By: Mike Fulton
"I do believe it is important to be balanced in one's conduct and expression (speaking, writing, client representation, outside activities and social media) and to encourage more inclusion and transparency in government and politics."
"The true measure of success is the continuation of client relationships, and I have enjoyed many years with some amazing clients."
To start, can you tell us what a career in advocacy and public affairs entails?
Public affairs and advocacy requires blending strategic communications skills with those utilized in government relations and lobbying to motivate policymakers to action on your behalf. This could be enacting legislation, influencing the outcome of a proposed regulation, an agency issuing a grant or contract, or a number of other opportunities that would assist an individual, nonprofit, company, college, hospital or coalition of like-minded groups.
The core skills of writing in multiple formats (letters, emails, white papers, opinion-editorial pieces, social media posts, speeches, and press releases), public speaking, research and interviewing skills, organization and priority-setting, ethical and legal compliance, are key components of success in this field.
Can you tell us a bit about your career in this field?
My entry into my current career began with nearly 10 years working for two members of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives, doing everything from answering the phones, greeting constituents, researching and monitoring legislation, helping support public projects and federal funding sources, attending briefings and hearings, drafting letters in response to constituent and lobbyist inquiries, campaigning (on my personal time) and working with the media. This experience offered me new perspectives on the benefits of my journalism education and strategic communications training.
I did not seek to leave Capitol Hill but was offered a job that presented new ways to use my experience and expand my skills. I joined the Washington, D.C. office of a West Virginia public relations / advertising agency to help its current and future clients benefit from government relations opportunities. Instead of helping all people for free in government, I now worked for those organizations that would retain our firm for specific objectives (legislation, regulations, grants and appropriations funding, relationships, strategic partnerships, federal advisory positions, etc.). I had to adapt and become more entrepreneurial in my career, and I learned to never take the fees or expenses for granted.
For the past 30 years I have sold and serviced clients for small, medium and large global agencies, providing public affairs and advocacy in Washington, D.C. I am a member of the Public Relations Society of America, The National Press Club, and the Grassroots Professional Network because professional development, networking and collaboration are the keys to success. Six years ago, I sought and earned an opportunity to develop and teach Public Affairs in the WVU Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program. That fits with my desire to mentor young professionals and to engage with our diverse talented faculty representing multiple fields of marketing and communications.
Over the years, you have worked across a lot of sectors; can you tell us about the types of changes you’ve seen that impact advocacy efforts?
There have been both positive and negative changes in advocacy throughout my career. One thing is certain, and that is change. One must be attuned to changes and adapt to them if you are to be continually successful and relevant.
Some of the evolutions include:
Diversity in those who are advocates – a white male dominance is now more balanced to reflect our population (that diversity has also been reflected in the House and Senate representatives we send to Congress).
Increase in campaign and lobbying spending
Growth in coalitions working together for a common goal(s).
Technology has enabled all Americans to better understand and participate in government at the local, state and federal levels (websites, email, social media, phone banks, measurement of data and analytics in outreach and voting, etc.).
Ethical and legal reforms have curbed bad behavior (quid pro quo arrangements, lobbying disclosure, campaign spending reporting, foreign government representation, gifts and meals, etc.).
Silos between the CEOs, government relations, public relations, advertising and marketing, and corporate social responsibility / foundations have come down, allowing all to work together on company, higher education, and non-profit objectives.
Leadership in both political parties has increased staffing (at the expense of committees) to dominate the timing and agenda of hearings, legislation and other matters.
The number and scope of “media” -- newspapers, websites, blogs, radio and broadcast outlets -- covering government at all levels has ballooned (one must be cognizant of the political leanings and funding of these so-called news-gathering and opinion purveyors).
Can you tell us a bit about the process you take when developing a strategic approach to campaign planning?
There are so many diverse government relations, communications and advocacy opportunities that each client must have a customized plan of action and timeline developed.
It is important not to engage until you have a co-signed letter of agreement spelling out the scope of work, expectations and fees/expenses. Many people are not intimately familiar with the inner workings of government (most of what they know is from movies, TV shows, books, or textbooks back in college) so advocates are constantly educating our clients on nuances that can make or break their success.
The basic needs before engaging in a government relations campaign include:
Know the issue inside and out, including who might be opposed;
Develop a one or two-page white paper outlining who, what, when, why and clearly outlining the local and global benefits;
Develop “the ask” – what you need Congress or a federal agency to do to be helpful to your client;
Make sure the spokesperson (lead client advocate) and website are prepared for inquiries for more details from federal officials;
Be aware of geographic considerations because this can guide strategy;
Know the importance of jurisdictional factors (one must always go to our two Senators and Representative as well as the committees that might impact your objective). It would be odd to approach the Armed Services Committee chairman and ranking member on an agricultural issue);
Evaluate potential engagement of third parties and employee involvement;
Always communicate regularly with the client (weekly or bi-weekly calls; in-person meetings, etc.). If I think a client might be wondering where we are on a project, I proactively call or email them to avoid them inquiring why they have not been kept up to date;
Draft a timeline of activity, responsibilities and protocol for next steps; and
Manage the clients’ objectives with expectations (only five percent of all bills introduced are enacted and there may be many smaller victories before legislative, regulatory or funding success can be achieved).
