Persuading Politicos Part 3: Find Your Target Audience

So you're in a hotel with a bunch of "headliners" like Dr. Dobson, Dr. Land, and Sean Hannity, and you're trying to convince these people to support Mike Huckabee for President. If, at the end of the day, you have not spoken to any of these people, should you be disappointed? NO. Because...


Rule #3: The best way to a leader's heart is through his or her aides, members or friends.


If you really want to talk directly to a "headliner," I am not discouraging you from going for it. But you may find it hard to get to him physically, and when you do, you will only get 15-30 seconds to talk, unless you know him personally or you're introduced by someone who does. Don't expect a real conversation to happen, as the "headliner" is likely to nod politely and quickly move on to the next person.


So what's the point in going to the Washington Briefing? Mostly to talk with employees, aides, and friends of the leaders and active-but-not-famous members of influential groups. In other words, the best targets for an audience are the "ordinary" people who will actually give you a few minutes of time, but who in turn have greater clout with leaders.


Let's put it this way: when you're a lobbyist on Capitol Hill, you meet and talk with Congressional staff about 25-50 times for every one time you meet with a Member of Congress! We wouldn't do it this way if it convincing aides weren't highly effective.

Members of Congress and others in leadership positions simply don't have the time to process all the detailed information they need to make informed decisions. So they rely on trusted advisers to distill information and recommend a course of action. Convince the advisor, and you have about a 90% chance you've convinced the leader, even though you've never talked to him or her.

So how to figure out who the advisers are? Some ideas:

• Watch the people standing close to the leader before and after a speech, looking official, or chatting it up like an old friend. Remember what that person looks like and introduce yourself later.
• Go to a group's booth at the exhibit hall and talk with anyone there looking older than college age. (Powerful political aids can be as young as their mid-to-late 20s.) Ask about what that person does, and either try to convince him or her or fish for an invitation to meet someone higher up in the organization.
• Rely on Providence--pray you'll meet the right people and then just go out there, shake hands, and ask people where they work or what brings them to the convention.

Especially when it comes to the last tactic, it helps to have as many Huckabee supporters attending the Washington Briefing as possible, so we can fan out. Again, if you are planning to come, please email me so I can coordinate meeting places, carpooling, etc. I'm still looking for someone driving from/through/near Norfolk Virginia, and also have received word that a couple of guys will have an extra space in their hotel room for a "Christian young man." So please let me know if you can help or need help in transportation or lodging.