200 Issues - What We’ve Learned

Milestones are always a good time for some reflection. Certainly, moving the odometer of The NEWS past the 200-issue mark seems an appropriate time to look back and perhaps offer some useful advice based on the experience we have gathered over the past decade.

Depending on how familiar you are with Alberta Counsel, you may already know that our bread and butter is not writing about provincial politics (although it is an important part of what we do). Alberta Counsel’s raison d'être is to work with stakeholders across the province to facilitate communication and engagement with the Government of Alberta, thereby increasing the likelihood of a positive outcome on advocacy priorities such as funding for projects, legislative changes, etc.

Since 2015, Alberta Counsel has grown to become the largest lobby firm in the province. We have worked with stakeholders both large and small from municipalities to agricultural groups, non-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, private companies, industry associations and even unions. Although each stakeholder is unique in numerous ways, there are some common threads that – in my experience – hold true for all groups looking to engage in advocacy/government relations/lobbying.

Without further ado, here are some simple tips that may help you if you are working with a stakeholder looking to take the first tentative steps towards getting more engaged to move the dial on your priorities, or even if you are already engaged but may find yourself stuck in some way. As always, please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or would like to discuss a specific case.

Make a Plan

This may sound self evident. Nevertheless, it is key to success in advocacy and a step that we have seen many stakeholders either skip over or not complete adequately. If you haven’t taken a hard look at your SWOTs (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) as they pertain to the political sphere, you’re at risk of minimizing your effectiveness as a stakeholder.

It is equally important to review your advocacy priorities regularly and to make sure you narrow them down to maybe one or two. You should also make sure you have clear and effective messaging for all your priorities (your elevator pitch). The good news is that reviewing your SWOTs and priorities can be a helpful exercise that can get you refocused while getting your members or staff involved.

Don’t Get Caught in Your Own Bubble

It is easy to get absorbed in your advocacy. One mistake we see over and over is that stakeholders use too much industry jargon or make assumptions about how much political decision-makers might know about their particular issue and organization. Our advice is always that simple, straightforward communication is key.

Assume that the target of your advocacy knows nothing about your issue, organization or industry. Prepare a written version of your elevator pitch that outlines – in the most approachable way possible – why your organization and issue matter and how you can help make Alberta a better place. Having a clear ask is critical. And just as critical is knowing how much your ask costs, how it would be achieved (is it a legislative or regulatory change, for instance), and how it fits in with the priorities of the government of today.

Find Some Friends

Effective advocacy is rarely something that is done alone by a CAO, Executive Director, etc. The most effective advocacy efforts we have seen tend to come from groups that are collaborations both internally and externally. Inside your organization you will be more effective if you have a group of people who can share ideas, weigh options and tap their own networks (everyone knows someone). Regardless of what kind of stakeholder you are, it is important to gather a team. Build an advocacy committee and involve key people within your organization.

Externally, it is also important to not work in isolation. Make sure you know who your allies are and reach out to find some ways to collaborate, even if just on messaging. Stakeholders that work together will often find more success.

Get Expert Help

No matter how experienced you are (or the person in charge of your advocacy strategy is), working with professionals has many advantages. Yes, it may seem like a shameless plug for Alberta Counsel, but the reality is that working with a government relations firm can give you access to a large team of professionals with all kinds of contacts, education, and experience that would simply not be available to a team of one or two. Proximity to the legislature also matters because while lobbying has evolved, physical presence still matters when it comes to being the “squeaky wheel”.

This also goes back to the “getting caught in your own bubble” point. Working with a firm like Alberta Counsel is an opportunity to re-examine your issue(s) from 10,000 feet. We can put fresh eyes on your communications material and priority lists, and the Government of Alberta will almost always be more honest and upfront about where obstacles may lie than they would be directly with the stakeholder.

Be Patient

My final piece of advice is that government relations is often a long game. Don’t get discouraged and remember that in this world it is often two steps forward and one step back. We always advise persistence without aggression because it inevitably leads to the best results. Burning bridges may feel satisfying at the time, but your long-term advocacy objectives will almost certainly suffer.

In other words, government relations is a marathon rather than a sprint.

Whether you’ve been reading The NEWS since our first issue or you are new, thank you for trusting us as a resource.

Here is to the next 200 issues and beyond!