So there's a Federal Election...Which MPs will not be Running this time?

Reading the Ottawa Metro news this morning, I came across a very interesting article that association executives would be wise to heed. Anytime an election is held, it's crucial to monitor who the likely star candidates are and above all, which one's have declared they won't be returning.

In the paper, an important listing of MPs declared as not running was publsihed. Among them:

Conservatives:

Dave Batters (Palliser, Manitoba)
Norm Doyle (St. John's East, Newfoundland)
David Emerson (Vancouver Kingsway)
Loyola Hearn (St. John's South, Newfoundland)
Monte Solberg - Minister of Human Resources (Medicine Hat, Alberta)
Myron Thompson - Long term Reform then turned Conservative MP (Wildrose, Alberta)

Liberals
Roy Cullen (Etobicoke North, Ontario)
John Godfrey (Don Valley West, Ontario)
Paul Martin, Former Prime Minister (Lasalle-Emard, Quebec)
Paul Steckle (Huron-Bruce, Ontario)
Belinda Stronach (Newmarket, Ontario)

New Democrats
Bill Blaikie (Elmwood-Transcona, Manitoba)
Alexa McDonough (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

These were by far some heavy hitters in the last Parliament and in many instances, from several parliaments going back. Many of these parliamentarians had their own "pet" projects or interests that fall in line with the interests non-profits and associations espouse. Savvy Government Relations calls upon association execs to do a serious audit of where their issues will stand given the coming changes in the make up of the Parliament to come.

Where will your association stand up - better or worse? I'd be interested in knowing your thoughts on how this will affect your GR efforts.
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Mark Buzan is Principal of Action Strategies, a GR Consultancy for non-profits. Subscribe now to his Lobbying tips newsletter at www.actionstrategies.ca/Action_Strategies/Newsletter.html

Myth vs. PR: Where does Public Relations deliver value for non-profits?

How does an executive know if a communications strategy is needed and how do they know what public relations can reasonably deliver?

PR cannot fix it all but it is an important part of an association's outreach efforts in ensuring that the its messages are received and understood by those needed to advance an organization's cause. Communications practitioners work closely with other administrators and managers who all have an important part in the strategic direction of an organization. This includes attending formal meetings, all the way down the line to the way crafting strategies for how your volunteers interact with the community. If there is a problem in a certain area, PR acts a repair and reputation manager in a crisis situation.

Public relations can promote activities and developments surrounding your organization, and make the public aware of what your organization is and what it does. It can sustain a mutually beneficial relationship between your organization and your audience. PR professionals provide you with solid ties to media outlets, and can pitch articles on behalf of your organization. Most importantly, PR complements an organization's marketing and advertising efforts. If your association is undertaking a new membership benefits package, good PR counsel will identify the tactics and strategies that will build a thorough understanding of the package and boost the value of word-of-mouth efforts.

Where an Executive Should Exercise Caution

Although it can accomplish many things, misconceptions are abound that public relations can sugar coat any sticky situation by withholding and spinning information. This simply is not true. Attempting to fool the public is never a good strategy nor is it very effective. Nothing works better than telling the truth. Most people are media savvy and can see right through propaganda. More importantly, you run the serious risk of a damaging reputation with members and potential members. Public relations strategies should be used to disseminate the truth. Lying will only hurt your organization in the end, and create mistrust between you and your publics.

Finally, PR practitioners cannot guarantee media coverage. The success of your association's media relations need to be based on solid relationships that foster a two way exchange with the media. Although most practitioners have close ties with gatekeepers, the media cannot be told what to publicize. Likewise, practitioners cannot get reporters to only write “good stories”. Although errors within an organization occasionally occur and such stories appear in the press, a professional PR practitioner will maintain a good relationship with the media so that they report on the successes as well as the errors.

Ethics in Public Relations

Most practitioners subscribe to a code of ethics committed to honesty. Members of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) subscribe to their own ethics called codes of professional standards. If seeking the counsel of a public relations professional, ask them the tough questions about what they feel can be honestly delivered from a PR campaign. If the claims sound too good to be true, it usually is the case. Membership in an organization such as CPRS and/ or accreditation from CPRS is usually a good standard from which to start in assuring that you are presented with the whole and true picture.

