What do International Paper, Southwest Airlines, Monsanto, Buffalo Wild Wings, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association have in common? They have all turned to Amy Showalter for her expertise and motivation to elevate their government relations influence. Amy is a grassroots and PAC influence expert who founded The Showalter Group to help associations and corporations increase their grassroots and PAC effectiveness. In fact, over 85% of her long term consulting clients have experienced an increase in budget, staff, and senior management recognition after collaborating with Amy.

She and her husband, Randy Boyer, co-exist with their Siberian Husky rescue Jackson, Eli, a rescue Papillion, and certified therapy dog, Finnegan, in the greater Cincinnati area. Finn and Amy are regular visitors at the Cincinnati Ronald McDonald House, local library and elementary school reading programs, and the Kid’s Club Special Needs Ministry at Crossroads Community Church.

You can find her at @AmyShowalter  and on LinkedIn.

>>full bio here…

• Mistrust Unavoidable in Grass-Roots Efforts
• Nice Guys Finish First – Even When Lobbying
• Bailout Vote Offers Lesson in Persuasion Tactics
• Interest Groups Rely Too Much on E-mail Advocacy

• Toward the Facts and Away from the Fake: How to Lead Your Stakeholders to the Truth
• The Top 5 Predictors of Success When Attempting to Influence an Undecided Legislator
• Seven Tips for Making a Lasting Impression with Members of Congress
• 6 Steps to Increase the Effectiveness of Your Lobby Day Efforts
• Influencing a Hostile Opponent in Washington
• How to Build Trust with New Members of Congress (and People You Don’t Like)
• 7 Things Highly Successful Advocacy and Lobbying Organizations Know
• The Science Behind Rewards & Recognition for Political Engagement Programs
• Are Legislators More or Less Open to Persuasion
• Setting the Groundwork for Innovative Ideas
• Here’s How the Founding Fathers Became History’s Most Successful Grassroots Lobbyists

• Which Organizations are Trusted the Most on Capitol Hill?
• Five Reasons The NRA Won The Recent Gun Control Debate That Have Nothing To Do With Politics
• How Special Interests Won and Lost the Budget and Sequester Fights
• ‘Own The Awkward’ and Three Other Presentation Lessons from Senator Marco Rubio’s State Of The Union Response
• Four Presentation Lessons from President Obama’s State of the Union Speech
• The Right Way for Businesses To Engage In Politics In 2013
• The Top Underdog Persuaders of 2012
• Lessons From Obama’s Victory And Romney’s Loss That You Can Apply To Your Cause
• Americans Celebrate President Barack Obama’s Victory
• The Final Three Persuasion Lessons from the Final Presidential Debate: Obama’s Zingers vs. Romney’s Restraint
• Three Methods of Persuasion You Can Copy From Obama and Romney (and one from Joe Biden that you should not copy)
• Mounting Chatter that Victory is ‘Inevitable’ Could Boomerang Against Obama
• What Joe Ricketts is Doing Right with His Super PAC
• Wielding Influence: How Scotts Miracle-Gro Got It Right With Super PAC Donation
• Big Business Does Best in Washington When It Plays the Underdog

• Three Steps for Turning One-Time Events into Strategic Advocacy Plans
• Why Advocacy Needs to Move Beyond ‘Awareness’
• Getting Past Gridlock in the Age of Divided Government
• Let’s Talk Advocacy in 2016
• How To Help Advocacy Resonate with Leaders
• Associations Should Look to the States for Advocacy Action
• Lunchtime Links: The Business of Politics
• Why Don’t Members Care About Advocacy?
• Leading Through the New Advocacy Landscape
• The Innovators: Let’s Talk
• Report: Associations Struggle to Engage Members in Advocacy Efforts
• Getting Past Gridlock: Government Relations in the Age of Divided Government
• Ready to Run: Government Relations in 2016
• Three Steps for Turning One-Time Events into Strategic Advocacy Plans

• Trust: The Ultimate Grassroots and PAC Motivator
• The Science Behind Successful Get Out the Vote Programs
• Enhancing Grassroots Productivity
• Tips for Creating a True Online Grassroots Community
• Tips for Managing the “Loose Cannon” Grassroots Activist
• Do You Know Your Grassroots Activists?
• Tips for Building Grassroots Loyalty

Amy shares why talking politics at work is actually good for business

Amy shares why candidates need to share specific proposals with voters

Identity crisis: Warriors or polished politicians at the big Republican debate?

Colbert PACs a punch

How do you pick a likable underdog?

Talking politics on the job is good for business

Super year for super PACs

Super PACs gear up

Super PACs

Amy has been interviewed on over 50 nationally syndicated and local radio shows, including The Leslie Marshall Show, The Gayle King Show, Jim Blasingame’s Small Business Advocate, and the Bill Cunningham show.

