By Edda Collins Coleman
What problem or challenge can I solve?
What priority am I supporting?
These are the primary questions I ask when preparing to meet with anyone in the Executive Office of the President (EOP). I’ve had experience with every level of government and have learned that working with the EOP is very different than advocating other elected policymakers – the stakes are much higher.
On my path to becoming an advocate and storyteller for the past 20 years, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from the best: Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), former Reps. Dick Gephardt (D-MO) and Martin Frost (D-TX), Eileen Filler-Corn, Democratic Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, and a host of other amazing communicators. Those initial touchpoints taught me that there are rules of engagement you must follow when cultivating relationships and advocating with key White House staff. I have learned that, above all, each engagement hinges on the durability of your reputation. Reputation gets you the meeting; how you engage gets you the follow-up. At the end of the day, it’s about how prepared you are that matters most.
The Biden Administration has a myriad of significant priorities. Over the past year, we have witnessed the president’s accomplishments on some of the most pressing and urgent matters facing this nation, from the pandemic to infrastructure. Companies that can frame their issues around the White House agenda are far more likely to succeed with the EOP than those who fail to do so. Always ask yourself, how can my organization, my technology or my network solve a problem the administration is working to address?
My eight-step process for effective advocacy and engagement can help you prepare for a (virtual or in-person) meeting with the EOP:
- Define your policy objective.
- Create a plan of action by defining the goals and legislative/regulatory priorities.
- Know the subject cold and be substantive. Being informed speaks to reputation and builds a foundation for sustained engagement.
- Engage in the conversation but also listen.
- Bring emotional equity to the table with your story. Compelling storytelling is paramount.
- Meaningfully and respectfully engage with the EOP before, during and after the meeting. Don’t view the meeting as a one-time, one-hit opportunity. Remember, this should be the start of building a long-term relationship.
- Ready your call-to-action and define your next steps pre- and post-meeting.
- Learn from every interaction with the EOP, regardless of the meeting outcome.
- Define your policy objective.
- Create a plan of action by defining the goals and legislative/regulatory priorities.
- Know the subject cold and be substantive. Being informed speaks to reputation and builds a foundation for sustained engagement.
- Engage in the conversation but also listen.
- Bring emotional equity to the table with your story. Compelling storytelling is paramount.
- Meaningfully and respectfully engage with the EOP before, during and after the meeting. Don’t view the meeting as a one-time, one-hit opportunity. Remember, this should be the start of building a long-term relationship.
- Ready your call-to-action and define your next steps pre- and post-meeting.
- Learn from every interaction with the EOP, regardless of the meeting outcome.
In the pandemic environment we are all working in, White House meetings can be a challenge to confirm. Meetings can be rescheduled or canceled at any moment depending on what’s going on around the world and, during the pandemic with many meetings needing to pivot to a virtual platform. Be patient.
Sharing an issue guide or “one-pager” with background and specifics of “the ask” before the meeting is essential and will help to frame the discussion. Oftentimes, this collateral is used by the staffer post-meeting to recall key facts and figures as they share your story with their colleagues. In essence, you want them to become a champion for your issue once you walk out the door and so you want them to be as informed as possible.
Once you get in the door, be aware that from time to time there is more formality and structure. Meetings may go long or be shortened depending on the day. Practicing a strong “elevator pitch” can ensure you maximize impact under any circumstance or time constraint.
After the meeting concludes, it’s important to keep the conversation going. Here are my five post-meeting to-do’s:
- Discuss, internally, what you learned and the meeting outcomes.
- Define any new goals and touchpoints within different levels of government.
- Strategize on opportunities for cross-collaboration and create an operating model that includes additional thought partners, agencies and coalitions.
- Produce new asks and continue to define—and redefine—the issues for other audiences.
- Send a thank you note to EOP staff for their time and remain in communication by providing updates on items you discussed.
- Discuss, internally, what you learned and the meeting outcomes.
- Define any new goals and touchpoints within different levels of government.
- Strategize on opportunities for cross-collaboration and create an operating model that includes additional thought partners, agencies and coalitions.
- Produce new asks and continue to define—and redefine—the issues for other audiences.
- Send a thank you note to EOP staff for their time and remain in communication by providing updates on items you discussed.
This isn’t the golden rulebook but these pre- and post-meeting steps should position you for a productive meeting and long-term relationships with members of the EOP.
Edda Collins Coleman is a managing director at Cogent Strategies and regularly liaises with the Executive Office of the President (EOP) on behalf of clients. Edda worked with Women for Biden and Small Business for Biden to drive fundraising and voter turnout efforts. She previously created the All In Together Campaign (AIT), which is committed to closing gaps in politics to advance the progress of women’s civic leadership. For Edda’s complete bio, click here.