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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy for non-profits and associations. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

A new direction for Action Strategies

Well, it has been a while since I've published an entry in this blog but there has been a reason. I've taken this time to seriously evaluate how I as a Public Relations and Lobbying consultant can make a difference in advancing the profession. With that, I have given serious thoughts to where in my mind, the value of Action Strategies' services lie in public relations and government relations. I came to an important conclusion.

Reviewing our case studies and the comments we have received from those clients who have been our biggest fans, it became clear that there is a definite need for a combined communications and government relations agency that specializes in the association and non-profit sector. As a sector that arguably calls upon GR and PR strategies more than any other sector (government or private sector), I was amazed to learn of the challenges they face. Interestingly enough, there seem to be few who specialize in non-profits or truly understand the complexities they face.

In fact, in my estimation I do not believe there are any Canadian firms (although I welcome being corrected on this!) that serve exclusively the non-profit and association market. There are undoubtedly many who service them. However, in all instances, they approach the situation as a PR or Government Relations generalist - serving all sectors with a sprinkle of non-profits to fill in the mix.

My feeling however is that non-profits and associations have indeed particular aspects that do require a specialist as opposed to a generalist. While private sector PR serves the valuable role of maintaining a corporate image and assisting marketing efforts, non-profit directors and executives face a series of challenges:

-With the pressing demands of running an organization, how does an Executive Director keep their organization's members and supporters engaged and informed of the good work that's happening? If they are unsuccessful in communicating this, how long will it be before they run the risk of a disconnect?

-In terms of lobbying, associations face the challenge of building consensus and ensuring their message is inline with their members' concerns all the while ensuring that government understands that their association is indeed the voice of a given industry.

-Many non-profits run fundraising initiatives. How effective though can a fundraising campaign be if the community is unaware of the organization or of the problem the non-profit is aiming to resolve?

-Unlike the private sector, most non-profit and association executives must contend with a Board of Directors (most often from across the country and/ or from varying backgrounds and diverging interests). These board members are volunteers and as such, need to be communicated with in a means that will motivate and engage. Not to mention, many associations face the challenge of recruiting board members.

While these are just a sampling of the issues at hand, they were enough to inspire me to demonstrate how effective and specialized GR and PR for non-profits are so required in Canada. With the experience I've gained with organizations such as the Canadian Hydropower Association, the Canadian Construction Association, the Canadian paralympic Committee and many others, I believe there are some clear solutions that can be provided to the non-profit sector. The nuances each of these have faced along with the many other associations I have helped have in my mind made it very clear that the non-profit world is different than other sectors.

What are your thoughts?
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

Good Research - the Key to Lobbying Success

Writing my most recent edition of Corridors, Action Strategies' monthly government relations newsletter, I began to realize something really important. Namely, the success of a government relations campaign can often be based off of an organization's ability to present their case from the perspective of where it fits in with the public good. More specifically, legislataors want to know how adopting your organization's policies and/ or ideas will gain them favour with their constituencies. With the plethora of ideas pushed forward before Parliament and the provincial legislatures, the cause or organization with the most researched and thought out position wins. Therefore, presenting your case in detailed policy paper is essential.

Government Relations consultants are more than just ice-breaker with government officials. Good ones are also policy wonks. They know how to research and draft position papers. They also draft them with care and detail so as to bring out the essential elements.

The process starts with setting an objective in mind. Ideally, a policy paper is going to be most effective if it will circulated amongst those in the civil service or close advisors to legislators. As such, Action Strategies always sets out the goal of either having our draft placed in their hands or guiding them with our research in the drafts of their briefing papers.

Second, our clients find the value of entrusting the development and research of their policy papers because they can be challenging to put together. They are challenging because your goal must be to keep them short and succinct. Recommendations need to be clearly pronounced and under them lie the explanations. I always advise that they should be prescriptive, not descriptive.

Third, solid fact-based research should be communicated throughout. We gain and communicate our research by releasing polls and relaying academic research. Gathering this information is no small task. Placing this information in a formal and informative tone requires an overall paper that presents the answers of what and why your issue is important.

Our clients recognize the value of seeking out the research that will build their case. They also trust Action Strategies to formulate and draft policy papers that communicate in the professional manner your organization or cause deserves.

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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

Budgeting for Public Relations Campaigns

Regrettably, PR departments are often the first to go when budget cuts are necessary within. But PR is an essential investment that gets results. In fact, some industry analysts observe it delivers as much as 100 times more influence than advertising. Organizations can get the most out of their PR budget by understanding the costs associated, knowing the right techniques and maximizing their ROI.

