Have you ever had a friend who pops up once a year to check in and then vanishes again, as if they’ve fulfilled their annual catch-up obligation? No one likes that friend. In fact, it’s an unfortunate experience most of us have shared. It makes it impossible to cultivate a real, lasting friendship that grows and evolves over time. And, inevitably, when that friend calls to check in the next year, you’ll spend time trying to find common ground instead of building upon the real foundation of your relationship.
The same thing happens when the legislature and stakeholders go their separate ways at the end of session.
I know what you’re thinking—“friendship” and “state legislature” aren’t two terms that you’d normally associate with one another, especially in this day and age. And it’s not about friendship per se, but the same sentiment applies. If you close up shop on your public affairs efforts until later this year or even early next, you’ll become that friend —not just to legislators but also to stakeholders, the media, your best advocates and more. Continued outreach and engagement is needed to ensure you’re set up for success next year. Stay present, relevant, and informed year round to create the biggest impact.
Here are three ways you can get a head start on the 2025 session to make sure your issues and relationships are getting stronger with time and attention:
- Plan, plan, plan (but expect it to change) : As the famous fictional race car driver Ricky Bobby once said, “if you ain’t first, you’re last.” Sit down with your internal and external partners and map out a 360-degree plan for what continued engagement looks like heading into 2025 session. Think about what went well during this session and what could be improved upon. The sooner you can do this, the better equipped you’ll be.
- Show your stakeholders some love: Establish a regular communications cadence with stakeholders, advocates, legislators and the media. Make sure they’re up to date on the issues your organization cares about and the road ahead so they can be easily activated, and you don’t have to waste valuable time catching up. Baseline education and awareness will help your issue break through a notoriously crowded space.
- Keep your finger on the pulse: News never sleeps. While you’re monitoring industry trends in the non-legislative season, there is tremendous value in monitoring and dissecting political news and trends in Colorado, other states and nationally. Information is power and can help provide context for inevitable adjustments to your plan.
Get a head start on 2025 – it’ll be here before you know it!
