Effective  Communication  with  Elected  Officials  

CFM  Strategic  Communications  

Understanding  your  Elected  Officials  

  “The  Legislature  is  a  microcosm  of  society”  –    Fmr.  Senator  Jeanette  Hamby  (R-­‐Hillsboro)  

  Life  in  the  political  world    Campaign  season  

  Governing    Personal  life  

  Remember:  Elected  officials  ran  for  office  to  help  their  constituents  and  improve  their  communities.  

Federal  Delegation  

  Bigger  challenges/new  opportunities    US  Senators  and  Congressmen  have  more  

constituents,  more  travel,  and  more  demands  on  their  time  

  Increased  opportunities  for  visibility  of  projects  when  a  federal  official  tours  or  becomes  a  project  champion  

  A  tale  of  (at  least)  two  staff  teams      DC  and  District  staff  

Federal  Delegation  

  Best  practices:    Develop  relationships  with  district  and  DC  staff    Submit  requests  for  tours/appointments  as  far  in  

advance  as  possible    Be  flexible  –  weekends/evenings/holidays    Provide  1-­‐2  page  background  briefs    Attend  town  hall  events,  be  visible    Provide  regular  updates  on  projects  to  the  

delegation  –  both  good  news  and  challenging  news    Build  your  communications  around  their  interests/

committees  

State  and  Local  Leaders  

  The  life  of  a  Citizen  Legislator    Annual  sessions    Small  staff    Balancing  legislative,  work,  family  and  campaign  

duties/obligations    Difficult  to  obtain  media  recognition  for  their  work  

  Local  Leaders    Many  are  volunteers  with  varying  expertise    Usually  get  involved  because  of  a  local  issue  

State  and  Local  Leaders  

  Best  Practices    Develop  relationships  with  state  legislators,  local  

leaders  and  their  staff  

  Invite  them  to  community  meetings,  tours,  project  briefings  

  Sign  up  for  newsletter  (usually  email)  distribution  lists  

  Attend  town  hall  events  and  constituent  coffees  

  Brief  local  leaders  about  problems  before  they  become  public  

  Build  your  communications  around  their  interests/committees  

Top  Tips  for  Communicating  with  all  Elected  Officials  

  During  a  meeting,  make  your  key  points  first.  

  Always  follow-­‐up  with  a  thank  you  note  and  more  information.  

  Never  ambush  or  surprise  elected  officials  

  Use  smart  communication  –  not  mass  communication  –  as  your  tool  of  choice  

  Develop  long  term  relationships.    Politics  makes  strange  bedfellows.  

Questions?  

Contact  Information  

Jessica  Adamson  CFM  Strategic  Communications  1100  SW  Sixth  Avenue,  Suite  1425  

Portland,  OR      503.294.9120  

jessicaa@cfmpdx.com  www.cfm-­‐online.com