One of the most important things an organization can do to create a cost-efficient budget is to plan for possible threats and opportunities that may arise. When preparing your budget, set money aside for new projects that might require funding, and for setbacks that could be costly. Circumstances can always change, so planning ahead can save an organization from floundering because of unplanned expenses.

Get the most out of your PR budget by taking advantage of free speaking opportunities appropriate to your organization. Every organization should have a speaker’s bureau with trained individuals who can educate the community, motivate your publics, and announce new projects and events. Look for opportunities to speak for free at events like trade shows, conventions, and community-service groups. This provides a more personal approach to communicating with your audience. A good PR consultant can assist you in setting up the costs of such a campaign and set appropriate priorities.

Some organizations have a difficult time determining which PR agency is the right one to handle their account. Which proposals are priced fairly? Choosing an agency that fits within your budget and satisfies the needs of your organization is important. Begin by creating a benchmark to determine which agencies charge what amount for which tasks.

As you can see, there are many things you can do to get the most out of your PR budget. I have only listed a few, however there are many more. PR is an investment that can provide substantial results when allotted a proper budget. Knowing the right techniques can help you get the PR you need with the budget you can afford.
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

New jobs in PR and Sports

Wow! It seems new changes in the amateur sports arena is producing a flurry of job openings for communicators. Being privy to the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), I come across a number of shifts and changes that will undoubtedly open the door for those in PR looking for work.

First, I can say with confidence that CPC will be seeking both a bilingual Public Relations Coordinator within the next 2-3 months and a junior level web content editor in short order. Jackie DeSouza, the Communications Chief for the Canadian Olympic Committee has announced her resignation, opting for a position with the communications department of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. CODA, the Canadian Olympic Development Association in Calgary will be looking for a Communications person soon as their Director of Communications has too announced that he's moving on to greener pastures. Finally, the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association has announced that they will be hiring their first-ever Communications Director.

If you're a Public Relations professional with an interest in amateur sport, there now seems to be opportunities abound in Canada!

Mark

Using the Internet to Lobby Government

As a Strategic Communications Consultant, I consider myself a consument reader and podcast subscriber to various issues on internet marketing and its input on public relations. I am constantly in touch with those who blog and speak on the subject of social media and its impact on the practice of public relations. Surfing the net as I often do, I came across an interesting series and bits of information on online advocacy the tools of internet marketing as it can be applied to an advocacy campaign. As Web 2.0 advances in its usage and the integration between government relations practitioners and public relations practices occurs, GR specialists will need to avail themselves of the knowledge required to undertake online campaigns.

One of the most standard ways of lobbying Parliament undoubtedly occurs via email broadcast campaigns. During my time as a Hill staffer, we were often the recipients of various messages from constituents and advocates of varying causes. Those had their impact, especially if they were received on masse.

However, I would wager that nowadays, the volume of email has increased thereby taxing the resources of parliamentary staffers. One of the main ways staff deal with volume is to “triage” the communications – hence, the very high volume, low originality e-mails, blast faxes, postcard campaigns, etc. are virtually ignored. In fact, in an ironic twist, the deluge of increased communications via e-mail petition and spam campaigns has lead to a dramatic decrease in their effectiveness. Another, possibly more effective means that offices now use to deal with the deluge of e-mails specifically is through sophisticated filtering systems. In these cases, e-mails that do not include an address, or that reflect an address not in the district, are automatically routed out of the system.

What Does This Mean for Cyber-Activists?

Frankly, it means that cyber-advocacy is not the silver-bullets some of us once thought. Effective advocacy of any sort is still about the basics. Whether you’re communicating via e-mail, snail mail, telephone, or carrier pigeon, what is said to elected officials, who says it, and how it is said (i.e., message development) is more important than the method chosen to relay the message. At its most basic level, e-mails are the latest in a long line of message delivery tools, like the telegraph, phone, and fax machines before it. The strength of the Internet is not in the ability to send 50,000 identical e-mails from a specific advocacy web page. The real strength of the Internet for cyber-advocacy lies in the research, network, and training capabilities that answer the what, who, and how questions.

