Review of the Seminar on Political Strategic Planning

Bill Malkasian, Political Strategic Planning, NAR

March 19, 2012   AEI Institute Louisville

Political Strategic Planning is a necessity for a proactive and efficient government affairs program.  Advocacy is a permanent part of the 3 way agreement with locals, states, and the national association. 

Key Issues

-In reference to Advocacy, there are train wrecks coming because everybody is broke

- In the next 1 – 5 years big changes are coming to our country and our industry

- All Associations must have or begin creating and implementing a Strategic Advocacy Plan. 

Associations can take the offensive by creating and utilizing a demographics study of their area.  This data is critical to politicians and therefore can work as a tool to endear the politician to the association.  Associations can dig much deeper into their MLS data to use it effectively in our Public Advocacy programs. We can use these numbers to win or defeat city, county, and state government.  Local demographics are powerful numbers for the media, as well.  Release of the numbers must be and take a political avenue. 

The data can also be a tool to educate the public on housing trends.  Your governmental  advocacy program must have an  instantaneous messaging.  All governmental affairs directors must have I pads.  Bill strongly emphasized that your GAD must have a mobile device, must have a 24 hour response, and must utilize social media.  Social Media has turned the governmental affairs realm on its head.  Associations need to make their issues go viral, utilizing things like TweetDeck, HootSweet, and other Social Media Components. 

The way the current US government is looking at housing today, as a way to find more funds to defray its giant deficit, is a danger to our member’s livelihood, home ownership, and Association’s viability.  We need to be talking directly to the public alerting them to this governmental plan to increase the cost of home ownership with taxes and more regulations.  We need to be the voice not only of our industry but on behalf of the homeowner, as well. 

How are we going to be prepared to respond when NAR sends out millions of correspondences to the public in our state and town?  We will need to have a plan in place for the an immediate response to inquiries for more information and a developed outline on the Association’s stand on the political issues. 

Government Affairs needs to take these issues directly to the public getting them to buy into our side of the issues that directly affect our membership’s livelihood. 

Where to get more money without a dues increase? 

Associations need to hire, find, cultivate, or recruit a grant writer who can then write grant requests to the National Association of REALTORS® and apply for the funds.  If you have someone; great, share them with the surrounding associations.  If you don’t have one, ask to share someone else’s.  There are 10’s of thousands of dollars available from NAR.

Rapid Response Team

Government Affairs Director has to be involved in and have knowledge of social media.  Associations may need a new team member or to capitalize on a team member currently tasked in another area.

Begin to segregate out funds

Any overage that you have in your budgeted expenses for governmental affairs for this year should be segregated out and accrued to the future.  Roll funds over at the end of the year and don’t move it but keep it and keep your base increasing.  A surplus this year may cover a short fall next year.  Associations cannot afford to come up short when a large issue needs immediate attention. 

What do you want your GAD doing?

1. Raising hard money
2. Running campaign issues
3. Handling the press and social medial
4. Is your Association issues or campaign based?
5. May need to add significant campaign services skills

Governmental Advocacy Program Levels 1, 2, and 3

Level 1 – AE is doubling as the governmental affairs director

Level 2 – part time GAD mostly doing fundraising

Level 3 – A sophisticated system

Build a tool kit for each level. 

Level 1:

Make certain that you have a good Call to Action system, raise funds, interview candidates, and make recommendations.  This is the very least you can do.

Level 2:

Must be doing all of the above, elect candidates, and be involved in issues.  This is definitely a step in the right direction.

Level 3:

With an on staff governmental affairs director you should be doing all of the above and plus do polling, campaign for candidates, and be involved in issues as well. 

Learning about campaigns

Most of us have lots to do because we currently do not have the infrastructure.  Fortunately most states and NAR do.  So we need to bring these resources to us and have them assist the locals in building their strategic advocacy policy. 

Next we have to engage our brokers in the process without offending their customers and straining their business relations. 

Finally begin to explore ways to build a public advocacy plan and governmental strategic plan.  Make it a 1 to 3 year plan developing how you will grow advocacy for the Association.  And, now is the time to drop the battle of my board versus your board and build strategic cooperative partnerships

In closing:

1. Learn to utilize the money and the structural assistance that is available to you.
2. How do Associations do public communications?  Identified by topic, buy reliable lists and then sanitize them.
3. On issues, buy lists.
4. Communicate with the public but check state law; Associations may need to be or develop a separate C4 corporation.
5. Associations must develop a good group of volunteers to that will craft and time your messages. 
6. Social media must be responded to!

This was an excellent presentation. 

Doris A. Nurenberg