Breaking through on Capitol Hill: a research-based blueprint can help associations communicate more effectively with elected officials,.

Every day when the mail arrives on Capitol Hill, a ritual unfolds in House and Senate offices. Harried staffers take the letters, packages, reports, press releases, information kits, flyers, and invitations that continually bombard their offices, and proceed to go through all this stuff while standing next to the trash can. Only a fraction of the mail escapes the circular file.

As one participant in a recent focus group of Capitol Hill staff said, "I have one small stack I keep, and everything else gets tossed."

"Honestly, I throw away about 90 percent of my mail," added another focus-group participant.

Their comments reflect the challenge associations face as they try to break through the clutter and deliver messages to elected officials via self-focused staffers. Although inundated with mail, phone calls, e-mail, and visitors, these staffers actually rely on associations to help them do their jobs.

To help its members and allied societies enhance communication with policy makers at the federal, state, and local levels, ASAE conducted a research study of Capitol Hill staff that has yielded a wealth of strategic insights. Overall, the association community enjoys a positive image, but the research pinpoints significant opportunities for improvement. The report notes that associations can do a much better job of enhancing awareness on Capitol Hill of the many ways in which they contribute to society, especially in the area of setting and enforcing industry and professional standards. (See Figure 1, "Importance/Performance Rating of Association Activities.")

Working with Wirthlin Worldwide, a research firm in McLean, Virginia, ASAE conducted two focus groups and 100 phone interviews with a representative sample of House and Senate staff. A survey also gathered data from staffers to assess the image of associations on the Hill in four key areas:

1. Overall impression of associations.

2. Awareness of ASAE.

3. Awareness of associations' traditional activities. (See Figure 2, "Awareness of Association Activities.")

4. Staffers' attitudes as being either for or against associations. (See Figure 3, "Impression That Associations Are Fat-Cat Lobbyists," and Figure 4, "Belief That Associations Should Keep Tax-Exempt Status.")

The study also sought to test messages and communication strategies that ASAE members can apply in their efforts to cultivate relationships with elected officials. (See sidebar, "Tips for Communicating With Impact.")

The power of Information

On the Hill, information is power - this came through loud and clear in every aspect of the research. Hill staffers' top priority is finding information, broken down by issue area and localized by state or district, that helps them do their jobs and helps their bosses succeed. As the report notes, "staffers are eager to use information which, in the eyes of their members' constituencies, links them to a positive message or cause."

Said one Hill staffer, "[Associations] give you information about the impact of a particular bill, so I can go see my senator and say, 'Here's what the bill does, here's the up side, here's the down side, and here's what these groups are saying it means to our state.'"

Lobbying is the government-related association activity that is most familiar to Hill staffers, but unlike the public at large, this audience does not frown on lobbyists. Hill staffers recognize the value of lobbying to educate them about issues. Even though that view is tempered with skepticism, staffers tend to have a one-dimensional view of associations as lobbyists providing information important to policy makers. It is this finding, especially, that highlights significant opportunities for the association community to raise awareness on the Hill of their many other efforts, which include

* initiating community-service projects;

* offering professional skill-building activities;

* setting industry and professional standards; and

* providing a voice for Americans to participate in the democratic process.

SURVEY OF CAPITOL HILL STAFF

Figure 1
Importance/Performance Rating of Association Activities
(on a scale of 1-10)

Activity                                   Importance   Performance

Provide useful information for
congressional staff on industries,
professions, and current issues                8.0          7.8

Lobby Congress and state legislatures          7.6          7.5

Establish and enforce industry,
professional, and product standards            7.3          5.9

Provide a voice for Americans to
participate in the democratic
process                                        7.1          6.3

Provide elected officials a venue to
reach constituents back in their
home state or district                         6.7          5.9

Provide professional development and
skills training                                6.6          6.0

Perform civic and community
volunteer activities                           6.3          5.6

Bring jobs and money into U.S. cities
through conventions, seminars,
and events                                     6.1          6.1

Source: ASAE-Wirthlin research
SURVEY OF CAPITOL HILL STAFF

Figure 2
Awareness of Association Activities

                                                  Yes       No

Professional development                          65%      33%
Standard setting                                  73%      25%
Volunteer activities                              59%      39%
Economic engine                                   81%      19%

Note: Not all staffers responded to all questions.

Source: ASAE-Wirthlin research

Consider, for example, that nearly 4 out of 10 Hill staffers have no idea that associations regularly provide volunteer service. (See Figure 2.) The activity that received the highest awareness score was associations' role as an economic engine through money spent on conferences, conventions, and training seminars. Yet it is interesting to note that, even with this high level of awareness, staffers do not place as much value on this activity as on other association efforts. (See Figure 1.)

Helping government run smoothly

Hill staffers ranked associations' contributions to the democratic process as their fourth most important activity. Research participants placed great value on the role associations play in democracy as a voice for citizens and a gateway for two-way contact with constituents.

"Associations are helpful because they can help you find the right people in your district if you want to talk to a member of their association about issues you're working on," said one focus group participant.