Using the Internet's Strength

So, how do you use the Internet’s strength to develop and deliver messages that Parliament (and other elected officials for that matter) really listens to? I have identified six areas where I believe cyber-advocates (or those developing full-fledged cyber advocacy campaigns) can best focus their efforts. They are research, monitoring, sharing “real time” information, community building, training, and organization.

One of the items I’ve left out of this list is the ability to develop, post, and encourage people to send form letters. Yes, you can use web-based techniques for this kind of activity. But frankly, it’s just not the highest and best use of the web for truly influencing policy-makers. Truly effective advocacy takes a combination to getting the right people to say the right thing to the right person at the right time in the right way. The Internet certainly makes some of those tasks easier, as discussed below, but it cannot be used to meet all of those goals.

Research

The Internet offers amazing resources to help you, your clients, or your members figure out both what is needed, and who to ask. Clearly, the most effective web-based advocacy campaigns include links to talking papers, briefing materials, and fact sheets on a particular issue. This assists the target audience (i.e., the people you want to take action) in making sure they have their “ask” down. If you want to take the research capabilities of your site even further, consider how research resources can help your audience with the “how things are said” question, i.e., message development. For example, a person who uses the Internet to review your talking papers, write a quick, personal note, and send it off to their elected official may be effective.

Monitoring

Through resources widely available on the World Wide Web, effective advocates can easily monitor the status of legislation, federal agency actions, and general important happenings in the world of politics. This will assist in figuring out “when to ask”.

Community Building

Using the Internet to create a network and use that network to develop personal messages is one of the most effective “cyber-lobbying” techniques around. Through a combination of list serves, web-based content, chat rooms, and other tools, effective advocates can build a community of like-minded individuals, and encourage political action.

Facebook is also fast becoming a forum for advocacy. Of note, I found a few examples of groups formed by ordinary Canadians looking to make change. For example:

-Sell the LCBO, a facebook group of individuals from Ontario organizing online to privatize the province's liquor control board.
-"Let's put a stop to animal abuse" - following serious reports of animal abuse in the Toronto region, animal rights activists decided to organize online for tougher animal protection legislation. Their facebook page even invites members to write their Members of Provincial Parliament.

The Top Five Things for Effective Advocates to Remember

Number Five: The effective "advocate" is not just a "cyber-advocate" – the cyber part of the lobbying campaign must be integrated with offline action.

Number Four: The very nature of representative democracy means that members of Parliament and their staff will ALWAYS ignore spam and irrelevant information. Messages from advocates outside the district or state, with no indication of a connection to the district or state, are essentially spam. This leads us to point number three.

Number Three: Volume does not equal effectiveness. One personal, thoughtful, well-argued e-mail or letter is more effective than a thousand postcards or petitions.

Number Two: Two-way communication is more effective than one-way communication. The effective advocate will focus on uses of the Internet to make it easier and more convenient for Members of Parliament to interact with constituents. Instead of encouraging a one-way rant, try spending time engaging members through online chats, townhalls and the like. This is the wave of the future.
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Number One: The Internet is a wonderful tool – but what you say is always more important than what tool you use to deliver the message.

Conclusion

The Internet holds great promise for enhancing citizen involvement in the political process. It gives interested people the ability to learn about issues, form an opinion, communicate with other like-minded individuals to strengthen the message, and, ultimately communicate with elected officials – either individually, or as part of a coordinated effort. However, as with all methods of communication and information gathering, there is a right way and a wrong way to use the Internet in efforts to influence policy. The rules for effective communication still apply – content still matters, messages must still be timely and relevant to the elected official, and knowing what you are talking about is still crucial.

This article has been adopted and modified for Canadian purposes and to accommodate new developments in social media. Many parts of this submission were taken from the "advocacy guru", Stephanie Vance. To see the entire original article, click here.

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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

New staff & developments at Action Strategies

We're growing! Completing our strategic objectives of bringing youth up into the profession of public affairs, Action Strategies is pleased to announce the addition of Nicole Reid as our newest intern. Nicole is completing her 1st year of Public Relations studies at Algonquin College and will be assisting me in a number of PR projects and will be a contributor to this blog as well as the Magnifier and Corridors series of newsletters.

Nicole, welcome aboard!

