http://showaltergroup.com/blog Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:00:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/11/08/how-to-be-a-mediocre-and-ineffective-advocate/ http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/11/08/how-to-be-a-mediocre-and-ineffective-advocate/#comments Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:41:21 +0000 Amy Showalter http://showaltergroup.com/blog/?p=79 1. Reliance on technology as communications panacea. The craze over the latest Internet techniques to communicate with legislators was legitimate in the early 90s. Savvy advocates know the tools are not the answer, but rather the strategy and message behind them. 2. Transfer of knowledge mistaken for motivation. This axiom is particularly salient when we try to convince our insurance industry colleagues, employees, friends and even family members to contact legislators about critical issues. It is why the ubiquitous legislative update provided by a lobbyist...]]> http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/11/08/how-to-be-a-mediocre-and-ineffective-advocate/feed/ 0 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/10/06/how-to-get-your-advocates-off-their-computers-and-on-the-streets-part-two/ http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/10/06/how-to-get-your-advocates-off-their-computers-and-on-the-streets-part-two/#comments Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:50:47 +0000 Amy Showalter http://showaltergroup.com/blog/?p=43 This is a follow-up post (see part one here) giving you a basic checklist of what you’ll need to do to get more of your advocates off the computer and in front of their legislators and community groups.

1. When you have determined the path, create the infrastructure. Without this, it’s like trying to build a plane while you are flying it. Resources should include training, team structure, defined team member roles, team resources, team communications, reporting structures, events, rewards and recognition, for a start.
2. Get real. Find out who is willing to go to the next level, and what they are willing to do. I call it measuring commitment intensity. My “Winning Hearts and Minds” research with over 400 grassroots and...]]> http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/10/06/how-to-get-your-advocates-off-their-computers-and-on-the-streets-part-two/feed/ 0 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/09/29/advocacy-has-to-be-customized/ http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/09/29/advocacy-has-to-be-customized/#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:15 +0000 Amy Showalter http://showaltergroup.com/blog/?p=31 A significant amount of research shows that building rapport before negotiating increases the likelihood of an agreement. If it works for negotiators, we can apply it to grassroots lobbying efforts. Another...]]> http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/09/29/advocacy-has-to-be-customized/feed/ 0 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/07/19/tips-for-managing-the-rogue-grassroots-advocate/ http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/07/19/tips-for-managing-the-rogue-grassroots-advocate/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:03:19 +0000 Amy Showalter http://showaltergroup.com/blog/?p=352 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/07/19/tips-for-managing-the-rogue-grassroots-advocate/feed/ 0 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/04/12/how-to-get-your-advocates-off-their-computers-and-on-the-streets/ http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/04/12/how-to-get-your-advocates-off-their-computers-and-on-the-streets/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:00:33 +0000 Amy Showalter http://showaltergroup.com/blog/?p=40
3. Know your organization’s ultimate persuasion goal. That will help you define #3 below.
4. No matter how slick your tools, you will have little success moving people offline without a compelling message and a compelling messenger (See: Obama, Barack). This makes it vital to test your messages, rigorously evaluate your messengers, and recalibrate as necessary – be nimble. No one is stupid until he or she stops asking questions.
5. Define the “next level.” This is different for everyone. One of my first clients told me they “wanted their advocates to go to the next level.”...]]> http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/04/12/how-to-get-your-advocates-off-their-computers-and-on-the-streets/feed/ 0 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/04/02/advocacy-isnt-persuasion/ http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/04/02/advocacy-isnt-persuasion/#comments Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:25:44 +0000 Amy Showalter http://showaltergroup.com/blog/?p=38 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/04/02/advocacy-isnt-persuasion/feed/ 1 http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/02/24/the-habits-of-effective-state-advocacy-groups/ http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/02/24/the-habits-of-effective-state-advocacy-groups/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:00:31 +0000 Amy Showalter http://showaltergroup.com/blog/?p=252 The results of the following research have been featured in many of my advocacy workshops, as well as various national and regional publications. In our initial research review, we saw that the specific word “grassroots” was the second highest response as one of the habits of an effective advocacy group. However, upon further review of the responses, we noted that there were numerous responses such as: “active membership,” “lots of members”, and “regular people” that refer to grassroots. Therefore, I am republishing the results. This change affects only the order of the number one and number two responses. The remaining effective habits are the same. While those of us in the government relations profession often debate about the most powerful interest groups and...]]> http://showaltergroup.com/blog/2010/02/24/the-habits-of-effective-state-advocacy-groups/feed/ 0