Planning a Successful

1
Planning a Successful Lobbying Event The
Importance of Effective Messaging CSAE
Communications Networking Presentation January
8, 2008
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5 Steps for a Successful Lobby Day

• Planning
• Messaging
• The role of the communications manager
• Membership
• Possible Components of the Day
• Feedback

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion attends the Forest
Products Association of Canadas (FPAC) Annual
Parliamentary Reception.
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Planning

• Identify goal of advocacy effort
• Pick a day that works
• Develop target list of MPs and government
  officials to meet with
• Develop a budget for the event

MPs Ken Boshcoff and Wayne Easter attend the
Canadian Health Food Associations (CHFA)
National Health Food Month Kick Off Breakfast in
the Parliamentary Restaurant.
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Planning

• Decide to hire specialized PR/GR firm or perform
  internally
• Develop a strategy for how and when tasks will be
  accomplished
• Document creation invitations, leave-behind
  materials,
• marketing materials, signage
• Public Relations media call around, press
  release, interviews with media
• Scheduling of meetings
• Coordination of schedules
• Venue booking and vendor management
• On-site coordination

5
Messaging

• The role of the communications manager
• Develop a strategic communications plan
• What are the goals of the lobby day?
• What are the key messages that need to be
  conveyed?
• Who is the target audience? (media, politicians,
  both?)
• What kind of creative means can be used to
  achieve these goals as effectively as possible?

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Messaging

• The role of the communications manager
• Examples of lobby day goals
• To create awareness amongst MPs of CHFAs role
  and mandate as the Canadian health food
  industrys national association.
• To make the public and the media understand
  that booksellers are not responsible for setting
  the price of a book that they are doing
  everything in their power to bring prices down in
  the wake of the strong Canadian dollar and that
  booksellers need Governments help in finding a
  solution to this issue.

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Messaging

• The role of the communications manager
• Ensure that the key messages are
• understood by the membership
• mock meetings
• good prep materials
• understood by government officials/ MPs, etc
• clear leave-behinds
• well chosen and well prepared delegates
• understood by the media
• well written media advisory and press release
• well prepared, designated spokesperson on hand

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Messaging

• Identify key message that must get across
• Identify 1-2 secondary messages
• Create bilingual, succinct 2page
• leave-behind document for MPs
• TIAC Example
• Urge Government to implement TIACs proposed
  Privatized Visitor Rebate Program.
• MDC Example
• Urge Government to implement MDCs proposed
  National Wheelchair Strategy.

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Membership Preparation

• Decide who will attend
• Market to your membership
• Identify which MPs should meet with key delegates
• Prepare specialized kits for delegates
• MP Bios
• Meeting Schedules
• Key Messages
• Maps
• Debriefing sheets
• Plan briefing session for delegates
• Manage expectations before and during

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Possible components of the day

• Potential activities for the day
• Meetings throughout the day
• Breakfast speaker to kick off the day
• Media event Press conference on the Hill
• Lunch with key Parliamentarian

Roch Carrier speaking at SEVEC Press Conference
held on Parliament Hill during lobby day
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Possible components of the day
Finance Minister Flaherty meets with Canadian
Booksellers Associations (CBA) Executive Board.

• SO 31 during Question Period
• Parliamentary reception for all MPs
• Dinner with key government officials and key
  delegates
• Photo opportunities with Ministers, PM, etc

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Feedback

• Thank you letters to all government officials
  that were met with
• Media search to see if event got pickup
• Collect debriefing questionnaires and create
  database with information
• Reschedule last-minute cancellations
• Maintain relationship with MPs through update
  mailings personal follow up if necessary

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Prepare for

• Last-minute meeting cancellations
• MPs running late
• Lost or missing delegates
• Reception turnout to be contingent on
• Number of competing events
• Location (Hill v. Off Hill)
• Votes, breaking news and other last minute
  circumstances