•  4 keys to developing ‘connected converts’ to win sales or persuade others, Insurance & Financial Advisor
  
• Engaging the Underdog Edge to Find Success at Persuading, Insurance & Financial Advisor
  
• The Upside of Under: Engaging the Underdog Edge for Persuasion Success, Article Weekly
  
• The Upside of Under: Engaging the Underdog, Promotional Consultant Today
  
• Not All Underdogs are Equal: Obtaining Underdog “Street Cred”, Promotional Consultant Today
  
• Mean What You Wear, The Baltimore Sun
• Politics at Work: Can cooler heads prevail?, The Christian Science Monitor
• Don’t Just Register Voters, Create an “Allegiance”, Cincinnati Business Courier
• Greener Grassroots, Michigan Society of Association Executives
• Grassroots Programs Are an Effective Way to Get Involved, Mobility Magazine, ERC Coalition
• The Tripping Point . . . How to Maximize Grassroots Advocate Hill Visits Ohio Society of Association Executives
• Tending to Grass Roots – Advocacy Has to be Customized. One Size Doesn’t Fit All By Amy Showalter and Kelton Rhoads, PhD., Influence
• Debunking the Myths of Political Involvement, PIA Young Professionals
• How to Harness the Science of Persuasion for Increased PAC Involvement and Dollars, Public Affairs Support Services
• The Habits of Effective State Advocacy Groups, Ohio Contractors Association, Washington Area State Relations Group, Massachusetts Dental Society, American Society of Association Executives, American Occupational Therapy Association
• Tips for Creating a True Online Grassroots Community, Public Affairs Council – Impact
• Tips for Managing the Rogue Grassroots Advocate, New Jersey Society of Association Executives
• What Now? How to Grow Your Grassroots After the Election, Capitol Executive, Tallahassee Society of Association Executives
• Turning Your Employees into Your Own Lobbying Firm, Inside Tucson Business
• Grassroots at the Water Cooler—How to Grow Your Employees into Your Own Lobbying Firm,  Arizona Business Gazette
• Turning Employees into Lobbyists, Tucson Business
• Grassroots Political Action by Small Business Owners Counts, Entrepreneur.com
• Tips on Coping with Those Mixed In-House Notions About Your Grassroots Program, Winning at the Grassroots, The Public Affairs Council
• Maintaining Momentum in a Grassroots Program, Winning at the Grassroots, The Public Affairs Council
• How to Maximize Your Key Contact Training, Winning at the Grassroots, The Public Affairs Council
• Business Owners Get Politically Involved, Business First of Columbus
• The Habits of Effective State Advocacy Groups, Massachusetts Dental Society Journal
• High-Impact – Low-Budget Grassroots, Ohio Matters, Ohio Chamber of Commerce
• Super PAC hopes to soften ground for association advocacy, CEO Update, March 2012
• Small Business Opportunities: Underdogs Have More Power Than They Think, March 2012
• Agency Sales Magazine: Engaging the Underdog Edge for Persuasion Success, October 2011
• Amy featured in the Politico.com: Will Obama’s Grassroots Stand Tall?
  February 17, 2009
• Amy featured in Cincinnati Business Courier April 21, 2006
• Amy featured in Philadelphia Business Journal August 26, 2005
• Reforming Social Security Online, The Washington Times, by Gene J. Koprowski,
  June 2005
• Letting Workers Go To Vote, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY, May, 2005
• New Campaign Law Strengthens Ohio,The Enquirer, Cincinnati, April, 2005
• Area Voters Use Power of the Pen, Dallas News.com, March, 2005
• Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Lobby, Philadelphia Business Journal, December, 2004
• The Web: ‘Bots’ Pushing Poll Results UPI, by Gene J. Koprowski, October, 2004
• Mean What You Wear, The Baltimore Sun, August, 2004
• Politics at Work: Can cooler heads prevail?, The Christian Science Monitor, July, 2004
• Calera Debates Need For Lobbyist Ponders If One Could Get Money For Bypass, Birmingham News, April, 2004
• Empowering The People, Dallas Business Journal, February, 2004
• Why It Pays to Make Politics Your Business, Jeff Wuorio – Microsoft Central,
  August, 2003
• Persuade Legislators With the Personal Touch, Dairy Today, May, 2003
• Syndicated Columnist Jane Applegate featured benefits of Showalter’s grassroots political efforts. Jane Applegate’s “Success in Small Business” column reaches 10 million readers a week via newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, The Des Moines Register, San Francisco Business Times, Denver Post, The Orlando Sentinel, Chicago Sun-Times, The Detroit Free Press, and The Atlanta Journal and Constitution.
• How to Make Washington Pay Attention, Jane Applegate – Business Week Online, September 4, 2001
• Getting Involved in Grassroots Political Action, Jane Applegate – Entrepreneur.com, August 20, 2001