No matter which issues dominate the public debate in any given week or season, smart government relations professionals know that it’s best to take a long-term approach — and lobbying isn’t the only way to advance your agenda.
According to the Public Affairs Council, public affairs is an art in which “lobbyists, grassroots advocacy specialists, policy experts, political involvement specialists and communications professionals coordinate their activities to achieve advocacy success.” Put another way, lobbying goes hand-in-hand with strategic communications, policy analysis, and grassroots advocacy, and the total package is worth more than the sum of its parts.
Writing in the Harvard Business Review, National Journal’s Michael D. Gottlieb called this “building a Washington brand.”
“Just like consumer and employer brands,” he wrote, “a Washington brand captures how the audience perceives a company. … Do these policymakers respect a given company? Do they care what that company thinks, and actually listen? Is that company their first call when they have a question? As it relates to DC, a strong brand offers an upper hand in influencing policy outcomes.”
Here are a few of the tactics we have used with our clients in building their Washington brands:
Upgrade materials: Develop compelling, plain-English messaging and materials such as fact sheets, issue briefs, research reports, videos, and PowerPoint presentations to educate your target audience.
Use visuals: Always use visuals and graphic design to attract more eyeballs and engagement. Pictures speak louder than words.
Leverage social media accounts: Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are today’s “go to” resources where curious people can learn quickly about an organization’s point of view on key issues. Build your social media following and communicate regularly with them.
Make face-to-face connections, too: Convene virtual, hybrid, and (post-pandemic) in-person events that complement your print and electronic outreach with face-to-face relationship building.
Targeted media outreach: Develop a custom list of reporters and editors at key outlets in your field and reach out to them regularly. Provide interviews and ghost-written articles to help educate key audiences on your policy agenda. Odds are you only need to appear consistently in 3-5 niche media outlets to reach your key audiences.
Our case studies offer more insight into how we have applied these strategies and tactics to help our clients overcome influence gaps and achieve success in policy battles.
Have a question about how to build your Washington brand? Visit our “Contact” page to send us a note or schedule a call.