THE POWER OF CHANGE “COMMUNICATING WITH DECISION MAKERS”

December 2013

Robbi Kay Norman & Erin Dziedzic

From science to sales – effective persuasion

THE POWER OF PERSUASION FOR ADVANCING PROGRAM AND POLICY

GOALS

Representative Laurie Jinkins, JDErin Dziedzic, Dziedzic Public Affairs

CHAT LIVE WITH AN EXPERT

WhyWhoHow

PERSUASION: KEY ELEMENTS

Each encounter with any influencer is an opportunity to:• to ensure all partners and decision makers can

clearly see, agree with and articulate the program or policy goals

• establish yourself and your efforts as valuable resources on public health issues

PERSUASION: “WHY” SCIENCE TO SALES

Foster friendly relationships with influencers can pay multiple dividends:expansion or defense of funding streams

assistance in facilitating alliances to strengthen your work

public support of your efforts (including positive media coverage)

Keep Relevancy!

PERSUASION: “WHY”

• Who is a community “influencer”?– Anybody with the authority to distribute funding,

resources, human capital, as well as community leaders or those connected to local policy makers

• Examples: – Local, state, or federal legislator; county

commissioner; mayor; local boards of health or state health administrators; private business owners; non-profit executive directors

PERSUASION: “WHO”

Alliances shift from issue to issue. Today’s foe may be tomorrow’s staunch supporter.

Never burn your bridges. You may not always find it, but always look for some acceptable result for everyone involved in an issue.

TIP: Remember, you don’t have any friends in politics, only allies

KEY STEPS

1. Do your homework On the issues as well as on the person(s) you are trying to persuade

2. Plant seeds If not now, then perhaps later

3. Build rapport Ask questions and define what's in it for the persuade-e

4. Develop persuasive plan Prepare to overcome objections and then ASK FOR IT!

PERSUASION: “HOW”?

FRAME YOUR MESSAGE - HOW?

FRAMES trump FACTS

Frames are … “the labels the mind uses to find what it knows.”

FRAME YOUR MESSAGE It takes very few words to trigger a frame…Speak to the policy direction, not the program or policy detailsDevelop a “bottom-line” frame to the idea

Examples:

School-based health clinics can be part of an overall strategy of school improvement.

Let's have a sustainable environment.This policy will make the healthy choice easier. Everybody should have health care.Every $1 spent on employer breastfeeding policy saves $3

in medical and lost productivity costs

FRAME YOUR MESSAGE - HOW?

Condense Your Policy Action Statement In 25 Words or Less

Answer Three Questions:

(1) What’s wrong?

(2) Why does it matter?

(3) What should be done about it?

Developing and Effective Policy Action Statement 1. What’s wrong? The PROBLEM STATEMENT does

not attempt to describe every facet of life that may contribute to the problem at hand; rather it focuses on the specific problem that needs highlighting.

FRAME YOUR MESSAGE - HOW?

Developing and Effective Policy Action Statement

2. Why does it matter? The VALUES STATEMENT calls for action to must connect to quality of life values held closely by the affected community.

FRAME YOUR MESSAGE - HOW?

Developing and Effective Policy Action Statement 3. What should be done? The SOLUTION STATEMENT

articulates one or two concrete policy actions that, although not intended to solve the entire problem, will certainly make a difference in the identified environment or setting.

FRAME YOUR MESSAGE - HOW?

Legislative Meeting Pitch

ISSUE: Students consume too many unhealthy beverages and not enough healthy beverages in school settings.

POLICY STRATEGY: Provide water bottle stations to the neediest school districts across Washington State.

CHARACTERSHEALTH ADVOCATE: Eager Nutritionist from 25 fruits and vegetables a day coalition.

LEGISLATOR: Senior Legislator famous for sidetracking & making no commitments.

COMMITTEE STAFF: Committee Staff known for asking hard questions wanting the bottom line.

YOU TRY IT: THEORY TO PRACTICE EXERCISE

ISSUE: Students consume too many unhealthy beverages and not enough healthy beverages in school settings.

POLICY STRATEGY: Provide water bottle stations to the neediest school districts across Washington State.

AUDIENCE: State Legislators

How Would You Answer?1. What’s wrong? 2. Why does it matter? 3. What should be done?