The advantages of Events in Public Relations

Recently, a lot of my work with the Canadian Paralympic Committee has called upon me to use my event and tour planning skills. In fact, this May and June, I'll be traveling from coast to coast working with various disability groups and rehab professionals to draw awareness for Canada's Paralympic team. This combined media tour and outreach effort to encourage participation in disabled sport will, I am sure, prove to be a great advantage to the entire paralympic movement. In part, I believe this is because we will be relying on the prudent strategy required of a well-timed coordination of efforts.

Hopefully, by the end of our efforts, we will be able to notice a marked increase in the interest the media has for paralympic sport.

That being said, events can be used and taken advantage of in many different circumstances. They also:

Can be used to thank your existing customers for their support. Looking to shore up your clientele base can often be best accomplished by making them aware of your appreciation. Holding a customer appreciation day or special sale brings to light for them their importance to you and in a sense, a form of membership in your organization. Once this happens, they will be more likely to provide you with more referrals. At the event, consider handing out a special membership to your preferred clients.

Events can also provide an excuse to celebrate the holidays. Invite your prospects and customers out for a Christmas party. Trust me, they'll think of you as a friend and more than just a sales rep. I'll bet you'll agree that it's harder to say no to a friend than a stranger! Interesting enough, these parties are often viewed as opportunities for networking for your prospects as well. The saying that all business is personal is very pertinent in this application of promotional event marketing. Remind attendees to bring business cards and make them available to all. If your attendees realize your event could be beneficial for their business, they'll have just one more reason to positively remember your brand.

Promote a new product line. Think of Sony, Coca Cola, Ford, on any other big brand name. When any of them have a new product, one of the first actions taken includes an announcement to the media with an official launch. In the case of Apple Computer, the most recent launch of the iPod Nano was shrouded in secrecy. The rumour mill nonetheless built up enough interest that the product's launch event became news in itself. Personally, I can attest to the model of a local MINI dealership launch of the MINI Convertible. Invitations for a private party were sent to preferred customers and as a result, customers were given a sense of privileged status.

As I alluded to before, organize a networking event. After time and if you organize enough of them, you'll build up enough PR capital as THE go between in the community. Don't think this won't have an impact on your bottom line and your business image!

As you can see, PR is more than just connecting with the media. It's also about reaching out to the public and creating a lasting image. Try connecting now with your prospects, clients, and the general public...you might even make a friend!

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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

Quebec's Opposition moves towards more business support

As referenced in Corridors, my e-newsletter for Government relations, I have spent the weekend in Laval, Quebec observing the bi-annual Action democratique du Quebec's (ADQ) Congress. For those not aware of Quebec politics, the ADQ is the Official Opposition in Quebec's National Assembly. A great opportunity to connect with various members of the caucus, including Mario Dumont the leader, a number of important policy initiatives were undertaken.

The weekend's theme centred around a number of issues important to businesses who may have an interest in following government policy as it concerns government financing of large scale projects. A considerable turn from the past, the ADQ seems to be taking steps towards a more direct interest in partnering with big business. While the full context of the issues is yet to be placed online, a summary is available. Notably, the ADQ is now engaging itself towards supporting large scale investments in the Caisse de Depot that will work with investors looking to build up Quebec businesses. Substantial calls for more tax credits for large scale business start ups was also the call of the weekend. Finally, immigration reform to the tune of facilitating immigrant integration was also taken up.

What does this mean for those interested in lobbying? With a minority government in Quebec lead by the Charest Liberals prone towards supporting government help for business and now a receptive Official Opposition, corporations and business associations with particular projects desired to be pushed forward, now is the time to start a government relations campaign.

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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

Highlights of Quebec's budget

For those who have followed Action Strategies' work in government relations, you will know that we also have a keen eye on what goes on in Quebec City. On March 13, Quebec Finance Minister, Monique Jerome-Forget released the 2008 budget. Where this will place Jean Charest's minority Liberal government stability remains to be seen. However, it is unlikely either the Action democratique du Quebec (ADQ) or Parti Quebecois (PQ) will feel themselves in a strong enough position to force an election.

It appears though that there will be enough in the budget for at least one or both of the opposition parties to continue propping up the government. In essence, here are a few of the elements presented by the Quebec Liberals:

 Completely eliminating, as of immediately, the tax on capital for all Québec firms in the manufacturing sector;
 Introducing a new investment tax credit available to all Quebec regions;
 Introducing a new tax credit to support the information technologies industry, available throughout Quebec.

