Maximizing the Value of Your Lobbying Visit

EBAA Leadership and Advocacy Conference February 12-14, 2014

Rusty Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer, SightLife Cindy Reed, Executive Director, Iowa Lions Eye Bank

Legislators need to be informed about Eye Banking

We Restore Sight

Reforms threaten eye bank processing fees Establish relationship

before you need it Become a source of

good news

Let me tell you about my Eye Bank

Three Simple Steps

We Restore Sight

Connect

Educate Invite and Thank

HAVE IN MIND:

WHAT TO DISCUSS

WHY DISCUSS IT

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO THEM (THEIR DISTRICT)

Gift of sight through transplant and the gift of answers through research

Connect

Maximizing Your Visit

Everyday

Educate

Maximizing Your Visit

Maximizing Your Visit

Tell the Stories of

Grateful Recipients

Maximizing Your Visit

Tell the Stories of Donors and their Families

Tell a Research Story

Educate Research

Maximizing Your Visit

Tell A Story

Educate Issues?

Maximizing Your Visit

Legislator as Stakeholder

Invite and Thank

Maximizing Your Visit

Invite and Follow Up Invite legislators

or staff to visit your facility or event when they are back in their district.

Thank and Follow Up

Written note vs email

Do what you said you were going to do

Practicing Your Engaging Muscle

We Restore Sight

Know Your Audience

Connect

Educate

Invite and Thank

Let me tell you about my Eye Bank

Exercise For Hill

Visits

-

Step 1: Take 5 minutes to jot down your elevator speech…make sure to include the following: • Your name and role at your organization

• High level introduction to your organization

o What does your organization do? o Where are you located and what area(s) do you

serve? o How many people have you helped? o Who are you affiliated with?

• Very high level overview of why you are meeting with

them

Example: I’m not here with a specific ask but rather to introduce myself and our organization along with the role of eye banking and corneal transplantation in the broader healthcare arena.

I’m excited and passionate

Step 2: Partner up with

someone else (not from your organization) and practice your elevator speech Give feedback! Switch roles

Maximize Your visit

Question and Comments? Let’s Go!