they are friends.

Cultivate Relationships With Legislators

President John F. Kennedy

NAIFA Congressional Conference

Thank You for Attending APIC’s

Influence Training Meeting!

Please go to the Congressional Appointments Desk no later than 1:00 pm

Richmond, Roanoke & Williamsburg Rooms, Lobby Level