 An investment of 250 million dollars over five years in universities;
 The launch of the Employment Pact that will enable as many Quebecers as
possible to integrate the labour market;
 A 20% increase in the funding for immigration, in particular for the integration and francization of newcomers.

 An increase from $1 500 to $2 000 over two years in the maximum amount of the tax credit for retirement income;
 A new 30% tax credit for informal caregivers to cover part of the expenses incurred to obtain replacement help;

 Limiting spending growth to 4.2% in 2008-2009;
 Making the government’s main missions—health, education and support for families—the investment priority;
 Increasing from 50% to 75% the share of Hydro-Quebec’s profits paid as
dividends to the government, which will avoid the addition of $11 billion to the
government debt by 2025.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

A summary of the Federal Budget

The 2008 federal budget came and went by like many federal budgets. As always, these are times lobbyists are keen to pay attention to the finer details of what was mentioned and often, what was not mentioned. Budgets set the policy direction for a government and its list of priorities. For a government relations consultant to be effective, I believe they need to advise their clients and watch out for the following elements:

1. Most obviously, was my client's issue addressed? Was it left out and were their "opponent's" views considered? Either way, this is a time for both client and consultant to review the situation, decide on next steps, and communicate your message to your publics, stakeholders, and to the media.

2. Prior to the launch of the budget, there's a carefully developed checklist needed. Did your counsel suggest and prepare presentations before committee? Did you seek out any champions for your cause amongst MPs and Senators? Don't forget the gatekeepers! Executive, Legislative and Administrative Assistants will ease your entry into legislative offices, so treat them well.

3. How well researched was your point and could it have fit in with the government's agenda? GR Consultants offer the value of not just bridge building but also researching how your point can have the most success potential and be communicated in government policy lingo that politicians will understand.

While the full context of the budget can be found out at www.budget.gc.ca, some of the hot topic subjects of the day that I find my clients and subscribers to Corridors follow were addressed:

1. Environment: Always a hot issue over the last 2 years, the Conservatives launched an ecoAction plan. A key element of the plan is the regulatory framework for industrial air emissions, which will impose binding national regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants across all major industrial sectors. The ecoACTION plan also includes a mandatory fuel-efficiency standard for new cars and light trucks for the 2011 model year and standards and regulations for other forms of transportation, renewable fuels, and the energy efficiency of consumer and commercial products.

2. Infrastructure: Those in the construction industry or following municipalities, were also considered with the development of an Advantage Canada program. Investments in infrastructure were announced to reduce road congestion and travel times and ensure efficient movement of goods to market. Quality infrastructure, such as reliable water systems and public transit were also announced.

3. International assistance: Canada committed to double international assistance by 2010–11 from 2001–02 levels. Budget 2008 delivered on this promise. It ensures that the funding is in place to bring Canada’s total international assistance to $5 billion by 2010–11.

4. Tax-free savings accounts (T-FSAs): Probably one of the most fundamental changes in the tax scheme from this recent budget was the introduction of T-FSAs. The accounts will be a flexible savings vehicle that allows Canadians to contribute up to $5,000 a year to the account. Investment income, including capital gains, earned within the account will not be taxed and withdrawals will be tax-free.

5. Sport investment: On the sport front, my clients in the Canadian Paralympic Committee were happy to learn Budget 2008 provides funding of $24 million over the next two years and $24 million per year ongoing to support the Road to Excellence. Still short of the needed $30 million, the funding will nonetheless enhance the Government’s excellence programming for summer athletes, increasing the number of coaches, training camps and opportunities for our athletes to compete internationally.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

Good presentations, events, and marketing yourself...a lesson of what NOT to do!

Ok...it's not often I use this blog to rant. In fact, I would say that I try to keep this forum rather calm and professional. After attending what I believed would be a joint web marketing and internet payment processing breakfast seminar for non-profit organizations (after all, my main clientele is with non-profits and associations), I have been prompted to write something on the subject of appropriately inviting large amounts of guests out for breakfast and luncheon seminars - especially if you plan on using them to market your expertise.

