By Ben Burdick
10 Ways to Lobby Your Legislators
Getting involved with your community is a great way to show local residents
that our industry is a positive force in the community. SEMA Immediate Past
Chairman Corky Coker continues to be a tireless advocate for the
specialty-equipment industry.
After hearing about everything that goes on in politics and government,
lobbying has become a dirty word for many people. However, it`s important to
remember that our system of representative democracy was created to give
citizens a voice in government operations. Armed with the information provided by the
SEMA Government Affairs Office, SEMA members can help keep this industry
thriving and protect it from unfair laws and restrictions. The following tips will
allow you to most effectively lobby your elected officials:
1. Develop and Maintain Relationships with Your Legislators and Their Staff:
Make contact and develop productive relationships with individual legislators.
It is the most effective form of grassroots lobbying. It`s also important to
develop a relationship with the legislator`s staff that monitors ongoing
legislative and community initiatives.
2. Educate Legislators About Your Business and Your Issues: Educate your
legislator about what your business does, who it employs and who buys your
products and services. Emphasize the positive impact the industry as a whole has
onthe economy and the community.
3. Maintain a Positive Attitude: Try to develop a positive relationship with
your legislator. The next time an enthusiast-related issue comes up that could
affect your business, that same legislator may be needed to support your
cause.
4. Be Informed: Stay up-to-date with SEMA legislative alerts and legislative
updates in SEMA News and SEMA eNews, newspaper articles and hearing notices.
Share this current information with other businesses, your customers and fellow
enthusiasts.
5. Get Involved With the Community: Support local charities and fundraisers.
They provide a great opportunity to show local residents and politicians that
your business is a positive force in the community.
6. Invite Officials to Visit Your Business/ Facility: Give legislators a
chance to see the type of businesses and employees that legislation can affect.
If possible, enlist your local media to cover the visit, as this gets both you
and the legislator positive exposure.
7. Team Up Within Your Industry: To add strength in numbers and ensure that
your interests are represented, partner with other similar businesses in your
area. It`s important to show your legislators that there are many businesses
within our industry in the area.
8. Rally Support Behind Pro-Industry Legislators: Encourage industry-friendly
lawmakers to join either the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus or
the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus on the
federal level. Joining gives the legislator positive exposure and gives the
industrya presence in your state`s capital city or the nation`s capital, whichever
the case may be.
9. Participate in the SEMA Washington Rally: Every two years, SEMA invites
its members to Washington, D.C. to allow them to have one-on-one interaction
with their lawmakers. Attending this event is a great opportunity to educate
your legislators and develop an ongoing relationship with them as well.
10. Register to Vote: Exercise your right to support pro-industry candidates.
Constituents are an elected official’s number one priority. Without you and
your vote of support, these officials would not be in office; so make sure you
are registered, and get out and vote.
Please feel free to post this on your sites/forums/lists, etc. Just be sure
to state its from SEMA and include the author's name.
Talk soon,
JP
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