These days, the primary resource on Capitol Hill is digital communication. Nearly all 535 members of Congress, the entire executive branch of government and countless state and local bodes are using digital tools to communicate positions, ideas and policy movement, and to harness intelligence and data from opinion elites, industry players and the general public. So how do we as an industry tap into the communications feed to Capitol Hill? Ray Glendening, VP of Innovation, McBee Strategic Consulting, told TechAmerica Political Action Committee members at CompTIA ChannelCon how to get involved.
“Twitter is now the primary communications resource for policymakers, their staff, industry press, broader national opinion elites and trade associations,” said Glendening. “Policymakers and their staff are making policy decisions based on what information is flowing to them from the general public, the media and the invested industry around an issue.”
An organization like TechAmerica that wants to engage the legislative process must stake its claim on Twitter and other social networks. This entails:
- Establishing a sound and respected voice;
- Constantly generating diverse content; and
- Encouraging individual member companies to “dial-in.”
Glendening pointed out some tactics to help build Twitter efforts which both TechAmerica and association members can use:
- Build weekly campaign content with a daily schedule of tweets, plugging different content such as videos, policy stance, legislation being created, media stories and photos each day.
- Thank Congressional members for their support on your issues.
- Create Twitter town halls for a particular issue. Partner up with the key industry leaders and allies and agree upon a hashtag and have an open conversation and invite media to view the tweets.
Glendening advised that Twitter doesn’t displace traditional lobbying ways such as Capitol Hill office visits, but it helps amplify those practices.
“If you keep your Twitter content regularly flowing and make yourself a credible source of information, then legislators are going to notice,” said Glendening.
Lisa Fasold is CompTIA's senior communications director.