Earlier this month, Deloitte & Touche and Moneris held an info-seminar for non-profits, undoubtedly with the objective of marketing their expertise in web marketing and online payment processing. While I most certainly do not fault them for using this approach (in fact I fully agree with this approach in publicity and marketing), I feel compelled to share some experiences of what NOT to do when giving a presentation, especially if you are tying the presentation to an event designed to market your services and build awareness. Regrettably, the representatives of Moneris did not follow this advice:

1. For God sakes people....if you're going to write every single note you have on your PowerPoint slides, PLEASE just spare me the presentation and mail me the notes! Most people who would be qualified to attend your sales presentation are busy people and literate. We don't need you to read out everything we can clearly see!

2. Don't speak in a monotone voice.

3. If you are going to call me and my colleagues in to present your case as to why you think your widget is the best thing since sliced bread, at least add a slice of education into the presentation. Leave me feeling that my time was well spent. Simply pitching over and over just leaves you talking over the heads of your audience.

4. Don't talk about features only. If you've spent all your time telling me what colours "doo-hicky" A come in versus "doo-hicky" B, where am I left to understand how your product or service actually fills a need I have?

5. COME PREPARED!!!! Nothing kills your brand and credibility faster if at the end of your presentation, the presenter cannot answer any of the audience's questions. While I could not bear another moment of the presentation, members of my staff reported that Moneris' sales rep constantly had to refer to a colleague for questions from the audience....hardly something to inspire confidence!

Now, don't get me wrong. I am a firm believer in using breakfasts or luncheons to show off a company's expertise and prove the credibility of your claims. However, when you don't take the trouble to present your case in a rehearsed, engaged or interesting format; you blow away any credibility or linkage that could have existed. So, if there is anything to be learned from this experience is that all the best marketing and public relations tactics in the world will backfire if care and attention to delivery and brand experience are not considered.

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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

Are PR efforts to Ethnic Communities worth it?

It seems the answer would be YES if you talk to Fred Sherman of Nexus Africa! In late November, I interviewed Fred, the host of Ottawa's newest radio show for the African-Canadian community. In his opinion, marketing and communicating to ethnic communities is becoming more important than ever. Tune into my podcast interview with him on the Magnifier.

If you do a preliminary search on the internet for the subject of "Public Relations to Ethnic Communities", there's a multitude of subjects that come up. In the United States, some press release distribution services now specialize in reaching them. BlackPR is one interesting example. Their's is a service that broadcasts your news release out to the African-America community throughout the United States. With what I believe is an estimated population of 8 million alone, reaching out with a specific and targeted message to this community is potentially powerful.

Toronto is now a city where 50% of the population was born in a country other than Canada. According to New California Media, 13 percent of the U.S. population now turns primarily to ethnic media. If you only pitch publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and Time, you will leave out a huge chunk of your potential audience. More than ever, a complete media strategy requires reaching out to ethnic publications.

Many of Canada's political parties recognize this as well and will even appoint specialized PR professionals to reach out specifically to multi-cultural communities as well.

In a media relations campaign I did for the Canadian Ski Council, we took a very targeted approach in reaching out to ethnic media. Recognizing that many immigrant kids were not taking up winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, the Canadian Ski Council invited a group of underprivileged Toronto area kids out to the slopes for a school field trip. Focusing on Toronto's diverse media outlets, Action Strategies placed particular attention towards attracting those ethnic radio stations with an interest in sports with interesting results.

So in brief, to answer the question earlier of "whether PR efforts to Ethnic Communities matters", the answer is indeed YES!
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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

Networking, keeping in touch & investing in friendships

In my recent newsletter for Public relations the Magnifier, I made mention of my October podcast on Networking and PR. In this episode, I drove home the importance of viewing networking as more than just an exercise in collecting business cards. Public Relations and the business of nurturing relationships is crucial in building good rapport.

For government relations, the case is no different. I had the fortune of reconnecting with two old friends and colleagues this past Saturday and a Conservative Party function here in Ottawa. Both an old friend of mine, Pierre Poilievre and my former employer Jason Kenney, MP were present at the Nepean Carleton Conservative Association's annual breakfast. While it usually doesn't take much to convince me to get out for bacon and eggs, there was at least one important fact I was reminded of.

Sometimes in the hullabaloo of our everyday lives we forget the importance of just showing our faces to those with influence. More importantly, expressing one's support for an MP or candidate is an important gesture of paying it forward. Whatever your political affiliation, I recommend reconnecting or connecting with your local and regional political associations. A contact made today could help tomorrow.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

A Great Example of Video Used in a News Release

In my recent issue of the Magnifier Newsletter on Public Relations, I touched on the subject of using and leveraging video clips for effective public relations. In doing some research on the internet, I found this great example of how an organization looking to promote a recent medical study in the media incorporated great video TV stations can use and a ready made interview clipping.

