In today’s well-connected world, communicating with each other can sometimes seem impossible. This is especially true when it comes to big-picture issues. You might think that lobbying for change for big issues impacting significant numbers of people across the country is easy, but the opposite is true. Driving impactful lobbying in a population sometimes disconnected from the overarching problems that impact them can be difficult.
In this article, we’ll explore the unseen factors behind lobbying efforts both local and international so that you can build better campaigns.
Location and presence
The first consideration when building an effective lobbying campaign is location. Where are your offices located, and do these locations match client needs? While it is not impossible to run a successful business from a single location, it is much easier for lobbying efforts in particular to have a variety of locations across the country. This makes access easier for potential clients while also allowing you to gather information on both large-scale and grassroots endeavors in local communities.
Something else to consider here is online presence. In today’s world, it is necessary to have a strong and easy-to-access space that those interested can use to learn more about your vision and mission. This not only helps drive more people to your cause, but also gives them enough information to decide if you align with their values and goals.
Ballard Partners is a great example of both factors. From one side of the country to the next and across multiple comprehensive online sites and social media pages, Ballard Partners’ locations allow it to offer its lobbying services to a wide variety of clients.
Local knowledge
While having plenty of locations available for easy client access is important, this alone is not enough to drive impactful lobbying in our globalized world. You must take it one step further. Use those locations and immerse yourself in local communities fighting for your cause. This information will be invaluable as you plan your lobbying campaign, and can often be the difference between a successful attempt and a failure.
There are a few things to consider when gathering local knowledge. First, who are the names you need to know in the community, and what do they bring to the table? Don’t underestimate the impact that collaboration with well-known community members can have on your campaign. Whether you’re attempting to drum up support for local governmental efforts or are in need of knowledgeable people to inform a nationwide movement, local names can strengthen your cause dramatically. You might also consider community support for your campaign and whether or not you’ll be fighting against a tide of differing opinions and passions.
Cultural competency
In the same vein as acquiring local knowledge, understanding local culture is crucial to any successful lobbying campaign. Cultural competency is the measure of someone’s understanding of a specific culture, and it should be a top priority when driving lobbying efforts. It helps enhance communication in intercultural events and situations. This means that you’ll have an easier time expressing your ideas in a way that everyone involved in the project can understand.
Cultural competency can also help you understand whether your efforts will be supported or opposed by local communities as well as why that support (or lack thereof) exists.
Connecting global insights with local action
When you think of impactful national lobbying, you might picture speaking to Congress or other high-level government agencies. While these efforts are certainly needed when driving impactful lobbying, it is equally important to focus on fostering local action. Take the information that you know is important on a national level and use it to create local action. Let’s look at an example.
Let’s say that you’re lobbying for healthcare reform for indigent people. National statistics paint a dire picture countrywide, with people in all manner of communities struggling to pay for care. This translates to significantly worse health outcomes when compared with those with better health insurance and the ability to cover lofty copays. Taking those numbers and applying them to individual communities, sometimes even in small rural areas, can have a massive impact on lobbying efforts. Help those in need fight for change, even if they don’t know that they need it when you start your campaign.
Building strongholds supporting your cause
Are you searching for ways to create meaningful change with your lobbying efforts? Keeping in mind the factors we’ve explored in this article is a great first step. Make sure that you work with the communities around you and not against them. With some time and persistence, you can build strongholds supporting your cause across the country.
