3 Things to Consider When Creating a Grassroots Network

When it comes to creating a grassroots network, it’s important to keep your members involved, while having fun and know that they are making a difference for your organization.

How do you do that?

I’d suggest the following three things:

• Communication
• Activation
• Share your work/results

Communication

It’s imperative that you communicate on a regular basis with your grassroots army even when you may not have an issue that is hot.

Activation

Make sure you have an easy way to activate those grassroots participants that will go to bat on any specific issue.  Remember, you should be able to segment by issue so you’re getting the right message to the right people and that will show in their response to your call to action in a timely manner.

Share your work/results

Keep everyone apprised of the work that your grassroots army is doing on behalf of your membership and community at large.  Give them credit in your social media outlets, document that fly-in program with pictures and stories.  And celebrate the successes you’ve made.

In the advocacy business there are three elements to an effective program.  You can find that previous blog post HERE.

4 Ways for Local Chambers to Engage in Advocacy

There are many ways to engage in the advocacy arena.

It's important that you make the distinction between legislative activity and political activity.

The following 4 things are key in having a full on government affairs program for your chamber.

The first two fall under the legislative activity category and the last two are clearly political activities.

1.    Lobbying

2.    Grassroots

3.    PAC's

4.    Endorsements

Lobbying

I've talked about this before HERE and in a nutshell this is where you and your members are having direct contact with your legislative leaders. Preferrably a one-on-one meeting with the member or his or her staff.

Grassroots

This is where you may engage your entire membership in a letter writing campaign or a phone call campaign.  Don’t forget the letter-to-the-editor grassroots tactic.  It can be very productive.

PAC's

This is a separate entity and designated fund that your members can contribute personal money to, which in turn, allows you to can make direct contributions to candidates.

Endorsements

This is where you go on record and endorse a specific candidate for elected office.  While you may not make everybody happy when you make endorsements it's an effective tool in your government affairs toolbox.  It's important that you use a clear set of criteria to measure candidates so you can decide on endorsing pro-business candidates or incumbents in an open and transparent way.

Remember, the key to making the above four activities successful is having a strong government affairs committee that can vet the above and make recommendations to your full chamber board for consideration and action.

Good luck!