In most cases, it is not possible to wait until all of this is finalized before initiating a campaign so there is considerable learning and finalizing along the way. In all situations, there are unexpected positives and negatives that one encounters that can make or break progress or success.
Are there strategic approaches that are central to advocacy efforts, that may not be a part of other communication efforts?
I truly believe in the convergence of strategic communications and advocacy.
I have observed that the 10 shared skills of our profession include:
Listening
Talking
Writing
Research
Being concise
Deadline-driven
Ease with technology
Strategic decision-making
Goal setting and measurement
Ethical behavior
The two strategic tactics or nuances that relate more to government relations encompass:
Political considerations and partisan opportunities; and
Campaign and lobbying spending
You have worked on tons of campaigns during your career. If you had to pick only one, could you tell us a bit about one of your favorite campaigns?
For a 13-year period, I represented Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Surprisingly, since I am a WVU graduate and lobbied for WVU for 20 years at the federal level, I was hired by a former president of Marshall University, Dr. Dale Nitzschke.
What made this client so special and the results among the best that could be expected was the trust-based relationship Dale and I enjoyed and how it translated to our interactions on campus and throughout the Missouri Congressional delegation.
When Dale was president of Marshall University, I met him at a West Virginia Day reception in Washington, D.C. hosted by our agency and he asked if he could hire us. Since we worked for WVU and its Health Sciences Center, we respectfully declined. He left Marshall for the University of New Hampshire and retained us to assist with federal relations. We enjoyed our work at UNH and got to know Dale better but he decided to retire. I remained in contact with him on political and higher education issues, and was pleased to see him come out of retirement to take the presidency at Southeast Missouri State.
After he got situated, he called and asked to visit with me in our agency’s Arlington, Va. office. He brought a videotape we watched together in our conference room. That tape laid out his vision for a “River Campus” in Cape Girardeau following the university’s acquisition of a former Jesuit school along the Mississippi River. I must say, it was a lofty dream and it would take many millions of dollars and years to achieve. I shared my concerns that SEMO and the Missouri delegation would be able to tackle such a huge undertaking.
About that same time, SEMO had used university funds to build a new Science and Technology Building but they had no remaining funds to purchase state-of-the-art equipment needed. Dale hired us and, thanks to the leadership of former Missouri Senator Christopher Bond and Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, we secured $2 million for the equipment.
That success got my feet wet with the Missouri delegation, but more than anything, it showed me the confidence and magnetism Dale enjoyed on campus and in the nation’s capital. The following fiscal year we brought in the first formal requests for funding of the River Campus and revitalization of the downtown area. The main campus was in another section of town.
Over the years, the River Campus -- led by a performing arts center along the Mississippi -- was completed. We secured federal funds for construction, equipment and programs in agriculture, healthcare, STEM education, workforce development, criminal justice and cybersecurity. We also hosted groundbreakings, dedications, campus visits and speaking engagements with Missouri members of Congress. SEMO was featured on the cover of the Chronicle of Higher Education for a project we conceived and executed, and the school was featured in The Congressional Record. We leveraged relationships with local and state civic leaders, students and alumni in our multiple campaigns.
Dale and his SEMO team (deans, center directors and eventually a new president when Dale move to chancellor) enthusiastically followed the roadmap we developed together and were intimately involved with Congress and federal agencies and placed a high priority on our government relations efforts. To show his appreciation, Dale referred at least a dozen higher education clients to our agency. I remain in contact with Dale, who is once again retired, and I wish all clients were like him.
Based on your experience on the Hill, what recommendations do you have for encouraging bipartisan support of potentially polarizing initiatives?
I am a registered Democrat who has worked on Capitol Hill for two Democratic members of the House of Representatives, and this is easily discovered from my bio and past political contributions.
I do believe it is important to be balanced in one’s conduct and expression (speaking, writing, client representation, outside activities and social media) and to encourage more inclusion and transparency in government and politics. I have been well received by most Congressional offices and federal agencies, regardless of which party holds the White House and houses of Congress.
That is because:
Preparation in the ask and strategy are welcomed (in essence, substance sells);
Professional conduct is respected on all sides;
Ethical conduct and reputation matter;
Meetings and communications are always based on facts and never reflect bias or preconceived ideas;
Willingness to share who might be in opposition to the proposal;
Thoughtful and meaningful follow up is appreciated; and
Finding the win-win for all parties helps break down barriers.
