As we approach the next federal election, newsrooms will be very keen for content that articulates the issues your industry or sector is facing.
However, a lot of brands are understandably nervous about entering the political fray – there is a legitimate concern that engaging in the conflict of politics will turn off key stakeholders.
Consider a more nuanced approach that meets the needs of politics reporters and their own communication strategies.
The ability to engage with the issues and the policy landscape – rather than the political circus – is critical in the work of creating cut-through news stories.
How to craft strong policy calls
To do this, think of all the challenges facing your industry or sector. Completing a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (example below) may be helpful in highlighting these challenges.
[Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis]
Then, list all the ways the three tiers of Australian government – Federal, State and local – and all the different departments that exist in this system could help make life easier for your business. These become your calls-to-action.
Would a new employment subsidy program help address staff shortages? Or perhaps a new tax incentive would help drive client demand.
Whatever it is, being able to articulate these policy calls with the right amount of detail can be a newsroom winner.
You can either do this proactively or in response to a policy handed down by any part of the government or the opposition – the ability to critique proposals and suggest your own ways to build on them is good fodder for time-poor journalists.
Add your most compelling calls to the fundamentals of newsroom storytelling that we know journalists are looking for: a nice case study or two, interesting stats and forthright opinions.
Government response
The reality is that government PR teams will scan stories about their policies and see what the private sector has to say through the media.
This may lead to potential opportunities to meet with senior political figures and influence their decision-making processes. Now, you have a seat at the table because of the thoughtful work you have put in.
You can then leverage and amplify your work by creating further content that shares the impact of your media and policy contributions to key stakeholders.
In other words, you need to be in it to win it.
Piecing it together
Engaging with issues, especially during election campaigns, is not about forming opinions that favour one side or the other (unless you want to). It is about talking about how particular policies are going to help or hurt the wider context of your business.
After all, governments are fond of referring to small and medium-sized businesses as the ‘engine room of the economy’ to the point where it has become a cliché.
While politics can be seen as a bubble or just downright chaotic, not acknowledging the importance of the political process to media outlets is a missed opportunity.
At The Ideas Suite, a top-tier PR agency in Sydney, and servicing Melbourne and Brisbane, our consultants have significant experience in delivering policy-focused stories that are noticed by those in power. Talk to us here to learn more.
