State Chapter Advocacy Strategies for Influencing Policymakers and Achieving Your Goals

1. State ChapterAdvocacy Strategies for Influencing Policymakers and Achieving Your Goals May 20, 2012 Paul Feenstra – Senior Vice President

2. WHY ADVOCACY? • Every business is different, but... • Whether you are growing or struggling to survive, an effective advocacy/outreach strategy is critical for achieving your goals. This can include outreach to: • Customers • Media • Congress • Federal, State and Local Officials • Opinion/Thought Leaders • Stakeholders • Skeptics • General Public

3. DEFINING YOUR OBJECTIVES AND AUDIENCE • What are you trying to accomplish? • Product Sales • State and local agencies • Federal Clients • Direct to Consumer • Secure grants/contracts • Adjust funding formulas • Pursue tax incentives/protections • Reduce regulatory burdens • Develop business partnerships

4. DEFINING YOUR STRATEGIES • Strategies differ based on business objectives, but… • Regardless or your specific business, chances are you could do a better job telling your story • Develop an Effective Message • Know your audience and speak to them • Identify a problem they are facing, show how your product/solution will help address their problem • Speak in language they will relate to • This is especially critical with Congress and the media who aren’t as well versed in the land of ITS acronyms • Define yourself before your competition defines you

5. Developing a Media strategy • Media is an expanding world • Local Print, TV and Radio, National News, Op/Ed Pages, Blogs, Social Media • We live in a world of sound bites…have a concise, compelling story and be able to tell it in 15 seconds • Develop materials: PR Newswire does not = media coverage • Media Advisories, Press Releases, Editorial Board Meetings, Events, Op-Eds/Letters, Talk Radio, Paid Advertising, Social Media • Relationships are critical • Get to know key reporters, learn the issues they care about, give them exclusives, send information in advance of announcements, make personal phone calls before and after to pitch your story • Get media training to give good interviews on camera and off • Use clients/surrogates to lend credibility and help tell your story

6. 10 QUICK Media Tips 1) Follow the News • Story angles, seasonal news, special interest, crises/“hot” topics 2) Figure out Who Cares • Identify key reporters, producers and opinion writers who cover your issues • Traditional: Transportation, technology, business writers • Creative: Education, environment, safety, public policy, science, bloggers, columnists, editorial page writers, radio hosts 3) Identify your News Hook • Build your news announcement around relevant topic 4) Choose the best Medium to Make Your News • News conference/media event • Industry trade show • Press release • Online rollout • All of the above

7. 10 Quick TIPS (Continued) 5) Know What to say and Who should say it • Be Prepared: Concise talking points, solutions-oriented message addressing a relevant topic, good facts and data, experienced spokesperson(s) and effective surrogates • Don’t be afraid to mix it up: Reporters get bored hearing the same people say the same predictable things • Pictures are worth 1,000 words: No visuals = no TV coverage • If your technology reduces congestion, unveil the system in front of a busy intersection where motorists will benefit from the technology 6) Use your Tools • Media advisories • News releases • Fact sheets • Op-eds/Letters to the editor • Talk radio and TV • Online and social media • Industry newsletters

8. 10 Quick TIPS (Continued) When dealing with reporters… 7) Give a Clear Pitch • Explain why their readers/listeners will care • Get to the point without sounding rude • Set expectations: Who, what, when, where, who’s on the record vs. background • Availability: Make sure you have at least one spokesperson who can talk about the topic and who is available for rapid response • Always follow-up 8) Know When and How they want Information • Be respectful of time and schedules: if a reporter or editor is on deadline offer to call them back at a more convenient time • Find out best method of contact – office or cell, email, fax 9) Stay on Schedule and alert the media ASAP if anything changes 10) Be Patient • Not every contact with a reporter will result in a story, but a successful contact goes a long way in building relationships

9. Congressional outreach • Get to know your local Members of Congress, state legislators and their staff – they should be your biggest champions! • Your elected officials want your business to grow, create jobs, and help address local challenges • Let them know who you are and how your business/state chapter is working to benefit their constituents and community • Don’t wait until there’s a problem to reach out • Personal relationships and ongoing dialogue is critical • Help them help you, and find ways to help them in return • Elected officials have to get elected – that requires goodwill, good publicity and greenbacks • Help them get credit for good things in their district (even if they didn’t do anything to deserve it) • Don’t be afraid of donations – campaigns are expensive and financial support is critical for keeping good people in office • Political support opens doors and gets calls returned

