Does this story sound familiar to you?
A professional friend of mine -- an executive at a mid-sized industry association -- was working last week on her budget for 2021, and she reached out to me for ideas.
"This industry has so many great stories to tell, but a lot of people have never heard of us, and our CEO wants us to build more support in Congress," she said. "Our in-house staff focuses on membership and events, and we're on our own for communications in DC. Is there anything we can accomplish with an agency like yours on a limited budget?"
I hear these problems all the time. Most of the GR professionals I know need to raise their organizations' profiles in DC and achieve some influence over complicated federal policy issues. But they don't have the right staff in-house, and they can only spare a five-figure or low-six-figure budget for a DC PR program.
HERE ARE A FEW QUESTIONS I ASKED TO HELP HER FRAME HER ENTIRE STRATEGY -- AND A FEW ANSWERS YOU CAN USE, TOO:
What are your missing pieces? Do you have any people or systems in place to produce timely, relevant, easy-to-grasp content about your key policy issues? Do you have the contact lists and processes in place for doing systematic, strategic outreach?
How can you improve one of your current activities to produce better results with less staff power? For example, you might replace a dated newsletter with an online blog/email/social program, or replace a weak or distracted performer with a nimbler, outsourced alternative. (Wink!)
How can you quantify the value of what you’re doing to back up your budget request? What are the consequences to the organization if you don't step up your game? These may include a lack of influence and allies in DC; missed opportunities to secure policy wins; failure to meet a budget goal; and even your own job or promotion could be on the line. Show your boss the value of what can be gained and protected with greater awareness and influence in DC.
From 20 years of helping clients handle tough PR challenges and conflicting organizational demands, I can advise and support you through strategies like these.
If you have similar worries, I’d be happy to hop on a quick call to listen to your situation and give you a few no-strings opinions.
Feel free to grab a time with me using this link: www.calendly.com/dalecurtis.