by Linda Edwards, VOLLMER Austin
“Gonna Find Out Who’s Naughty and Nice...the Legislature’s Coming to Town!”
The Texas Legislature doesn’t meet until January, but already legislative committees are making their list and checking it twice planning for some big changes. Among state agencies expected to be on the hot seat this session are the Texas Youth Commission – have they shaped up yet; DPS because of its failure to protect the Governor’s Mansion; Child Protective Services with its alleged overprotection of the FDLS children; and the Texas Residential Real Estate Council which has been recommended for abolishment because it hasn’t helped much in homeowner disputes with homebuilders. Transportation and insurance rates are two other areas slated for big debate and proposed changes.
What to do when you’re under review? Anyone in the private sector with a dog in these fights will be lining up lobbyists and, if they’re smart, PR help too. Companies involved in alternative energy and conservation will need to make their case to get government contracts and subsidies. School districts and educator groups will need messages that persuade and dissuade when it comes to education finance and accountability. Home builders will need to convince legislators to save their agency. And, even a seasoned spokesperson like T. Boone Pickens will need help to stave off efforts to derail his water and energy plans.
One of the best ways to influence legislators is to speak before legislative committees. Good preparation is the key to making the most of such an opportunity. Get to the point, and no more than three points, please. House leadership wants to take action next session to further limit the amount of time people have in front of a committee, making witness coaching more important than ever. Even legislators say such training is critical to making sure your remarks are on point and well received. All will help put you on their “nice” list.
Hear ye! Part 2
by Peggy Hubble, VOLLMER Austin
Did someone say PR?
PR is that fuzzy area that many organizations don’t quite understand and, therefore, don’t think they need. But what it all boils down to is “communicating” – to the legislators, to your constituency, to your membership, to the general public – and to the media, to help reach all of the above.
As corporations, associations, lobbying firms and other organizations look toward the legislative session and consider their areas of interest or concern, they should also consider implementing a broad-based PR/media/communications plan.
Transportation, healthcare, education, energy – these are all issues that the media will cover and that citizens want to know about. A communications plan, working in sync with lobbying efforts, might include a press conference, an op-ed to be written and distributed to appropriate media (local, state or national), meetings with newspaper editorial boards to encourage their support of an issue, TV and radio interviews – and, of course, taking advantage of the ever growing digital, online media.
Think about it:
- Do you have clear and concise messages about what might be a complicated matter?
- Do you have fact sheets with convincing data?
- Do you have an articulate and compassionate spokesperson?
- Do you have relationships with the media around the state or around the country?
- Do you know what your opponents are saying about you? And are you responding in the correct fashion?
- Do you have the ability to corral support groups and like-minded organizations?
No matter how important your issue or how much you are convinced of the value of your project, be sure to consider the importance of planning and implementing a communications campaign to go along with your efforts.
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