"[Associations] can disseminate information to the general public and to local organizations," added another. "[Associations] are also helpful in educating people back home about issues that may affect them, and if they weren't members of that association, they wouldn't know."

Hill staffers value especially the information that allows their representatives to benefit by participating in or promoting association activities. As the study notes, "Associations are viewed as a convenient platform providing [Hill staffers'] bosses with visibility both in the media and in front of . . . constituencies, a perception shared across party lines."

Yet even though staffers value associations' role in the democratic process, staffers give associations low marks on the job they're doing. This finding indicates another area in which associations can strive to do a better job when communicating with elected officials.

Another government-related activity of associations is the establishment and enforcement of professional, product, and industry standards. This activity helps contain the size of government and helps it run smoothly and establishes the credibility of associations as lobbyists and information providers. While focus-group research indicated that participants did not view standard setting as a traditional association activity, the quantitative study showed that 73 percent of staffers are aware that associations do set and enforce standards. According to the study, this distinction presents an opportunity for associations to establish credibility by highlighting their role in standard setting and, through this activity, their role in "helping to make better government and less government."

Selling association programs

In addition to giving a low ranking of importance to the association activity of generating jobs and revenue from meetings and conventions, Hill staff gave low importance rankings to the activities of providing training and education and performing community service. It's important to note that all three low-ranked association activities are not as closely connected to Hill staffers' jobs as are the association activities that received higher importance rankings.

To determine which of the low-ranked activities had the greatest potential to build a more favorable image of associations among Hill staffers, the research study posed these questions:

* Training: Would you have a more favorable or less favorable impression of associations if you knew that the number one activity of associations is specialized training for their membership, such as continuing education and credential programs, and that the training programs account for $3.6 billion per year?

* Volunteer service: Would you have a more favorable or less favorable impression of associations if you knew that national, state, and local associations regularly perform volunteer community service to address local concerns such as illiteracy, at-risk youth, or disaster relief?

* Jobs and revitalization: Would you have a more favorable or less favorable impression of associations if you knew that the revenue generated from association meetings and conventions is an integral part of the rebirth of once-declining industrial centers like Cleveland and Baltimore by stimulating the development of new hotels, restaurants, and convention centers?

SURVEY OF CAPITOL HILL STAFF

Figure 3
Impression That Associations Are Fat-Cat Lobbyists

Strongly agree                                    7%
Somewhat agree                                   12%
Somewhat disagree                                38%
Strongly disagree                                40%
Don't know/didn't respond                         3%

Source: ASAE-Wirthlin research

Results show that the community and volunteer service message is the most effective in building a more favorable image of associations. (See Figure 5, "Potential of Association Activities to Build a Favorable Image.")

As Figure 1 shows, training and education rated highest in importance among the association functions not directly related to governing, but semantics are critical. The study found that the word education carries too much political baggage with Hill staffers; they prefer terms such as professional development and skill building.

Economic impact and job creation came in last in terms of importance to Hill staffers, a finding that underscores that this benefit has no direct connection to their work. This finding also reflects the strong economy. Providing state or district data to quantify an association's economic impact and enlisting a local member to deliver such news would conceivably make related messages more salient on the Hill.

"If the chamber of commerce in Washington contacts you about an issue, it's important, but if the president of the chamber of commerce in your major town is calling, it's very important," one Hill staffer pointed out. "That's the guy who votes for you and sways hundreds of other people to vote for you."

The association message pyramid 

To help its members and allied societies communicate with maximum impact on Capitol Hill, ASAE created a message pyramid that organizes the research findings into a framework that individual associations can customize. (See sidebar, "How You Can Use ASAE's Research Findings.")

At the top of the pyramid is the lead message: Associations provide vital information for elected officials, businesses, the media, and the general public. Positioning your association as an information source is the most effective way to get your foot in the door and start cultivating relationships with Capitol Hill staff.

The second message tier is the credibility message. Associations make significant contributions to the democratic process. Credibility messages need to demonstrate how your association gives citizens a voice in government (for example, 9 out of 10 adult Americans belong to associations), provides venues for elected officials to stay in touch with voters, and helps contain the size of government by regulating industries with standard-setting and certification programs.

The lead and credibility messages set the stage for delivering the personification message: Associations contribute to society and the economy with meetings and conventions, professional-development and skill-building programs, and community service activities. It's important to develop messages that clearly indicate the local economic impact of your association's activities and their relevance to the office of the elected representative.

SURVEY OF CAPITOL HILL STAFF

Figure 4
Belief That Associations Should Keep Tax-Exempt Status

Definitely keep                               36%
Probably keep                                 41%
Probably eliminate                             7%
Definitely eliminate                           6%
No opinion                                     3%
Don't know/didn't respond                      7%

Source: ASAE-Wirthlin research
SURVEY OF CAPITOL HILL STAFF

Figure 5
Potential of Association Activities to Build a Favorable Image

                             Training     Volunteer      Jobs and
                          and education    service    revitalization

Much more favorable           23%           31%            23%
Somewhat more favorable       48%           41%            29%
Does not matter               26%           27%            46%

Note: Not all staffers responded to all questions.