If your organization has the resources, I highly recommend developing promotional pieces like this one here:



Developing good and ready to use video the media can find valuable involves important considerations. In October, I developed a podcast episode that touched on this

Check it out by following my October 17, 2007 episode on the subject The Importance of Providing Good Audio & Video Clippings in Public Relations.

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Mark Buzan is Principal and Chief Magnifier in Action Strategies, a full service Strategic Communications, Public Relations and Public Affairs Consultancy. Make sure to contact him for advice on reaching audiences you may or may not have yet considered in your marketing communications and PR campaigns. Drop him a line if you are looking for help in developing a public relations campaign or integrating audio & video in your marketing communications. You can view his website at www.actionstrategies.ca.

Ontario is going through an election!

Recently, I produced a brief podcast on Ontario's current election campaign. While recent polls have shown that John Tory's Conservatives are having a more difficult time more recently (as opposed to 2 weeks back), I believe there are some definite lessons to be taken from this campaign and how those interested in government relations can push their agenda forward. Check out Action Strategies' most recent podcast here.

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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

Oh ya...Special Olympics and the Truck Convoy

Two weeks ago, I made mention of how Action Strategies has been offering its media relations and public relations services to the Special Olympics Committee of Ontario. While I wasn't able to report on how the event went off during that same weekend, I am happy to report that it all went off with a huge success. Over 114 trucks took part, over $58,000 was raised and with the help of Action Strategies; some very notable media covered the event including CTV television (Southwestern Ontario) and CFRB, Toronto's largest talk radio station!

Special thanks go out to Tammy Blackwell, organizer of the event and to Lynn Miller of Special Olympics Ontario for allowing Action Strategies to be associated with such a great cause and great event. This photo here was taken by the editor of Truck N'Roll Magazine just after the press conference.

Mark
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What I've heard through the grapevine: New hires on Parliament Hill

Here's what I have learned.

In addition to Gary Keller as the new Director of Communications for the Minister of Environment, this summer's cabinet change brought the arrival of Diane Ablonczy as the new Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism. With that comes new staffers that GR practitioners like myself will watch. Rob Taylor becomes her new Staff Director, Jason Valentin as her Policy Advisor; Catherine Godbout as her Senior Communications Advisor; and Anna Marie Young as her Special Assistant.

Stay in touch as I will report back from time to time on any other leads I find and/ or contacts in Government Relations I develop.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.

Understanding the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency

Charged with reviewing major projects that can potentially have a serious impact on the environment, the CEAA works in partnership with other government bodies and stakeholder groups. Federal departments and agencies, provinces and territories, environmental and Aboriginal groups, industry and others are often included ensuring that department efforts are coordinated and harmonized.

Why pay attention to CEAA? Can our organization make a difference?

Well, is your organization looking to launch a major project that could have an impact on the environment? Energy sector firms, construction companies, chemical industries and organizations with an interest in the environment would be wise to pay heed. There are enormous opportunities to have your word heard and influence government policy! here are many current opportunities and ways to get involved in federal environmental assessment, through the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.

Agency officials value the knowledge of participants about a project's physical site because it can help to identify and address potential environmental effects at an early stage of the environmental assessment process. It is even possible to apply for funding to assist your participation, or that of your organization or group, in the comprehensive studies, mediations and review panels through the Agency's Participant Funding Program. (Contact Action Strategies for help in this process)

Other opportunities exist in taking advantage of opportunities to participate in screenings, including reviewing and commenting on screening reports before a final decision is made on the project. You can examine and comment on a class screening report before the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency declares it an appropriate means to assess similar projects. Finally, you can review and submit comments during a comprehensive study process. The Minister of the Environment takes public comments into account before determining the future of a project.

Action Strategies has worked with energy sector clients in the past. Give us a call if you think your organization would have an interest in taking part in a CEAA review.
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Mark Buzan is the owner of Action Strategies, a public affairs & government relations consultancy. He brings a number of years of understanding of working with various government agencies and policy makers. You can subscribe now to his monthly public affairs newsletter by visiting the newsletter section of his website.