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Author: Addison Pruitt
Grassroots Advocacy: Q&A with Addison Pruitt
Shaping Public Opinion
Compass Public Relations can help your business/association/coalition frame a message specifically for your target audience. This messaging is critical in shaping public opinion and understanding of the issues you care about most. At Compass PR, our public relations specialists craft narratives that resonate with your stakeholders, ensuring your voice is heard. We work closely with our clients to tell their stories to policymakers and media outlets. We can frame the messaging, develop the arguments, and create graphics and materials to deliver your message across many platforms. From digital campaigns to traditional media outreach, we ensure your message is consistent and impactful.
During the 2023 Session, we worked with the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Maryland (NAMI – MD) to deploy Advocacy Action Alerts, which enabled constituents to contact their legislators on key issues presented before the General Assembly. These alerts were strategically timed to coincide with critical decision points, maximizing their influence. We developed messaging and integrated an advocacy outreach system through five targeted campaigns.
The result of our public affairs strategy: Over 2,900 emails were sent to Maryland General Assembly Members urging support of critical legislation that would impact mental health in the state. This comprehensive approach demonstrated the power of grassroots advocacy, amplifying the voices of concerned constituents in a meaningful and effective way. Learn more about how PR management services can support your organization by contacting Compass PR today!
Wrapping Up Black History Month with MBE Night!
For the second year, Compass PR coordinated branding and media relations for the Minority Business (MBE) Night in Annapolis. This year’s event attracted over 700 businesses from throughout the state and featured top state officials including special guest Governor Wes Moore. We developed the website, print and digital signage, program collateral, and facilitated media coverage.
Read what the Afro and WYPR had to say about the event:
https://afro.com/black-entrepreneurs-and-elected-officials-gather-for-mbe-night-in-annapolis/
https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2023-03-06/heres-3-bills-to-watch-in-the-maryland-general-assembly-meant-to-boost-the-small-business-economy
See more photos here.
Targeted Campaigns and Website Design
Are you looking to get your message in front of legislators and key decision-makers? We’re here to help you advocate your organization’s issues at the right time and to the right people. Through targeted campaigns to legislators, our team will design and implement call-to-action pages to generate emails, texts, and phone calls. This targeted feature on your website will enable constituents and advocacy groups to engage directly with their legislator based on their district. Whether that be for a particular bill or topic area, Compass can help advance your advocacy efforts to shape policy and public opinion.
Simple as that, your message can be sent to those who need to hear it! Reach out to our Public Relations team today to learn more!
Post-Elections Grassroots Advocacy
Now that General Elections are in our rear-view mirror (even if votes are still being counted…), we will look forward to General Assembly Sessions approaching in 2023.
With Maryland’s session opening on January 11, and Delaware’s starting January 10, you may need to begin to develop a strategy to shape public and legislator opinion.
Compass Public Relations can help you and your association, coalition, or organization generate emails to members’ elected officials in favor or against an issue or bill introduced. We can create websites that route emails to legislators, as well as create portals to ensure ease while getting your messaging through to decision makers.
This can be a simple add-on to a current contract, or an engagement on its own, the sky is the limit! Compass Public Relations is here to help you navigate 2023.
Actively Engaging Congress Through Strategic Public Relations
Are you looking to get your message in front of Members of Congress? Compass Public Relations is here to help you advocate your organization’s issues at the right time and to the right people through targeted federal campaigns. We’ll assist in identifying your organization’s priorities to foster engagement with policymakers and their staff, media outlets, and key external audiences.
Here are ways that the Compass PR team can advance your advocacy efforts to shape policy and public opinion:
- Schedule site visits to your organization with Members of Congress and their staff
- Coordinate letters from advocacy groups, business associations, and subject matter experts to Members of Congress
- Gather placement of Op-Eds in local and national media outlets
- Craft tailored and clear messaging to help all stakeholders understand the importance of your organization’s issues
Montgomery County, Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, Maryland’s Montgomery County Black Chamber of Commerce hosted several Black and minority businesses for an emergency townhall to discuss contracting opportunities and MBE participation within the Montgomery County, Maryland government.
In a short marketing window, the Compass team served as the lead public relations arm for the townhall, providing the following services to make this gathering :
- Deigned event branding and invitation
- Designed and managed the registration page
- Provided press support
- Coordinated email communications to all registrants
MBE Night in Annapolis
Our Compass PR team led the branding and marketing efforts for the 2022 MBE Night. Over 400 minority businesses joined in Annapolis on Thursday, April 28 for an evening centered around opportunities in procurement and capital.
The event featured a host of state legislators, state agency officials, panel discussions, and a presentation from the U.S. Small Business Administration. It was an honor to work on this event from start to finish.
Throughout the process, we established a brand identity, designed all marketing collateral, and developed an all-inclusive website (www.mbeannapolis.com), allowing attendees to register, access key event information, and view media from previous MBE Nights.
Building Emails That Open & Engage Your Audience
Every day we receive hundreds of emails. From breaking news to product launches to event reminders, we are constantly inundated with content from individuals or brands in hopes of us taking an action. However, that isn’t always the case because not all emails get seen!
So, what motivates us to click on an email when it arrives in our inbox?
Top public relations agencies know that emails are only as good as the reader who views them. You could be offering the deal of a lifetime, but your messaging needs to grab your reader’s attention. Therefore, when drafting compelling email content, the copy must follow a proven formula for success.
Below, the public relations specialists at Compass PR provide 5 easy steps to improve your email messaging impact and capabilities:
How to Improve Email Content
- Start with an engaging subject line
Your email subject line should be clear, enticing, and connected to the content of the email. Ensuring that the subject line aligns with the body of the email will help build trust and loyalty with your reader.
- Use a fluid layout
Incorporate a layout that’s easy to follow and consistent throughout your campaigns. It should also match your brand’s color scheme and identity. A great source of inspiration is to look at email layouts you’ve received from brands you consistently interact with.
- Keep it concise
Always put the most important information at the beginning. Readers generally do not want to read long text. Ensure your email is easy to skim through and digestible through a quick read.
- Have a clear call to action
A call to action rounds up the reader’s journey, serving as an intuitive action step based on the content provided in your email. It should directly link to your website, a form, or a service with the goal of converting readers into customers.
- Segment your contacts into lists
Segmenting your contacts into lists helps provide unique value based on interest and the different content you’re offering. When lists are segmented, it enables you to send targeted campaigns that help boost engagement.
Turn to a Trusted Public Relations Agency for Effective Email Support!
Email communications can be a powerful tool in garnering mission support. However, organizations with limited PR media training may produce content that falls flat and disengages their audience. By collaborating with Compass PR, a premier Maryland public relations agency, advocacy organizations can strengthen their messaging and expand their reach. For more information on our public relations services, contact us today.