Cultivating Your Legislator

1
Welcome
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All Politics is Local

• Live by this statement

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You are a Politician

• We are ALL politicians!
• You head a public institution!
• Your success or failure is based on the will of
  the public!

4
Wearing the Influencer Cape

• We have nothing to fear but fear itself
• You dont have to become someone elsejust
  harness the best of your skills!
• A personal commitment

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Building Support Influence

• Step 1 Begin with Community Support
• Market your library
• Market yourself

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Market Your Library

• Reach out to donors and other potential allies
• Make your library the cultural center of the
  community
• Make sure your library impresses

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Publicity, Publicity, Publicity!

• You can never have too much!
• Get the message out there
• Advertise library events through newspapers,
• radio and television

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Market Yourself

• How are you perceived by
• your community?

• Look the part
• Sell yourself
• Speak up
• Speak articulately

• SMILE
• Ensure a credible perception

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Dont be shy

• Being shy will get you nowhere
• Do not wait for someone to give you something
• Articulate your needs

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Be a Joiner

• Are you a member ?
• Be visible, dependable
• Always follow through

ROTARY
OPTIMISTS
LIONS
CHAMBER
11
Building Influence Support

• Step 2 Developing those strategic relationships
• Arm yourself with a strong board
• Cultivate Legislators and other powerbrokers

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Create a Strong Board

• Boards are critical to the success of a library
• Power brokers of the community make excellent
  board members
• Be prepared when seeking them out to serve your
  librarys interests

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Cultivating Legislators

• Before they are elected
• After the election
• During their tenure

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When you meet

• Create an Opening Statement
• Offer a firm handshake look them straight in
  the eye
• Initiate a conversation

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VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

• Vote in Every Election!
• No one knows how you vote, but they can find out
  if you vote!
• If you vote, Legislators will pay more attention
  to you!

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Helpful Hints

• Do not be too chatty
• Stay on Point Libraries, Libraries, Libraries
• Be cheerful and nice
• Attend their fundraisers
• Get to know their staff members

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They have been electedNOW WHAT????

• Keep up the good work!!
• Make a good friendship count for THEM and for YOU

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For them Be the Person that

• Introduces legislators to others
• Is helpful and accommodating
• Shares info and keeps them posted
• Be their go to person

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Making a good friendship count for you

• Support for PR
• Support for fundraising
• Support for grant writing

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For you

• People around you take notice
• Helps you negotiate/deal with others

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Reciprocation

• Public clout political clout public clout
  political clout

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Have you made it????

• How will you know???
• Is there a signal???
• .Cant stop now!!!!

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In those delicate situations

• You have trust/willingness to listen
• Respect
• Shared desire to reach common goal serve the
  community!

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Keeping that Relationship

• Be cheerful and pleasant
• Never complain or embarrass
• Be honest and ethical

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Be a Good Salesman Be Prepared

• Know your facts
• Know your library
• Know your community
• Know your audience

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Find Support from Groups Use their help

• Get Help From
• Your Board
• Other Area Librarians
• You never know what you may find!

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Be A Risk Taker Be Prepared Knowledgeable

• Know you are Worthy!!!
• Your Community Needs A Library!!
• Libraries Deserve to be Well Funded!!
• Dont Be Bullied!!!!!!!!

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When things go wrong

• You CAN make things better
• Be direct and diplomatic
• Try again/try something new
• If needed, give space and rebuild
• Learn from it and move on
• If you started strong, itll be OK

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When things go right

• Youll get something your library needs
• Make new friends/gain new supporters
• Discover something important

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Be Tenacious!!!

• Never Give Up!!!!
• If not this year.
• Maybe next year will be your
• lucky year !!!!

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Questions???
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Thank You!!

• Susan S. Mann
• 118 South Waco
• Hillsboro, Texas 76645
• smann_at_hillsborotx.org
• 254-582-7385