Category Archives: Lobbying
What Does it Take to Get Legislative Staff to Remember Your Information? How to Prevent “Senior Moments” Among Legislative Staff
Those of you who have hired us for our grassroots advocacy workshops know about the prevalence and power of heuristic persuasion techniques, as well as how to combat heuristic decision making on the part of legislators and their staff. Kristina Miler (not Miller) of the University of Illinois is one of the first researchers to examine how “political and legislative elites” use heuristics to recall information presented by constituents. All grassroots professionals and lobbyists should be aware of Miler’s findings.
Heuristics are mental shortcuts, and their use is rooted firmly in the psychological literature. Heuristics are an efficient way for anyone to make decisions (although there are of course disadvantages to this approach), and legislators and their staff are no different…
Research Results! The Bottom Line Value of Corporate Lobbying
PAC Fundraising in Tough Economic Times
All breeds of fundraisers, specifically PAC fundraisers, are facing challenges, ostensibly due to current economic conditions. We say “ostensibly” because the economy represents another timely, convenient objection to PAC contributions. We aren’t sure that “the economy” is a true objection, or just another convenient excuse not to contribute. Nevertheless, it got us thinking about how to address the challenge.
However, we are going to take a step back from the premise and look at the big picture before addressing the influence options. We disagree that fundraising difficulty, particularly in the business community, is all about tough economic times. The fact that corporate PAC contributions have…
Are You Over-Relying on Email Advocacy?
Are you over-relying on email advocacy? In this 5-minute long podcast, learn more about how email advocacy should only be one tool in communications with your lawmaker.
[podcast]http://www.showaltergroup.com/videos/audio/tsg_episode_email_advocacy_part_1.mp3[/podcast]Grassroots Advocacy Groups Rely Too Heavily On Email Campaigns
In 2006, some House Members quietly erected an obstacle between them and their constituents.
They now required e-mail correspondents to solve a simple math or logic problem for their e-mails to get through. The electronic roadblock drew howls of protest from public interest groups and trade associations, who denounced it as a threat to democracy. The idea, of course, is to ensure that only actual people – and not mass-mailing computers of the kind often used by interest groups – send e-mails to the House from now on.
Instead of raising a ruckus, the interest groups can learn a lesson from this. E-mail campaigns have a place in today’s political process, but grassroots advocacy groups rely on them far too often, and…
Workshop on Developing Persuasive Messages
Please join me and the American League of Lobbyists on July 21 in Washington, D.C., for a workshop on developing persuasive messages that get your internal and external audiences on your side.
