Advocacy: Three Elements of an Effective Program

What role are you playing in the public policy arena on behalf of your members?

As chambers of commerce, isn't that our primary role to protect our small business members from government overregulation and help them grow their business?

If you're not in the advocacy business, you should be.

All the recent studies I've read, including the recent third edition of the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) survey from chamber members across the country are reporting that they want their chamber to play in the public policy space.  It's important to them.

I couldn't agree more.

Do you have a complete government affairs program?  Do you want to build one?  I've always talked about an effective government affairs program is like a three legged stool.

The three key elements are:

• Direct Lobbying
• Political Action Committee (PAC)
• Grassroots

Direct Lobbying

This is where you make direct contact with your legislator and talk about your issue.  The lobbyist is responsible for knowing the issue and the opposite side of the issue.  It’s important to share both sides and explain on why you’re on the right side.  Shouldn’t all issues be voted on the merits of the issue and what’s good for business?

Lobbying is about building relationships with your legislator and their key staff.  It’s just as important that they know you and ultimately check with you before voting on any legislation.  That’s a sign that you’re dialed in.

Political Action Committee

It takes money to get elected and re-elected.  PACs allow you to play an important role in supporting legislators who support your issues.  PAC money is the toughest money to raise so it’s important that you spend it wisely.

Do you have a set criteria laid out that is clear and transparent on whom you support?  If not, you should.  Chambers should be in the business of supporting legislators who support the business community.

Grassroots

While some may argue it’s the most important, rest assured you must have a robust grassroots program to allow you to be effective in the legislative process.  It shows that you have support from the business community on a specific issue.

In grassroots, we talk about key contact or broad based programs.

The key contact program is all about identifying key leaders within your organization and having them contact the legislator.  These individuals are already known by the legislator.  They already contribute to the legislator’s re-election campaign or maybe even campaign for them.

The broad based program allows you to mobilize your entire membership on a specific issue.

Both are important.

For your chamber, it's just good business being in the advocacy business!

UPPOPR: The Xerox Way!

Early in my career I had a manager that taught me the Xerox way of running a training session.

To give you some background, I was training groups of 30 phone bank staff on a legislative issue and teaching them how grassroots works on Capitol Hill. These trainings were happening on a daily or weekly basis.

We were running “patch through” or phone campaigns for Fortune 500 clients and following up with email confirmations.

I've taken this tip and instilled it in many presentations I’ve given over the last 20+ years since my days in the grassroots business.

It’s amazing!

The following training tip keeps you focused while at the save time laying out the goals and expectations you have for the attendees, on the subject manner at hand and succinctly tells them what you want them to know before they leave the session.

It’s very simple:

• Utility – explain the overall project. 
• Product – explain how each fit into the plan of action. 
• Process – go over the agenda for the day. 
• Objective – set the expectation of what you want them to know. 
• Proof of Ability – explain past successes and this project is no different. 
• Review – go over the process and objective again.

Attached please find a template you can use, just fill in your content. Do yourself a favor and start using this technique today.

Good Luck!

Sample template of a UPPOPR.

Box Stores: How Do I Get Them To Join?

As stated in a recent chamber educational session I attended with box store executives on a panel, they said it’s all about advocacy.

The big box stores are dealing with business issues at the local, state and national level as it relates to running their business.

It can be as simple as a street light or street sign or as complicated as a new road project or a new regulation that will affect the entire company.

Are you helping them before the city council, the local planning and zoning committee, or at the state capitol?  Even Capitol Hill in Washington, DC could be the place where they need your help.

If you are, it’s highly likely they’re members of your chamber.  If you’re not involved in the advocacy business at those levels, they’re probably not members or they’ve got an excuse why they are not members.

The days of the big box stores joining the local chamber for the sake of joining are over.  It’s all about what you can do for them.

Remember, we all listen to the same radio station WIIFM - what’s in it for me.

Dial them in to your chamber radio station and get them on board as members today!

