State governments are in the
spotlight, as most of the nation’s
state legislatures are in session this
month and every statehouse in the
country—with the exception of Montana, Nevada,
North Dakota and Texas, which don’t hold regular sessions
in 2018—convening by early spring.
Now is the time for property professionals to meet with
their state legislators to increase their understanding of
the significance of commercial real estate. Whether you’re
a political veteran or new to advocacy work, meeting with
your lawmakers is an important—and surprisingly easy—
way to support your industry.
TIME TO ENGAGE
By participating in state advocacy, property professionals
can ensure their voices as constituents are being heard—
and even build relationships with lawmakers over time.
BOMA state and local associations with a strong advocacy
presence often are asked by legislators for their input on
legislation that will affect the building industry. Ideally, you
should be meeting with state legislators throughout the year,
but following a few action steps can make a big difference
this time of year.
Many BOMA local associations and state coalitions hold
capitol advocacy days, during which BOMA members visit
their state capitol as a group. While some may feel trepidation
at the thought of speaking with their politicians, BOMA
members overwhelmingly report that these experiences are
enjoyable and rewarding.
Likewise, it may come as a surprise to some that most legislators
are happy to accept event invitations from industry
groups. BOMA local associations can invite their legislators
to anything from a member luncheon to a committee meeting
to an informal social event. Politicians also post many of
their scheduled events and public meetings on their websites,
so property professionals can find additional opportunities
to meet with them.
LOBBYING TIPS
Every individual can—and should—meet with their elected
officials and advocate for what they believe in. These tips
can help you feel prepared, and they apply equally to meeting with officials at the federal,
state or local levels:
- Be confident. Never underestimate
how valuable your industry knowledge
and experience is to lawmakers.
You have firsthand understanding of
a key sector of the local economy. Just
sharing who you are and what BOMA
does is incredibly valuable; you can
always follow up later with details
about a program or legislation, if
necessary.
- Be appreciative. Don’t be disappointed
if you end up speaking with
a staff member instead of the elected
official, meeting in a hallway instead
of an office or having your meeting
cut short after just a few minutes.
Lawmakers and their staffs often
have hectic, unpredictable schedules
and they will appreciate your understanding
and flexibility.
- Be succinct. You can always assume
that an elected official’s time is at a
premium. There’s no need to rush
your delivery, but plan to keep your
communication clear, brief and
focused. If you’re part of a group,
decide in advance who will handle
specific talking points. Also, bring
information to share, such as your
state’s one-pager from BOMA International’s
economic impact report,
Where America Goes to Work.
- Have an “ask.” While simply making
a connection is most important,
it’s always best to have a specific
“ask”—a straightforward request for
your legislator. This can be anything
from asking for support for
a bill to extending an event invitation,
but elected officials fully expect
that every meeting will end with a
request.
- Offer to answer questions. Ultimately,
you want to be a resource
to your lawmakers—someone who
has reliable information and offers a
valuable perspective. Have a “leavebehind,”
such as a business card or a
printout of your key talking points, so
they know how to get back in touch
with you if they have additional
questions.
- And, ask questions, too. Don’t
forget to take advantage of the often-overlooked opportunity to gain
valuable insight on legislation and
other issues. You’ll be surprised by
how much you can learn from your
elected official, their legislative aides
and their front desk staff simply by
asking. If you have questions about
specific legislation, ask away.
BOMA International is always available
as a resource for BOMA local
associations and members looking to
increase their advocacy efforts, and
continues to create helpful resources. A
number of new tools are being rolled out
now, including a state legislative tracking
service, issue advocacy maps and a
new state and local listserv. Contact Ken
Rosenfeld, director of State and Local
Affairs, at krosenfeld@boma.org with
any questions.
This article was originally published in the January/February 2018 issue of BOMA Magazine.