Member Advocacy Programs

Our firm represents trade associations in multiple roles: as lobbyists, managers and advisers in the creation and management of member advocacy programs.

Along with our affiliate Maryland Public Affairs, LLC we assist our clients in adding tangible value to association membership. “Tangible value” is not just a marketing term: it means concentrating and coordinating an association’s member resources to successfully influence the actions of public officials.

Trade associations and business organizations are groups of businesses that come together in a formal, membership structure, to protect or promote a common interest. They differ from coalitions in that association members usually share common business models and other characteristics, while coalition members may be quite different businesses or organizations that have coalesced around a single issue.

Our firm represents both associations and coalitions. In our world, trade associations can be an effective method for ongoing advocacy on public policy issues. Used properly, they can be equally effective to demonstrate the values of association membership to current members and as a recruiting tool for new members as well.

Advocacy is not just a service provided by an association lobbyist or executive; it is equally effective when delivered directly from the member to the public official. This member advocacy is a deceptively simple concept, many associations could do a much better job in leveraging their membership to achieve their advocacy goals – if they do it at all. To learn more about using advocacy as a member benefit or to recruit new members click here.