Three More Tips for Government Relations Success This Fall

Back in Issue 206 of The NEWS, we wrote an article outlining five pieces of advice for government relations success during the upcoming fall sitting period – scheduled to commence on October 28. In that article, our five tips were:

·         Evaluate your past year(s) of advocacy

·         Stay up to date on government priorities

·         Explore digital advocacy

·         Grow your networks

·         Work with our team

If you would like to learn more about each of these points, we encourage you to check out that article.

With three weeks to go until session resumes at the end of the month, we figured this would be an appropriate time to share with you three more free tips to help you build the best possible government relations strategy.

1.      Conduct a SWOT Analysis

This may seem like a self-explanatory point, but it is one worth highlighting. For those who may be less familiar with the exercise, it is designed as an opportunity for your organization to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (hence the acronym). While you have likely completed SWOT analysis for your business and organization in some way already, it is an important exercise to undertake every so often when pursuing government relations objectives.

When completing a government relations SWOT analysis, it often helps to sit down with one of our associates with respect to providing a strategic lens looking into the political landscape. Our team is full of experts on Alberta politics which means we may be able to provide you with specific insights into the Legislature or key players that you may not be aware of.

It is also important to undertake this exercise on a semi-regular basis due to the nature of provincial politics. Things move very quickly and what may be true at one point in time can change with little to no warning. It is important to remain flexible. At minimum, your organization should complete a government relations SWOT analysis whenever a budget is tabled (end of February) and when the provincial government releases a Speech from the Throne.

These two events are key points in the legislative calendar where new circumstances can arise, so it is wise to re-evaluate your position in response to new information becoming available. The budget deals with a new financial picture while the throne speech outlines new government priorities for a new legislative session

Of course, it also helps to complete a new government relations SWOT analysis as your organization experiences change.

2.      Craft Your Key Messages

This is a bit of a precursor to our third point in this article, but bear with us. While your government relations plan is a critical piece of your advocacy tool kit, remember that the best plan in the world can fall flat if it is not communicated well. It is one thing for your issue to make sense to you, but you need to craft your message in a way that resonates with people when they hear it.

While the way you deliver your key messages can vary based on the audience you are targeting (more on that later), your key messages should be constant. Your key messages should outline what you are trying to accomplish, why it matters, and who will benefit from the changes.

Keeping your message consistent between audiences is crucial. While some government relations campaigns can be isolated to one audience (typically government), it is critical to ensure that everyone in your organization is on the same page. The only thing that should change is how the message is delivered (which we will expand on later).

Our associates at Alberta Counsel bring years of building key messages for organizations pursuing government relations objectives. Ideally, we would begin this process after a SWOT analysis is completed. Similar to the SWOT analysis advice above, it is good practice to occasionally review your key messages to ensure that they are still relevant and effective.

3.      Identify Your Audience

Last, but not least, we arrive at a key part of any government relations strategy. One thing we have learned in our years of lobbying is that every file is different. While there will always be certain static features, each effort requires a unique approach based on the client, the government of the day, and external factors that may come into play.

Returning to the previous tip on key messaging, it is once again important to remain consistent in the message you are delivering. However, it is also important to realize that while the message remains constant, they method of delivery may vary depending on your respective audiences.

Some government relations plans focus solely on interactions with elected officials. Some may include department staff. Some may be focused more on opposition lobbying. Some may require an approach that requires more of a public relations-type effort. It really depends on your organization’s goals at the end of the day.

For example, if your organization’s goals require both government and public persuasion, you would work to develop a frame with your key messages that are easily digestible for each audience. While the key message itself is the same, you likely would need to approach both government and the general public from different angles.

Our associates can work with your team to identify key government contacts that you should put a focus on when developing your strategy; however, we also can help your organization identify any other key stakeholders and decision makers that may help you achieve your goals.

Bonus Tip

When you pursue government relations objectives, it is important to bear in mind how elected official availability changes when session is in. Starting on October 28th, MLAs will sit in the Legislature on afternoons until December 5 (except for the Remembrance Day break from November 11-14). There are also more events happening during sessional periods as MLAs are congregated in Edmonton, so evening availability is limited, also.

With the realities of no UCP MLAs being elected in Edmonton, that comes with the additional complication of requesting ministerial meetings. Given most of Premier Danielle Smith’s cabinet come from constituencies outside of the Edmonton donut, ministers (and other out of town MLAs) use Friday through Sunday for travel and downtime with family. While government meetings during session are not impossible, it is important to have context about the limitations of political meetings when the Legislature sits, especially in a condensed fall sitting period.