Working for and around lawmakers for the better part of a decade, I know all too well how intimidating it can be to try to convey a problem you’re working to solve to this particular audience.
But fret not! While it can seem like an impossible task with improbable odds, when crafted with care and deployed in the right ways, your message can be capable of not only resonating with lawmakers – it can even persuade and move them.
So what’s the secret sauce to crafting a winning message for this very niche audience?
While there is no single silver bullet solution when it comes to crafting a winning message to lawmakers, there are a number of steps that, if taken, can strengthen your outreach and improve your chances of success. Let’s break it down:
Know who you’re talking to
The biggest consideration when you are beginning to craft a message intended for lawmakers is understanding who you are talking to. That might seem pretty elementary, but you might be surprised how many times we see groups miss this mark.
What side of the political aisle am I directing my comments toward? Who controls the power to pass a bill or sign it into law? Is my audience from a rural district? An urban center? A suburban area?
These are the types of things that Platform can help you weigh and understand to ensure your message hits the mark.
Be sharp and succinct
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that lawmakers are just everyday people like you and me. And like yourself, they’re busy!
Now, think about a scenario where you’re grabbing letters and papers from your mailbox. Chances are you’re dedicating approximately 1.38 seconds to reviewing some of the many letters, envelopes, and pieces of junk mail in your hand before tossing it aside. Well, that scenario is not unlike scenarios taking place every day, when lawmakers and their staffs are flooded with content from constituents, interests groups, press, and more.
I illustrate this point to suggest that you indeed can capture the attention of a lawmaker. It is important, however, that your communication be short, sweet, and catchy, and that it gets to the point quickly.
By using unneeded language or presenting your point in a way that doesn’t immediately catch the attention of a lawmaker or staff, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Yet again, this is something our team of Platform experts can help you plan for and construct.
Be authentic
Getting back to a point I made earlier: It’s important to remember that lawmakers are regular people who have families, are involved in their communities, and often have other jobs outside of their elected office. Having conversations with them, drafting memos intended for their eyes, and crafting messages that resonate with their beliefs should be authentic and true to your cause.
Too often letters come in that are written in over-the-top fashion – embellishing facts, using words rarely lifted from the dictionary, and spinning tales that barely pass as believable.
Newsflash: These sorts of things are not just easy to see through, they actually hurt your case.
Whether it’s in person or in written form, your best bet will always be to talk in terms that are factual, in your natural voice, and in-keeping with your authentic brand. As counterintuitive as it may seem, this is not the time to impress someone with bluster or that 37-point word from Scrabble. No one likes being talked down to or made to feel like they are lesser than their peers, and your communications should be reflective of that. Simply being authentic, honest, and down-to-earth in the way you present your argument will yield far greater results.
Finally, there is plenty more nuisance in crafting a message of this type – whether it is for a member of Congress or your local elected official. With decades of collaborative experience working across all levels of government, the private sector, and the issue advocacy world, Platform is prepared to help you craft your message in a way that helps further your goals and puts your organization on a path to success.
Be sure to check out the many other services our firm is able to provide, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or one of our teammates or contact us directly to experience the Platform difference!