Source: ASAE-Wirthlin research

Putting the research to work

Word has traveled fast about the significant findings in ASAE's Capitol Hill research, and members and allied societies have moved quickly to apply the findings to their programs.

"I am currently creating communication plans for NADA divisions, and this research gave me ground-level information and kept us from reinventing the wheel," says Denise Patton-Pace, executive director of communication and public relations, National Automobile Dealers Association, McLean, Virginia.

ASAE members especially took heart in how the research affirmed associations' unique role in the democratic process.

"What intrigued me was the power of the statement that associations represent a connection between people and government. Not only can Congress use associations to access their constituents, but we represent the voice of the little guy, the average American," says Susan Waters, CAE, executive director, Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston.

Another intriguing finding was the credibility that associations gain once policy makers fully understand the value of standard-setting and certification programs. "I was struck most by how much greater potential we have for appreciation on Capitol Hill than we realized, especially on certification and standards," says Curtis Deane, CAE, president, American Society of Civil Engineers Foundation, Washington, D.C. "The research shows that Capitol Hill leaders appreciate the work we do on certification and standards, but they don't know associations are the ones that create them. They love what we do but don't know we do it."

Most importantly, the research sends the powerful message that when associations reach out to their elected officials, associations can draw on a wealth of core strengths; still, associations can benefit by heeding the findings of ASAE's research every step of the way.

"This research helps us refine our messages and deal with Congress in terms of their needs," says Tom Kuhn, CAE, president, Edison Electric Institute, Washington, D.C. "If we are credible and provide good information, they will come back to us."

Tips for Communicating With Impact

More than 570 million pieces of mail and 6 million phone calls were logged on Capitol Hill in 1997 - staggering numbers that reflect just how many groups and people are vying for the attention of elected officials and their staffs. Here are a few tips for effective communication that emerged from the ASAE-Wirthlin research of Capitol Hill staff.

* Keep Information concise. Trying to deliver an all-encompassing message in a long report or a thick press kit is a waste of time. Keep materials to one page with bullet points, and refer readers to your Web site for more information.

* Localize messages. Whenever possible, break information down by state, district, county, or municipality, depending on the office you are contacting. Messages delivered by well-informed constituents invariably get more attention than those from outsiders.

* Match messages with job tries. Press secretaries want to know about media events and speaking opportunities, while legislative directors are more interested in background on issues.

* Make information available on Hill staffers' terms. Internet sites, directories, and hot lines allow Hill staff to access information when they want it, rather than the information arriving unsolicited when staffers don't necessarily need it.

How You Can Use ASAE's Research Findings

ASAE developed several resources to help association executives apply the findings of its Capitol Hill research. These freebies include "ASAE's Pocket Guide to Communicating With Policy Makers" (which includes the Association Message Pyramid), research summaries, and an Associations Advance America PowerPoint presentation designed to motivate association executives to become grass-roots advocates for the AAA campaign at the local level. (The presentation can be given to staff, members, local civic groups, and allied societies.) For any of these items, contact ASAE Public Relations at (202) 6262733 or [e-mail].

For a summary of the Capitol Hill audience research, which includes examples of messages that can help associations communicate effectively with elected officials, visit www.asaenet.org/aaa/guide.html.

The Association Message Pyramid, a component of "ASAE's Pocket Guide to Communicating With Policy Makers."

Legal Message

Associations provide vital information for elected officials, businesses, the media, and the general public.

Credibility Message

Associations enhance democracy by giving citizens a voice in government, providing venues for contact between voters and elected officials, and regulating industries with standard-setting and certification programs.

Personification Message

Associations contribute to society and the economy with meetings and conventions, skill-building and professional development, and volunteerism and community service.

Getting Creative

Sometimes creativity is the best way to deliver messages when communicating with the offices of elected officials, and participants in ASAE's Capitol Hill focus groups mentioned some memorable campaigns that caught their attention.

One environmental group mobilized its members to send postcard snapshots of their children to their members of Congress with short notes about how a proposed piece of environmental legislation would affect future generations. "How can you possibly throw away a picture of a child, particularly if it's a constituent?" asked one focus group participant.

Other successful gimmick mailings mentioned in ASAE focus groups included smoke alarms, a realistic looking brain in ajar, and creatively packaged popcorn and balloons. One Hill staffer admitted that creative strategies can work, much like successful advertising campaigns.

Yet associations need to exercise caution when considering the creative-message route. Focus group participants were quick to point out that for every unique mailing that gets their attention, dozens of others fall fiat. In fact, successful gimmicks are the exception rather than the rule. What counts most: brevity, personal relevance, a state- or district-level connection, and polite, persuasive messages. These characteristics remain the keys to successful policy-maker outreach.

Don Shipley is senior writer/producer at Strat@comm, Inc., Washington, D.C. E-mail: [e-mail].