DIYA – MA Know the Staffers

They answer the phones, respond to the emails, research (and help write) the legislation, craft the speaking points, and get the coffee. They are the political staffers and they are the key to effective advocacy.

It is the staffers you will deal with when contacting an elected official’s office. Good advocates cultivate staffer relationships. As citizen artists, we act as diplomats from the artists’ community. We are local ambassadors for the creative economy and it is incumbent upon us to conduct ourselves with the highest professionalism.

Here are some dos and don’ts for dealing with staffers:

DOs

Do learn who the staffers are:

Once you’ve learned who your elected officials are, the next step is to learn who works for them. Whether corresponding via phone, email, or in person, make sure to learn and remember the staffers’ names and job titles. It’s a good idea to write this information down and file it someplace secure and accessible.

Do be polite:

Part of a staffer’s job is to screen people and shield their boss from anyone who appears “crazy.” You do not want to be placed in the crazy column. Always be polite and friendly with staffers. Phone calls, emails, letters, and pop-in visits are flooding each office in the hundreds everyday. The nicer you are, the more you will stand out and the better (and quicker) a response you are likely to get.

Do send thank you and holiday cards:

Be professional. Be remembered. Say thank you. Not just in person, on the phone, or by email, but with a hand written card. It makes you stand out and it is greatly appreciated. Holiday cards are also a nice touch. Many elected officials get holiday cards, but few think to wish the staffers a seasons greetings. Doing so will put you well on your way to High Value Constituent status.

Do remember that staffers are going places:

Today’s staffer is tomorrow’s elected official, or state agency head, or high-powered lobbyist. Establishing strong professional relationships with staffers will leave you with connections everywhere. Some bills take decades to pass. The staffer who helps write a creative economy bill this year might be in an influential position to push for it 10 years from now.

DON’Ts

Don’t hit on the staffers:

It’s tempting for sure. Staffers are lovely people and part of their job is being nice to you. But it is unprofessional and potentially very offensive to start flirting with them

Don’t ask for a job or to have criminal charges dropped:

It is appropriate to ask a staffer to apprise his or her boss of the merits of a bill you support. It is not appropriate to ask to have a drunk driving charge dismissed. Merely the appearance of intervening in criminal proceedings can bring federal indictments falling out of the sky, a very unpleasant check on legislative power. Just getting someone a job can also get a legislator charged. And, while letters of recommendation are sometimes written, you want to be viewed as a true arts advocate, not someone angling for a job.

Don’t abuse cell phone privileges:

Staffers don’t hand their cell phone numbers out to just anyone. Never ask for the number, and if is bestowed upon you it’s actually best not to use it. Regard it as a symbol of your progress toward High Value Constituent, the kind of person whose phone calls are immediately returned and whose opinions way heavily on an elected official’s mind. It’s always best to call the office phone instead. If you do call the cell phone, do so during business hours for professional reasons. And never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, text a staffer unless they specifically ask/tell you to text about something. And only text them on that one thing. And remember, texts can be too easily misconstrued.

As always, it is best to advocate within the context of the greater artists’ community, which is where your friends at MALC come in. By subscribing to the free Artists Under the Dome (AUD) listserv you will be kept in the loop about the work and advocacy efforts of the Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition (MALC). It’s easy to become a MALC member and convenient to add your voice to MALC initiatives. (PS, you can also like MALC on Facebook. We like that).

Stay tuned for more advocacy tips from your friends at MALC!

Written by John Weeks and Kathleen Bitetti