lobbyists aren’t the ones in the voting
booths come Election Day.
Here are some of the key steps you’ll
need to take:
• Get Informed. Stay Informed: You need
In order to be on the winning side of
public policy debates, you need to:
• Get Organized: Find like-minded indi-
to know as early as possible if your business is being threatened. The sooner you
have information to act on, the more
effective you will be.
Whether it’s small-business legislation, anti-alcohol activism, wage hikes,
tax hikes, the “food police,” health care
mandates or any other issue that will affect
how you run your business, information is
the most important resource you have.
• Develop your message: Take some time
to develop strong arguments based on
your own experiences.
• Know your enemy: You have to know
your opponents’ arguments in order
to effectively counter them. Use facts
and figures whenever possible, and
don’t forget to talk about the impact
of a proposed policy change on your
employees, your customers and your
operations.
viduals and business owners and work
together.
• Develop a Message: Your positions should
be clear, focused and easy to explain.
• Coordinate a Communications Strategy:
Repeat your messages to the public,
your allies, the media and legislators.
• Act Early: It is easier to create an
opinion among legislators about your
industry or an issue you care about than
it is to get people to change their mind
after hearing from your opposition.
There