And if the action spurred by the story is measurable, you set up a path toward accountability and future discourse. If it's actionable, that means there is an observable path forward. When it is relevant, the listener knows that the way to be the hero in the story fits within their job description. When a good story is clear, the listener walks away knowing there is something that matters to the people in their district. They are tailored to the known needs of a listener, they deliver a call to action, and they set up a way to continue the conversation in the future. Good stories in advocacy don't leave the listener searching for what matters. But I consistently come up short.Įxcept when I remember another great acronym: CRAM.Ĭlear, Relevant, Actionable & Measurable. I'm constantly reading the folks around me to see if my story isn't hitting. It's something I've always been self-conscious about. Those who can spin a yarn really do have a leg up in the relationship building game.īut we all don't have it. Tell a Story with SignificanceĬonfident storytellers are a wonderful resource. What questions are they asking? Is there a theme? By accumulating that intel on what they want, you'll be able to better evolve your talking points to a new version that more closely relates to what your target sees as meaningful. How can you connect your goals to theirs? Develop a running set of notes about your conversations with them. Spend time getting to know the issues that matter most to your targets. If you want to stand out as an advocate, you have to take specific steps to make sure you don't come up short in this way. But, strict adherence to the messaging on the page in front of us isn't the way to develop a discourse. And in many ways those talking points are incredibly valuable. It's made all the easier by our efforts to distill complex issues into bite-sized talking points. Without a conscious effort, we can often place our own important issues at the center of a conversation without ever asking: " how does this relate to what they care about?" But all of that passion can pigeon hole the way we frame conversations. We know our issues inside and out - many of us because we've lived with the fallout that accompanies bad policies. Plan to Speak in Terms that Matter to ThemĪdvocates are passionate. If you want to generate those lasting impressions, below are a few ways you can get there. Significance leaves a lasting impression. Significance is the difference between completing a pass and completing the game winning pass. Significance is a different game altogether. We can start to remind ourselves: what we need to say may be important, but how we deliver it is significant. When we acknowledge that reality we can take active steps to mitigate the risk that our message gets lost in transmission. Sound data, asking the right questions, and informing the debate are crucial if we're going to level up our performance of advocates.īut data and jargon both hold the potential to throw up a barrier between you and a target in the advocacy world. And I'm certainly not claiming that good data can't drive better policy decisions. I'm not saying your data isn't important. There's no easy, soft way to tell you this.
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