Innovation: Are You Pushing The Envelope?

Are you building a pipeline of new member programs, products and services through innovation?

Your members expect it from their chamber.  That’s a reason why they join.

Don’t go in with your eyes closed, set a plan: 1) Process; 2) Culture; 3) Resources; and 4) Fail Forward.

• Process – set-up a mechanism so you can capture ideas from staff, volunteers and your members.

• Culture – you need a cheerleader within the organization that can articulate the need for creating an innovative atmosphere.

• Resources – commit the resources needed (staff and actual dollars) that shows a commitment to succeed.  If you show a commitment your board and your members will follow.

• Fail Forward – this may be the most important part of your success.  Learn from any failures and “fail forward.”  Remember, the story of the “yellow sticky notes” by 3M?  It was an outcome from a different project that failed.

In my blog post “Delivering Value,” I use the term “pushing the envelope.”  If you have a background in military flying you know what that term means.

Create a form that outlines what the new project may be that takes into account the resources needed (staff and money), the time expected to bring this new program to fruition and what success will look like.  Think of it as a scorecard on the new projects business plan.

It will be ok to fail as long as you show your members that you are learning and trying new things to stay cutting edge for them.

Remember, make sure you’re always delivering the “core good” to the membership while pushing the envelope, and continue to innovate while keeping your members in mind on how you can better serve their needs.

That’s worth paying dues for, just ask any business person.  They took a risk when they opened their doors.  That’s what entrepreneurship is all about.

Start that new project today!

Incubators: Are You Supporting Your Local Entrepreneurs?

Does your chamber have a program to allow folks with an idea to get it up and running from within your chamber?

A number of chambers across the country are providing such a venue or “incubator” for new business ideas to take hold.

What a great way to get new members.

By supporting these start-ups it will position you to potentially get a lifelong member.

As chambers, we should do everything possible to help the entrepreneurs in our communities bring their ideas to market.

Today’s start-up will be tomorrow’s job creators and your future community leaders!

In membership, we talk about the lifetime value of members and a great way to fill that pipeline of prospective members is with businesses that got started through your "incubator" program.

Here are four examples of incubator programs at local chambers of commerce:

• Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce
• Thurston County Chamber

Help get that new business started this year!

How Long Do You Keep Lapsed Members On The Books?

If you don’t know, I bet it’s spelled out in your Bylaws.

While not scientific, I’d suggest most organizations are either 90 or 120 days, which means your real membership numbers are inflated by 25% to 33%.

I’m not a fan of counting non dues paying members as members!

Have you ever thought about dropping members on their due date?

Why not?

Don’t let your members play the membership game with your organization.  I’ve been there!  They wait one day past their 90 or 120 grace period, go off the books and then rejoin with a new due date.

They just got 15 or 16 months of membership for the price of 12.  That's no way to run a chamber.

And by the way, how many of you offer a 25% discount in connection with an upcoming program that they can save even more money?  It's happening all the time all across the country.  

In addition, you’re spending money on these (essentially) non-members who are not contributing to your bottom line.

Something to think about!

For more resources on lapsed member campaigns go HERE and HERE.

Board Meeting Tech Tools

As we delve deeper and deeper into the technology needs of meeting tools, I recently came across an article with many tips.

As chamber executives, we’re always looking for ways to do things more efficiently and saving money at the same time is always a nice bonus!

We’ve all heard of Google docs, Dropbox, Skype and conferencecall.com, but what about some of the lesser known tech gadgets?

I researched minutes.io and was fascinated at the ease of use this program delivers.

With up to 12 board meetings a year, why not have a tech tool that can help us deliver "the minutes" in real time vs. going back to the office and trying to remember the conversation from your handwritten or typed notes.

You may have found a better tool, but if this is something you’ve been struggling with, writing timely minutes, check out this tool at www.minutes.io.

Finishing your minutes in minutes!  Now that’s something to write about.

For a comprehensive list of neat board tech tools go to www.askbethz.com/tools.