These qualities separate those who truly are advocates for change from those with short-term partisan goals.
Can you tell us a bit about your successes in policy advocacy and lobbying?
I was honored to be named a “Top Lobbyist” by The Hill newspaper for four consecutive years, and I submitted the runner-up entry for PR News’ public affairs campaign of the year for “The Meth Project: Not Even Once.”
The true measure of success is the continuation of client relationships, and I have enjoyed many years with some amazing clients. I do less lobbying now, because the rules of Congress eliminated “Congressionally-directed spending” for earmarked projects in 2010, but I deeply enjoy my expanded work in advocacy and strategic communications.
Some of the projects I work on now or have over the years that I consider to be among my greatest successes include:
Managing a North American digital advocacy campaign to encourage the recycling of used vehicle batteries for the Responsible Battery Coalition;
Honoring members of Congress and a state agency head for their commitment to music education, led by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM);
Staging a three-day national conference (which ended with a Capitol Hill briefing sponsored by the Senator) on promising practices in tobacco cessation and prevention for a non-profit based in Sacramento, Calif., featuring the U.S. Surgeon General and local and regional experts;
Federal funding for the construction and equipping of the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Center facility, Center for Rural Emergency Medicine, and National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC) at WVU;
$30 million contract for trucks used by the U.S. Army for an Ohio engine manufacturer;
Funding for the National Technology Transfer Center and Challenger Learning Center – two NASA facilities – at Wheeling Jesuit University;
Funding for a science facility and Troops to Teacher project at John Carroll University;
Funding for a prosthetics training program and equipment for California State University at Dominguez Hills;
Support of a $25 million, five-year competitive Labor Department grant for the West Virginia Community and Technical College System;
Multiple projects at Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania, including transition of the former Bethlehem Steel headquarters to the Fowler Center Southside campus;
Millions of dollars for methamphetamine prevention programs in multiple states;
A new public law for research, training and prevention to reduce older adult falls;
Increased federal funding of older adult falls throughout the United States;
Funding for a trade association and union to offer training and education of energy efficiency strategies in buildings, schools and manufacturing facilities;
Increased funding for Hepatitis B prevention and treatment for a national foundation and a pharmaceutical company;
Funding for community hospital to build and equip an elder care facility and a dialysis center;
Multiple community clients participated in the Perkins Career and Technical Education Coalition to seek enactment of the Perkins CTE program reauthorization;
Increased funding for year-round Pell grants to enable college access;
Dedication of two Advanced Technology Centers for community college use in South Charleston (Toyota announced a million gift at our event) and Fairmont (First Energy donated a major gift);
Announcement by the National Physical Action Plan Alliance – in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine – of the first-ever United States Report Card for Physical Activity Among Children and Youth and the updated 2016 National Physical Activity Plan (with the Congressional Fitness Caucus and multiple Olympic and professional athletes); and
National media coverage (including an exclusive with USA Today) of the ACSM American Fitness Index of the 100 most fit cities (over the years we also secured coverage by The Today Show, NBC national news, Saturday Night Live, The Wall Street Journal and many others).
Each of these achievements involved a team of advocacy and communications professionals and the support of members of Congress, federal agency officials and their staff. Advocacy is a team sport and achievements are shared successes.
Would you mind to share failures, or efforts that weren’t as successful? What did you learn from these experiences?
I love this question, and I addressed it in a column I wrote back in 2016. Here are some excerpts:
“Public Policy Initiatives That Still Have Potential
The ones that got away…but should not be forgotten
I have been around government and communications for a while…so I have some great war stories of incredible valor, close calls and miraculous victories involving legislation, regulations and funding multiple projects.
Winning is so sweet in advocacy and communications, but we all tend to forget the policy initiatives and projects that did not make it across the finish line. Well, I am willing to share some campaigns that had (still have) tremendous promise.
3-D Immersive training and simulation technology for shale gas development
This new type of training has proven itself valuable for power plant operators, as the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) houses the technology and partners with community colleges to offer the training. Two years ago, the U.S. Department of Labor denied an innovative proposal submitted by community colleges in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, West Virginia University’s National Research Center for Coal & Energy and National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium and NETL).
West Virginia Northern Community College with campuses in shale country (Wheeling, Weirton and New Martinsville) brought together a “dream team” of W.Va. and Pa. partners which could carry out this initiative.
Everything was lined up for a victory…then, we got word from Senator Jay Rockefeller’s office that another community college in the state was funded, the only one from the Mountain State.
