{"id":8555,"date":"2019-02-11T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T09:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/?p=8555"},"modified":"2019-02-27T14:45:43","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T14:45:43","slug":"build-association-political-capital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/build-association-political-capital\/","title":{"rendered":"Build Your Association’s Political Capital"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAll politics is local,\u201d so the adage goes. Yet, a common thread in Americans\u2019 complaints about contemporary politics is an increasing sense of alienation from their representation. Seamless electronic connectivity has allowed Americans to communicate with lawmakers more frequently than ever, but this has not prevented them from feeling representation is inaccessible.<\/p>\n

This accessibility problem, however, is symptomatic of a time and attention problem that lies at the foundation. Partisan gridlock at the federal level has saddled state legislatures with additional responsibilities as they try and fill the vacuum. The ease and speed of electronic communication has massively increased the volume of correspondence that policymakers have to sift through. Lawmakers\u2019 time is structurally limited, but their responsibilities and workload are not subject to the same constraints. Organizations and individuals participating in advocacy are competing for time and attention.<\/p>\n

Associations\u2019 3 political relationship-building advantages<\/h2>\n

Effective advocacy is accomplished by cutting through the noise with sustained relationship building. Associations are well positioned to accomplish this goal with the right commitment; they have three distinct advantages in this realm.<\/p>\n

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  1. Membership<\/strong>: An association\u2019s membership has some level geographic dispersion that extends its reach beyond a single district. Communications from constituents have higher levels of visibility. Indeed, many legislators attempt to bar communications originating from outside their district. Membership raises an association\u2019s profile by drawing on a diverse array of constituencies, and increases the volume of its voice.<\/li>\n
  2. Brand ID<\/strong>: Associations are a brand with a distinct identifier. Whether a logo, name, or other identifying feature, all of an association\u2019s efforts can draw on a common identity to build or provide recognition.<\/li>\n
  3. Shared resources<\/strong>: Associations enjoy a certain economy of scale through members\u2019 ability to pool resources. Association\u2019s can afford to do more and pass time savings on to membership through centralized coordination.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    These advantages allow associations useful pathways for building political relationships and earning the resulting recognition needed to become a priority rather than a competing one. Here\u2019s how to start the dialogue.<\/p>\n

    3 ways to build political capital<\/h2>\n