Knowing Your Audience - Working Congressional Offices

Knowing your audience. We've all heard the advice; listen carefully and understand the other person's perspective; their environment, their challenges and their needs. It's only by real empathetic understanding of their outlook -- and sometimes reading between the lines - that we can build solid complementary relationships. And while this post is about working with members of Congress and their staffs which is only the "lobbying" part of advocacy, it could just as easily apply to volunteers, donors, staff or our customers.

As it applies to lobbying, too often visitors to congressional offices make assumptions about what the member or staff may know about an issue or problem. In their allotted time they chit-chat, fly through their script, get some nods of approval and leave thinking they've succeeded.

The truth is; members and staff are flying at such a macro level and with such a breadth of view that the visiting advocate is often far more informed about the subject matter and its nuances than any legislator can possibly be. Disconnected communications are common, with the member vaguely getting it or unsure of what to do. So how do you really get them to help?

Painting a picture of their world helps:

Each member of the House represents some 700,000 people. And that's every corner business, civic association, municipality, consumer group, environmental group, farm group and garden club....for starters. Their days are a mad rush from committee hearings, caucus meetings, press calls, fundraising breakfasts, lunches and dinners, running home for district and townhall meetings and more fundraisers. The mail load is more than 1,000 messages a day. The demands for meetings in DC are so heavy that they're often broken down into fifteen minute blocks, some of which are allocated to staff. Some mayors who want to talk about transportation funds, followed by farmers lobbying for crop supports, followed by a Girl Scout troop for a picture, followed by an interview with a local paper, followed by a patient group worried about research funds, etc. You get the picture. For the most part they're trying to constructively react. But at the same time, they're trying to advance their own agenda.

That's where you come in. Their world is caught up in -- well, themselves, really. They may want to advance in the committee hierarchy, get a leadership post, or run for higher office. But at the very least their overwhelming goal is to get reelected. For our purposes that means numerical support and press coverage. Sure, they want to help where they can. But the willingness to help goes further with a group that's willing to be a partner. So what can you do? (without getting into political or partisan squabbles!) Obviously, do your homework and listen. Are there projects or bills of theirs that you could help with? Do you have events you could invite them to where they'll be featured? Do you have a newsletter, blog or webinar to feature them? Are there other groups or institutions you could partner with to extend his/her reach, as well as your own? Knowing what personally makes them tick is the key to building a solid, mutually beneficial relationship.

As mentioned in an earlier posting, relationships need to be nurtured over a period of time and based on trust and collaboration. No one likes to be asked for help from someone they barely know. They need to know you; what you stand for, your place in the community, the size of your representation and, importantly, what you can do for them. So visit early and regularly. An old hand once advised that in their world, if they recognize your face and your cause at the 4th of July parade, you're doing pretty well.

One final note -- and a commercial message. Meetings with members and staff can often involve subtle, 'inside-the-Beltway' issues or rivalries. Advocates can unwittingly get caught in awkward positioning. Likewise, advocates might hear nuances of support....that aren't really there. Flattery can be a very calculating diversion. Reading between the lines and constructing solid "asks" is a critical step in delivering a message and getting tangible results. If you or your group don't have experienced representation - get some. It's worth it. Advocacy Partners can help you construct and manage your Washington message as well as leverage it to benefit your image and organization. Just give us a call or drop us a line.