THE DO=S & DON=TS IN
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
t's easy to find reasons not to get involved: "I
patients, and we hope you will agree to cospon-
don't have time to make a phone call." "No one
sor it." Even verbal commitments are tough to
Iwilllistentome.@"Theydon'tcarewhatIhave break.
to say." "I don't have any experience." "What if they
ask me a question I can't answer?" The rationale is
Do realize that talking to the staff is like
endless. Deep down, many people may simply be
talking to the elected official. Treat staff the
afraid of embarrassing themselves. The following list
same way you would treat the elected official.
of do's and don'ts to provide useful tips to help en-
Officials often rely on staff to advise them on how
sure that your government relations experiences
to vote or craft legislation, and they also develop
are positive and successful.
interpersonal relationships with trusted staffers. If
you alienate the staff you are asking for trouble.
DO'S
Do be early for meetings. An elected official's
Do remember that you have knowledge of
schedule can be filled down to the minute. They
myeloma that ordinary citizens do not and
don't have time to wait for you, even though you
that makes you a trusted and respected
may have to wait for them.
source. Legislators and their staff seek specialized
knowledge that they don't have. Trust that they will
Do avoid jargon. Although you are an expert,
listen to you and respect you because you are an
try to frame your comments as small bul et points
expert.
of information that can be easily understood by a
layperson. While your knowledge may be impres-
Do consult your IMF Advocacy Toolkit for
sive, if you lose your audience your message will
specific tips on letter writing, personal visits,
be lost.
e-mail, and phone calls. Detailed information is
available for your reference, so use your resources.
Do leave something behind. At the minimum,
leave your business card or contact information so
Do try to personalize the issue by giving ex-
the staff or elected official can contact you with
amples of how you, your family and commu-
questions. Optimally, you should provide a useful
nity are affected by myeloma. You would be
`leave-behind' that summarizes your position on
amazed at how much more weight is given to a
an issue in digestible tidbits. Statistics and their ref-
constituent's concerns than to those of a lobbyist;
erence are always a plus, as staff will often use
but the message must be meaningful. Legislators
information from "leave-behinds" in speeches or
and their staff know that organizations try to mobi-
as talking points on the issue.
lize their members to send e-mails or letters on
certain issues. If the letter reads like a form letter, it
Do be realistic. Thousands of bills are intro-
will not have the same impact as a personal letter
duced during each legislative session, but fewer
that includes examples and personal experiences.
than 10% are enacted. Don't be discouraged if
your bill does not pass. You have established rela-
Do get a commitment. At the close of a per-
tionships, educated staff and elected officials, and
sonal visit or meeting, you should attempt to secure
built support for your position. If you have accom-
a commitment from the official that he/she will sup-
plished these things, you have laid the ground-
port your position. For example, you might say in
work and increased your chances that a bill will
closing, "So we can count on your support on
pass the next time.
Wednesday?" or "We hope you will recognize this
amendment is important for the quality care of our
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Do come prepared to defend your position.
Do disagree respectfully. If a legislator has an
You always have to know what your opposition is
opposing position on an issue and you are unable
up to. If you anticipate questions and are prepared
to change his/her mind, remain respectful of the
in advance to defend your position, you will cut
time he/she gave you to state your position. If
your opposition off.
possible, compliment the legislator on his/her
work on another issue. The legislator will appre-
Do dress appropriately in business attire.
ciate your understanding and be impressed by
Remember the purpose of your visit is to talk about
your knowledge of his/her record.
professional issues. To be most effective, you
should appear organized and professional.
Do say thank you. Whether you are following
up after a personal visit or thanking a member for
Do be loyal to your friends. Like-minded indi-
fighting in committee for one small provision that
viduals who work on issues similar to yours can be
was important to you, it is always nice to recog-
powerful advocates in public policy. They might call
nize another's efforts. Legislators and their staff
you with inside information or invite you to partici-
work hard, and most have great intentions, so
pate in an outreach activity. If you undermine your
your sincere thanks are always appreciated.
friends, they will not be around the next time you
need help.
Do provide helpful information whenever
possible. Providing information is always appreci-
Do recognize the value of compromise. You
ated. If you send a copy of a current report or an
may not get everything you want. However, isn't it
article you think the staff or elected official would
better, for instance, to get some money for cancer
find interesting, you present yourself as a consider-
research than a full amount specifically for myeloma?
ate, alert person who wants to help. When you
Think about areas in which you are prepared to
provide useful information and are not asking for
compromise and identify those that are not negoti-
any specific action in return, in effect, you are re-
able. In some cases, you may even want to antic-
minding the recipient of who you are and are pro-
ipate compromise by asking for more than you ac-
viding them with a nonthreatening communication
tually want. But be careful and don't concede any-
that will be appreciated.
thing until the timing is right.
Do ask IMF for help. We are committed to
Do keep your phone call or visit brief and to
helping you. If you need help, contact the mem-
the point. While staff or the elected official will
bers of IMF's advocacy team.
usually be polite, it is incumbent on you to recog-
nize that they are very busy. Keep your meeting
pleasant and brief, and start looking for clues that it's
time to wrap things up after fifteen minutes. Meet-
ings should rarely last more than twenty minutes,
DON'TS
but take your cue from the person with whom you
are meeting.
Don't participate in political activities in
the name of the IMF unless you are advo-
Do make friends before you need them.
cating an issue on which the IMF has taken
Whenever possible, develop relationships before
a position.
you have to ask for something. Try to become fa-
miliar with legislators who work on issues of interest
Don't pretend to know something that
to you, even if nothing is developing on that topic or
you don't. If you make up information or skirt
in his/her committee at the time. One obvious place
around an issue, you'll come off as disingenuous
to start is by getting to know the members of the
and lose your credibility. Most people can spot a
health care committees at your federal, state, or
phony.
local levels.
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Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know." Legis-
Nothing is more offensive and inappropriate then
lators aren't expected to be experts on everything,
threatening someone to get them to do what you
and neither are you. Admitting you don't know the
want and it will backfire one hundred times out of
answer to something can be a good thing, because
one hundred.
it gives you the opportunity to say, AI don't know,
but I can research that and get back to you." Then,
Don't become cynical. Keep the faith! Re-
when you have an answer, you have another op-
member that most people who serve in public
portunity to make contact with the staff or elected
office do so because they want to make a differ-
official.
ence. Try to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Don't name-drop unless it is directly rele-
Don't disparage other elected officials. This
vant. It is okay to mention in passing, for example,
will make your contacts wonder if you're saying
that you worked with someone from Senator John
the same thing about them to a staff member
Doe's office on a related issue last year or that you
from a different office. It will always make you look
testified before a committee on the issue. But it is
bad.
probably not appropriate to mention that you play-
ed tennis with Senator Doe last Thursday.
Don't promise something you can't deliv-
er. You must be as good as your word or you will
Don't make threats. Any threats, veiled or
lose your credibility.
overt, are usually recognized for what they are.
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