The Art of Advocacy 101
Community Health Centers and other safety net health care providers are the best kept secret in health care. Providing care for over 300,000 Alabamians each year, Alabama’s community health providers still work in relative anonymity; local, state and federal leadership in communities well served by community health providers are oftentimes still unaware of the services provided, the lives saved and the cost advantages of these programs. Community health professionals and advocates have a powerful role to play in spreading the story of community health. Because community health advocates come from all walks of life (teachers, businesspersons, clinicians, blue collar and white collar), they are in a unique position to shape the perception of these clinics and help pave the way to greater expansions and support on the local, state and federal level.
If you have ever written a letter to your congressperson or made a comment at a town hall meeting, or even just spoken out when you have seen an injustice you have been an advocate,—someone who looks out for the interests of another, someone who speaks up on behalf of another. Advocates identify a problem: an unrecognized need, a service gap in a caring community, an injustice, possibly a mistake or unintended consequence in a policy or procedure that hurts those who cannot speak up for themselves. And then they go to work to find solutions. Advocacy can be very complicated, and some of what professional advocates do requires a lot of experience and sophistication. But there are some basic rules that anyone can follow, and everyone -- including the least experienced -- can learn to be effective.
Top Tips for Taking Action:
Speak Up – The very act of advocacy can seem daunting and overwhelming but the basic tenants of advocacy can be simplified to just two words – Speak Up! Even the shyest person can do this by putting the name of your program or issue in bold letters on the back of the folder you carry to the Capitol, and then just make sure it faces out! Or you can leave a hand-written note at your legislator’s office... or you can call and leave a Voice Mail message on a machine. Or you can tell your story. The only thing you CANNOT do is not communicate. You can do whatever feels best for you so long as you write, call or visit.
There is magic in numbers - All elected officials have to think in terms of 51% and so should you. 51% is the number of votes they need to get elected or stay in office; 51% is the number of colleagues on their committees they need to get their initiatives through and 51% is the number of members they need of the full House or Senate to get something passed. When approached by an advocate for any issue, the first thing they wonder: is this something 51% of the voters (my Committee colleagues, the legislature) could go along with? In other words, they’ll want to know whether anybody else supports what we want. Do your homework; have a good idea what the voting record of their state colleagues and fellow committee members have on your issue. Couch your issue in terms that fit these voting records.
Another area where numbers are important: how many people support what you want? One way to convey that your issues are supported by more than just you is by mentioning the groups you belong to -- because groups convey numbers. Even bigger numbers are conveyed when your issue is supported by a Coalition, which is just: “an organization of organizations.” And if you have built your Coalitions with all of your likely allies PLUS some unlikely allies, they will quickly understand that your issues have the potential to attract broad voter support -- that critical 51%.
It’s all about the audience - When speaking to an elected official always keep three audiences in mind a) the elected officials and their staff, b) their constituency, and c) the media. It is essential your elected officials and their staff understand your issue and know how you feel and the reasons why. But one lone voice probably won’t cause them to vote a particular way. (Remember that magic in numbers?) However, if enough of the voters in their district feel as you do -- and let them know it -- that can be very persuasive. So your job includes informing other voters as well as your legislators. Effective advocacy does not always have to entail public meetings or press conferences: Simply carrying on a conversation with a friend, out loud, in public: “Did you hear what they’re proposing to do down at the Capitol? It’s going to affect every family in this state and I’ll bet most people don’t even know about it yet....” can be done in any public location: grocery store, church, over even across a crowded meeting. Elevators are a particularly effective opportunity because you know you have a captive audience.
Use the media as well. All newspapers have editorial pages and op ed sections and in tough financial times most media outlets do not have enough writers to fill their needs. A thoughtful well written opinion article can articulate your issue and help you reach even more of those “other voters”. Every elected official has someone on their staff that monitors the opinion pages. It’s where powerful people test the pulse of the thinking community. You have their attention if your case is made in print. Never attack, always attract. Be positive and persuasive, giving your readers a reason to care and act on your behalf.
Be sure THEY hear YOU – The first thing most politicians and elected officials are schooled in is the act of speaking. And as elected officials have a lot more practice doing the talking, they will dominate a conversation if you give them half a chance. Meeting an elected official can be intimidating especially if you are advocating something they either a. have little knowledge of or b. have previously show little interest in supporting. There are a few techniques you can use to break through this barrier of intimidate and leaving a lasting impression.
Always bring something with you that you have to explain: fact sheets that explain your issue is great, that way they don’t have to take as many notes (you’ve done that for them) and you have something to leave them that explains your issue in your voice. Also the very act of introducing your fact sheet mean that you’ll do the talking and they’ll listen;
Memorize a little speech, just a minute-and-a-half or two minutes long. It should include: your name; that you live/vote in their district; any organization or coalition that you represent; what you’re there to talk about; what you want them to do (“I want you to vote FOR.....”); and then hand over that one or two-page fact sheet that includes a name, address, and phone #. That would make a good visit. If you have time, go into more detail –e.g., how the Legislator’s District is/will be affected by the issue or bill. Be concise and to the point. The position, issue or program you advocate should to be compressed into a paragraph and a two-minute presentation. The key to influence is not volume, but precision. Elected officials are not experts, but don’t want to be overwhelmed with your knowledge. Have them trust you as someone to turn to for more details if they are needed. Sharpen your point and it will make an impact.
Invite your legislator(s) to moderate a panel, not to give a speech. When you invite your legislators to give a speech to your group, you will hear them, but not the other way around. However, if you ask them to moderate a panel, and put on that panel individuals you’d like your legislator to hear, the listening goes in a different direction.
Keep the Conversation Going – Just because this meeting is over does not mean your job is complete. Don’t be a stranger to your elected officials and their staff members. The most persuasive messages come from familiar faces. Know them by name, and make sure they know you by name. Anonymity is the antithesis of effectiveness. Invite officials to your community partnership programs for conversations and photos. When it comes to creating a positive impression…Seeing is believing.
Always say “Thank You” – A good rule of thumb is to always say “thank you” before you say “please”. Even if you disagree with your elected official’s positions on some (or even most) issues, they are more likely to listen to you if you’ve found some way to praise them. If nothing else, thank them for the courage to be a public office holder. Following up your visit with a well-written, brief thank you note offers another opportunity to briefly highlight your cause and refresh your meeting in the mind of the elected official.
Prepare for the Long Haul - Long term goals are rarely achieved in a 30 minute visit. The surest rule of politics is that today’s opponent is tomorrow’s potential ally -- and vice-versa. Don’t ever write anyone off. The people you are speaking for can’t afford to alienate anyone, and as their advocates, neither can we. Advocacy requires the art of compromise and while we strive for unanimity, we work for majority. There’s a difference between compromising principles (a no-no) and a healthy policy discussion. Long-term relationships require understanding where everyone is coming from before you know where you’re going.
For more information on advocacy contact Celeste Drayden at 334.271.7068 or celeste@alphca.com