Expert View: Campaigning - Prepare for conference season

By Emma Taggart, Third Sector, 6 August 2008

Love it or loathe it, the autumn political party conference season will soon be upon us.

Tempting as it is to disappear to the beach when the parliamentary recess begins, charity lobbyists should spend the summer plotting how to turn a few days subsisting on cheap wine and canapes into a not-to-be-missed opportunity to influence politicians.

With the Tories riding high in the polls, conference season could be the moment to get to know a government-in-waiting.

Party conferences can be an excellent place to promote your message, but only if you decide early what you want to say and how you're going to say it. It's no good turning up with the intention of networking if you haven't got a clue who you need to meet and why. Identify your goals - do you want to promote a campaign, raise your profile or make new contacts? Choose activities to achieve those goals.

Fringe meetings can be a useful way to profile your charity and your issue. They can also be expensive and time-consuming, and competition for audiences is fierce.

Think carefully about which minister or front-bench spokesperson you would like to speak to - ideally, your event should be an opportunity to talk to those who can effect policy change.

Another option is to hire an exhibition stand. Be creative and welcoming - develop interactive games and quizzes, consider selling merchandise and be ready to chat to delegates about the issues.

Do not set up a trestle table with a petition and a stack of badly printed leaflets, then seat two dour-looking staff behind it, as I saw one campaign group do last year.

For some, attending conferences can seem to be an unnecessary expense. But it is possible to benefit without shelling out for stands and fringe meetings.

Simply invest in a conference pass and do the rounds to meet people and promote your issue.

Remember to scour the fringe guide to decide which events to target to maximise your chances of being at the same events as those you seek to influence.

Don't be shy about approaching people you want to talk to, and remember the golden rule - always ask a question. It is a guaranteed way of being heard.

Finally, consider working with others. The Health Hotel, for example, is a collaboration of 36 organisations with a strong interest in health policy that work together to encourage debate about health issues.

Above all, try to enjoy it - and make sure you book some time off to recover.

- Emma Taggart is a freelance consultant specialising in public affairs.

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