That was the fifth and final round of funding for that specific Labor Department program; however, there has to be another federal funding vehicle and private sector support as Marcellus and Utica shale deposits are plentiful in West Virginia-Ohio-Pennsylvania.
Federal Tax Incentives for Greater Use of Mechanical Insulation
For the past eight years, bipartisan bills have been pending in Congress to offer building owners, managers of manufacturing facilities and contractors an incentive to install more insulation on hot and cold pipelines and boilers to save significant energy resources. The union and mechanical insulation trade association were proactive in preparing a two-year, $50 million capped bill for Congress’s consideration.
The White House, DOE and environmental groups have been touting the amount of energy that can be saved in buildings but is relying on easy fixes like new lighting and windows to achieve the goals. We identified bipartisan House and Senate sponsors and worked with the Ways and Means Committee and Legislative Counsel to draft legislation that was soon introduced. We held a showcase of mechanical insulation in the Rayburn House Office Building Foyer to reveal the technology, people who performed the work and potential energy savings. We approached federal agencies, particularly the Department of Energy, and any coalition of green building advocates to seek their support.
To prove our premise, association and union leaders approached several Governors and state energy directors and offered to evaluate state buildings in their capital city for damaged mechanical insulation or areas where it might be added. Montana allowed the experiment and thousands of opportunities were identified in the state buildings. The state paid for installation of mechanical insulation in those facilities and citizens are already enjoying lower energy costs and the pay-back period for the project has already hit. No other state took advantage of this generous offer.
This technology does not require additional research and development. Mechanical insulation is a proven technology with a verifiable return on investment (ROI). With proven DOE-sanctioned software, opportunities to better insulate mechanical equipment can be easily identified, and the resulting energy savings and emissions reduction can be accurately predicted. In many applications, work can be implemented in weeks or months, verses years. For facility owners and occupants, the savings are swift and sustainable; the ROI from mechanical insulation is typically less than two years and sometimes as short as six months.
Why Has This Bill Not Been Enacted
The tax committees in the Senate and House have not addressed any new items in the tax code since this legislation was first introduced. Only existing tax code items are able to be extended, reduced, maintained or eliminated. Our goal was to tie the mechanical insulation incentive to an existing portion of the tax code, but we learned this was not feasible during drafting of the original bill in the 111th Congress.
50-State All-American Marching Band for the 2017 Inaugural Parade
In October 2015, I was asked if Congress (through the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies) might grant early approval for a proven youth musical director to organize and fund a 50-state All-American marching band to send a patriotic, unifying message as part of the 2017 Inaugural Parade. After all, several parades celebrating major holidays and a major college football bowl are already fielding such an integrated, inclusive band.
A non-profit organization based in Allentown, Pa., with national and global musical experience developed a white paper outlining the concept for the marching band, and I started shopping it around. The idea was met with broad smiles and patriotic flag-waving reactions. The band director came to Washington, D.C. in February 2016 and a Senator seemed to really like the idea. Both the Republican and Democratic national conventions have concluded and we are but 100 days from decision day in November, yet the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies and the decision-makers for musical groups to march in the January 2017 Inaugural Parade are not yet formed.
Our client has fielded performers who have had the unique experience to appear at the Summer Olympic Games, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the World Cup, Statue of Liberty rededication, a 1,000- person band for the Millennial Celebration, Macy’s and the Rose Bowl parades and halftime shows for college bowls and NFL games.
Until the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is formed, there is no authorized body to act on our request (unless the Senate Rules Committee could find a way around it for this one marching band unit).
We are soon to run out of time for the 50-State, All-American marching band in the 2017 Inaugural Parade.”
Those are three projects that failed, but not for the lack of feasibility or persistent efforts by the client and the consultant.
What is your best advice for a young advocate aspiring to promote change?
College is a great place to test your passion, theories, skills and learn valuable lessons that might be more difficult once you get established in your work and home life.
I highly recommend:
Volunteer for a community or campus organization;
Intern or work part-time in the local office of an elected official (House and Senate members have district or state offices in addition to their more official offices in Washington, D.C.);
Seek out internships or fellowships in organizations you respect;
Interview campus leaders who advocate at the state and federal level (President E. Gordon Gee, deans and center directors visit Charleston and Washington, D.C. to make their views known and to make requests – I recently saw Dean Maryanne Reed at the state capital with the West Virginia Press Association offering support and insights on the importance of local newspapers publishing government notices and maintaining policies that achieve open government and transparency);
Subscribe or follow publications that cover causes and advocacy to learn more;
Visit state capitals or Washington, D.C. and do informational interviews or network with WVU alumni who work at organizations that interest you;
Donate money (even a small amount can make a difference and will be appreciated); and
Form a new group if one does not already exist.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: MikeF@asheragecy.com
Twitter: @hillrat1156