Introduction to Advocacy Tactics
Advocacy is a strategic process aimed at influencing decision-makers to support policies that bring meaningful change. To be effective, it requires thoughtful planning, clear communication, and targeted engagement. Advocacy tactics help organizations navigate the complex landscape of stakeholders, including government officials, legislators, pressure groups, and the public. The C3 and C6 nonprofits use education and lobbying as respective advocacy tactics. Also government officials can educate but canot lobby within the halls of government.
The cornerstone of advocacy lies in understanding and addressing stakeholder alignment—whether they are in favor, neutral, or against your proposal. Tactics must be tailored to amplify the voices of those who support your goals, persuade neutral parties to align with your vision, and blunt the influence of opposition.
Stakeholder Maps
Successful advocacy integrates tools such as coalition building, stakeholder mapping, tailored messaging, and data-driven communication to advance public value. By engaging stakeholders with the right mix of tactics, organizations can drive policy change, mobilize grassroots support, and create a lasting positive impact on communities and society as a whole.
The 3x3 Advocacy Stakeholder Map is a tool used to map stakeholders into nine categories derived from 3 types of roles and 3 types of positions they may hold. We have described the positions (In-Favor, Neutral, Against) and their role (Executive Branch, Legislative Branch, Pressure Groups) elsewhere in detail and how to create a Stakeholder Map.
Download our template here.
3 Core Advocacy Strategies for Any Campaign
Our 3-pronged approach provides common sense clarity. It helps you and your team focus on stakeholders that matter. It helps you see tactics and prioritize your plan A, B, and C to minimize risk and maximize impact.
- Amplify the Voices of Those In-Favor: Strategically strengthen and elevate the influence of stakeholders already aligned with your goals.
- Convince Neutrals to Move to In-Favor Position: Engage and persuade undecided stakeholders to support your cause.
- Blunt the Influence of Those Against: Implement tactics to minimize the impact of stakeholders opposing your initiative.
How It’s Used:
- Identify Stakeholders:
- For each row (Executive, Legislative, Pressure Groups), list individuals, organizations, or entities relevant to your advocacy goal.
- Categorize Stakeholders:
- Place them in the appropriate column (In-Favor, Neutral, Against) based on their stance on your issue.
- Develop Strategies for Each Group:
- In-Favor: Build alliances, provide resources, and amplify their voice through public platforms or partnerships.
- Neutral: Educate them on the benefits of your initiative and address concerns to shift their position.
- Against: Reduce their influence through strategic counter-messaging, public engagement, or coalition-building.
Most common tactics to amplify the voices of thos in-favor, move neutrals to the in-favor position, and blunt the impact of those against are detailed below. The repertoire of tactics is of course much more extensive. We can share this information with you. Just reach out to us via the link above.
| In-Favor | Neutral | Against | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Branch | Provide Resources: Equip executive allies with data, evidence, and talking points to champion your cause. | Tailored Education Campaigns: Brief key government executives with customized information to address specific concerns or highlight key gaps. | Expound Public Value: Highlight how your proposal aligns with public good and improves the nation’s well-being. |
| Legislative Branch | Coalition Building: Foster coalitions among aligned legislators to present a unified voice. | One-on-One Meetings: Arrange personal meetings with undecided legislators to address concerns directly or to educate them. | Counter Messaging: Develop fact-based rebuttals to opposition arguments and share them with legislators. |
| Pressure Groups | Media Engagement: Partner with pressure groups to amplify positive messages in the media. | Invite Participation: Offer neutral groups roles in advisory committees or working groups to involve them. | Divide and Conquer: Identify and target divisions within opposition groups to weaken their overall influence. |
How these tactics work!
By targeting specific strategies for each combination of role (Executive, Legislative, Pressure Groups) and alignment (In-Favor, Neutral, Against), you can maximize support, build alliances, and effectively counter opposition.
-
In-Favor:
- Executive Branch: Providing resources empowers allies in key government roles to act effectively and speak persuasively.
- Legislative Branch: Coalition building amplifies impact by uniting supportive legislators to collectively advocate for the policy.
- Pressure Groups: Media engagement leverages their influence to expand public awareness and reinforce support.
-
Neutral:
- Executive Branch: Tailored education campaigns address executives’ specific hesitations and build trust in your proposal.
- Legislative Branch: One-on-one meetings allow for personalized dialogue, creating space for persuasion.
- Pressure Groups: Inviting participation offers neutral groups a sense of ownership, encouraging them to align with your goals.
-
Against:
- Executive Branch: Expounding the public value frames opposition as harmful to the greater good, undermining their stance.
- Legislative Branch: Counter messaging ensures legislators are equipped with facts to challenge opposition arguments.
- Pressure Groups: Dividing and conquering weakens the opposition by reducing their unity and impact.
There is an intermediate and an advanced tutorial on these strategies. Simply send us an email so we can send you a link for each using the contact button on top of this page.