10. Beltway Relationships • Important to know your Members of Congress… • …but even more important to know their staff • In D.C. • Chief of Staff • Legislative Staff • LD • LAs • Comm. Director • In the District • District Director • District Scheduler • Field Reps

11. Strategies for successful hill meetings • Meet in the local district as well as in DC • Know your audience • Learn about the Congressman, their district, committees, politics, and any issues they care about that might be relevant to your meeting • Do your homework • Are they knowledgeable on the subject? • Find out the hard questions before they ask them • Be aware of your window of opportunity • Understand your role • Overview, detailed explanation, meet & greet • Don’t assume they already know • Members of Congress are not technical experts…that’s why they are meeting with you. Educate but be respectful (body language, tone, word choice)…it’s all in the delivery • Avoid information overload • Know your “ask” and don’t forget to ask!

12. Communicating with The Hill From the Congressional Management Foundation…

13. Following up on hill meetings Organize a site visit of your factory/facility Follow up with Members and staff if they ask questions you didn’t anticipate Stay in touch and communicate even when you aren’t asking for something Look for opportunities to draft supportive statements Invite them to participate in media events and announcements (in person or via press release) Participate in fundraisers and other events they organize in your district or for your industry Be a resource and become their “go to” for information

14. Keeping the HILL informed • The Good… • Keep Congress engaged and informed and they will help you • The Bad… • No Surprises: Don’t make them read • it in the paper or watch it on the news

15. Engaging Key Committees • Look for opportunities to meet with House and Senate Committee Members and staff with jurisdiction • House Transportation & Infrastructure, Science & Technology, Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Appropriations Committees • Senate Environment and Public Works, Commerce, Banking, Finance, and Appropriations Committees • They write the laws that spend money, enact regulations, tell Federal agencies what to do • If they don’t know you, they can make or break you without even knowing it • Congress wants to be on your side but is faced with competing interests • If you aren’t at the table, you aren’t on their mind

16. Engaging federal, state and local officials • Identify agencies with jurisdiction over your business • Funding, regulations, standards • Set up meetings with senior officials from relevant agencies, both political and career • Build relationships with program and technical staff who make day-to-day decisions and manage contracts • Learn about key agency priorities and adjust products, services and message accordingly • Example: Smart phone apps to reduce distracted driving • Position your business to take advantage of RFPs and other opportunities before they are announced • Follow the news and know the political ramifications

17. Know the public • What do people care about? • Primary information from personal contacts • More knowledgeable than you think • Strong acceptance of infrastructure ‘crisis’ • Public more favorable toward innovation and modernization, less excited about maintenance • Message must be local; have personal relevance • Don’t assume just because we have all the answers means they know and/or agree • Gas tax, VMT fees, privacy, data security, return on investment • The best laid plans can be derailed by public dissent, which can drive knee-jerk political opposition

18. One example • Campaign for Intelligent Transportation Solutions • ITS America-led campaign to champion high-tech solutions for transportation and secure funding in reauthorization debate • Four-prong approach: • Legislative remedy – Smart Technologies for Communities Act, performance measures, include ITS in statewide and metropolitan planning process, expand ITS eligibility in core programs • Stakeholder support – 100+ organizational endorsements spanning transportation, environmental, public safety, business communities • Congressional outreach – ITS Caucus, key Committee Members and staff, Capitol Hill Tech Showcase, Congressional Roundtables, individual outreach to Members of Congress who could benefit • Media – News conference with ITS Caucus, Smart Solution Spotlight events, one-on-one media outreach, web page, social media • Has raised visibility of ITS solutions, 80+ references to ITS in the reauthorization bill including nearly all of our “asks”

19. STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC SUPPORT

20. We’re here to help… Paul Feenstra Quentin Kelly Senior Vice President Campaign Director Keystone Public Affairs ITS America Office: 202-507-5700 Office: 202-721-4212 Email: paul@kpa-llc.com Email: qkelly@itsa.org