Being forewarned is being forearmed. As a policy professional, you should know how to diagnose an audience, develop a persuasive strategy, have a “tactics tool bag” for dealing with difficult or expert audiences, and develop nonconfrontational communication methods with audiences when necessary. In short, you need to know how to navigate the power of decision makers to skillfully defend or reject policies as they relate to your advocacy goals.
To Prepare:
Review Chapter 9 of the Jansson text. Focus on “Combative Persuasion in Step 5 and Step 6.”
Develop a list of strategies you can use to persuade others who might not share the same concerns about your issues or your policy proposals.
Develop a list of talking points for defending your Social Advocacy Proposal. Consider the following areas of your proposal:
Identification of the problem
Overview of existing policy
History of existing policy
Policy impacts on populations
Plan for social advocacy, or goals for change
Consider the audience for your Social Advocacy Proposal.
Through which group or legislative process did the original policy receive approval?
How has the group or process changed since the original policy was approved?
Hook: Introduce yourself using professional disclosure. How do any personal facts about you or your audience relate to the policy and impact? This can help grab your audience’s attention.
Describe the Problem: Present the problem and issues with the current policy that attempts to address the problem. Explain the impact on specific populations. You might even recount a specific story of someone adversely impacted by the problem and explain how the policy as it exists does not help them.
Call to Action: Inspire your audience to support your goals for change. Why should they care?