effectivelobby

Conversation with Merial Clark, ANHLC
ANHLC is the [|Association of Neighbourhood Houses and Learning Centres]. They have run an effective lobbying campaign, and used their own example to demonstrate strategies, such as:
 * Be positive
 * Use direct lobbying
 * Find out how you might be connected to people who make decisions
 * Work out your strengths and amplify them
 * Give out your information in many different ways, for visual, auditory and kinesthetic (feeling/physical) people

Merial described the history of the campaign, how they started with lengthy, wordy letters, without a clear goal or message. People would always ask, "But who are you? and What do you do?"

So they started with Research, when the Department of Victorian Communities funded a solid research project, showing the deep value that neighbourhood houses have to Victorian communities. Any successful campaign will have solid research underpinning it.

They were also lucky to receive some work "pro bono" from a marketing firm, who came up with the highly visual and connecting theme of the heart and the house. Stay tuned for the audio recording.