1. Developing and Promoting an Advocacy Agenda Across Diverse Communities
Presenter: Zach Butterworth
Executive Counsel and Director of federal relations for the city of New Orleans.
Served as legislative director for former U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana.
Served as Senior Counsel for Congressman Cedric Richmond.

2. Developing and Promoting an Advocacy Agenda Across Diverse Communities
Presenter: Don Cravins
SVP of Policy for National Urban League/Exec. Dir. of the Washington Bureau
Chief of Staff U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu –
Staff Director U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship –
Louisiana State Senator –
Louisiana State Representative –

3. Advocacy-Walking In the Door
Before you walk into the office,
have proper perspective.
Is this your first meeting with this official?
This is not a sprint, this is a marathon
ALL ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP!
STAFF COUNTS!
Don’t buy into the notion that only meetings with officials matter.
Staff meetings are a vital component of relationship building.
Before you walk in, refer to your meeting schedule to ensure you tell the front desk the name of the staffer with whom you are meeting. If it is an Official/Member-level meeting, still refer to the name of the staffer joining that meeting as listed on your schedule.

4. Advocacy-During the Meeting
Be as patient with the front desk staff assistant as you would be with the official.
Be respectful to the Staff and/or the Official.
Assume you only have 15 minutes to talk, but don’t rush it so much that after the first 15 minutes you’re out of things to say for the last 15 minutes of the meeting.
Do: “I know you’re familiar with Chamber but I just want to give an overview of the agenda both nationally and locally.

5. Advocacy-During the Meeting
Successful Advocacy meetings are 90% about:
the relationship you’re creating;
the way you empower the staffer;
the degree to which they trust your perspective; and
how you say what you’re saying.
Elected and appointed officials have hundreds of meetings, receive millions of letters and s each year, mostly about policy issues or position statements on behalf of groups and individuals.
SO MAKE YOUR MEETING COUNT

6. 3 Tips For Getting in Staffers Minds
Birthday Letters
Send officials a birthday letter.
Wish them well on their birthdays, but also mention the chamber and encourage them to consider your organization as a valuable resource.
Constituent Recognition Letters
Officials send greetings and letters acknowledging the accomplishments of their constituents. Your advocacy organization can aide staff as they acknowledge their constituents by writing letters citing examples of their constituent’s accomplishments related to your issue area.
Thank You Letters If your organization supports legislation that passes, or opposes legislation that fails, it is critical that you send a letter to officials.

7. Advocacy-After the Meeting
Remember, this is one of several touches, not the only meeting with your Member for the year. Invite them to your annual meeting, gala, etc.
An effective advocacy organization will correspond with officials and their staffs on a routine basis about legislation affecting their issue areas, but also will remain in steady contact, regardless of whether an immediate issue exists.
Let the Official or Staffer know that you expect another touch/meeting. For example, Members of Congress should be seen in August back in theDistrict.
FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK
Your advocacy team should catalogue feedback from every meeting
Need you to get into the habit of providing feedback after any and all meetings with Officials/staff
Develop a Feedback Form

8. Hill Advocacy-After the Meeting
Remember, this is one of several touches, not the only meeting with your Member for the year. Invite them to you EOD, Whitney Young event, etc.
An effective advocacy organization will correspond with congressional members and staff on a routine basis about legislation affecting their issue areas, but also will remain in steady contact, regardless of whether an immediate issue exists.
Let the Member or Staffer know that you expect another touch/meeting in August
FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK
NULWB will reach out to for feedback from every meeting
Need you to get into the habit of providing feedback after any and all meetings with Members/staff
Feedback Form

9. Hill Advocacy-After the Meeting
Remember, this is one of several touches, not the only meeting with your Member for the year.
An effective advocacy organization will correspond with congressional members and staff on a routine basis about legislation affecting their issue areas, but also will remain in steady contact, regardless of whether an immediate issue exists.
Let the Member or Staffer know that you expect another touch/meeting in August
FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK
NULWB will reach out to for feedback from every meeting
Need you to get into the habit of providing feedback after any and all meetings with Members/staff

10. Hill Advocacy-After the Meeting
Remember, this is one of several touches, not the only meeting with your Member for the year.
An effective advocacy organization will correspond with congressional members and staff on a routine basis about legislation affecting their issue areas, but also will remain in steady contact, regardless of whether an immediate issue exists.
Let the Member or Staffer know that you expect another touch/meeting in August
FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK
NULWB will reach out to for feedback from every meeting
Need you to get into the habit of providing feedback after any and all meetings with Members/staff

11. QUESTIONS?
Remember, this is one of several touches, not the only meeting with your Member for the year.
An effective advocacy organization will correspond with congressional members and staff on a routine basis about legislation affecting their issue areas, but also will remain in steady contact, regardless of whether an immediate issue exists.
Let the Member or Staffer know that you expect another touch/meeting in August
FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK
NULWB will reach out to for feedback from every meeting
Need you to get into the habit of providing feedback after any and all meetings with Members/staff