Trade associations hold a quiet, but practical power that doesn’t always make headlines, but does quietly shift the shape of policies in ways that benefit businesses and the public. They tend not to chase the flash and attention of a headline campaign, but steadily build and amplify industry experience and expertise into evidence, so that ministers, advisers and others responsible for shaping regulations and the law are armed with usable facts and credible voices at the precise moment they need them. Public relations plays a vital role in this process, but how do trade associations use PR to influence policy decisions in their specialist markets?
Identifying key messages
Civil servants and ministers are often drowning in reports, studies and other data, so identifying the valuable elements in this volume of material can be akin to finding a needle in a haystack. For trade associations trying to grab their attention and win them over to their arguments, this presents a challenge. But what these individuals respond to are succinct, clearly argued briefs that set out who is affected, what the likely scale of impact is and a practical set of implications. Essentially, the sort of content that an effective PR partner will be able to develop. This is a practical approach, and indeed, Government guidance on consultations emphasises clarity and proportionality, and the trade bodies and associations that can meet these criteria, and ‘cut through’ the noise, will have their voice taken more seriously in the policy room. It’s not dumbing down evidence, but making it more consumable.
Using PR to boost visibility and grab attention
Equally, these decision-makers are often bombarded with different voices and points of view, and across an ever-growing array of channels and platforms. All issues impacting a specific industry can be seen as equal, but those that can secure media attention and coverage, and alert a wider pool of people to the potential challenges being faced, are naturally more likely to influence and sway these individuals. At a cynical level, it is far harder to ignore issues once they are in the public realm and under wider discussion.
However, timing is key, and policy-makers operate to rhythms. Committees, budget timetables and consultation windows create moments when the world of practice is invited into the policymaking conversation, and associations that have already shaped public discourse will find their perspectives easier to adopt. A well-placed – and well-timed - op-ed or a trade journal feature may not change a law on its own, but it can alter the way a problem is framed inside a department, and framing matters because it determines which solutions are plausible and which are not. Ultimately, PR is the mechanism through which an association can push the message and decide on tone before ministers decide which questions count.
How PR can level the playing field for trade associations
Of course, not all trade associations are born equal, and some bodies will have greater influence and sway over the corridors of power. However, PR can act as something of a great leveller, and compensate for the inevitable asymmetry of access as media exposure can provide a parallel route to influence by signalling credibility to advisers. Journalists are, in effect, partners of the policy process because their work supplies the public context in which politicians make choices. By offering robust research and clear interpretation, associations create a twofold advantage; firstly, they give reporters the materials they need, and secondly, and simultaneously, produce traceable public evidence that officials can cite or lean on
PR as a defence
Many people associate PR with something to be used in times of crisis, and while this is a remarkably narrow view of the role of public relations, it does hold some truth. These bodies are not immune to challenges, and being able to effectively navigate a reputational or other issue is another – less obvious – way of signalling power to decision-makers. When a sector is exposed to regulatory scrutiny, the default reaction is to hunker down, but associations with an established public presence can respond differently. They can steer the conversation from defensive assertion to public explanation, showing how proposals would affect real businesses and real people. This shifts the debate, and that is precisely the evidence ministers need when they are weighing trade-offs.
Equally, modern policy-making is increasingly scrutinised, largely because of the ever-growing spotlight on politics, but it’s also analysed for potential conflicts of interest and for the influence of vested parties. Trade associations that develop reports or push policies that simply assert outcomes without real transparency are more vulnerable to being sidelined. Conversely, the associations that use PR to be forthcoming about their methodology, funding and membership composition subsequently reduce the likelihood that their contributions will be dismissed as lobbying. In a political environment where transparency is increasingly valuable currency, openness is a defensive strategy that becomes a real asset.
A sustained approach
However, trade associations cannot look to develop a one-off press release or feature and then put their feet up, assuming that the job is done. A single output or statement is rarely enough to move policy, and building influence is cumulative and often slow, and therefore requires a sustained approach.
Associations that can coordinate a sequence of comments, op-eds, sector events and targeted briefings keep the issue live and in the forefront of decision-makers’ minds. They will be able to convert an initial finding into a series of moments at which officials can see patterns of concern and repeated, corroborating evidence. In this way, PR acts as a form of institutional memory, reminding the policy community of a problem at multiple points across the decision cycle.
The benefits of PR to trade associations can be measured and gauged in the metrics that matter to them. Whether that’s invitations to give oral evidence, the appearance of key phrasing in committee reports or the use of association data in consultation responses, they are not glamorous headlines, but footprints of influence. They are also the metrics that members care about when they judge the association’s effectiveness. Trade bodies that use PR to focus on securing those outcomes rather than on simply chasing coverage will, over time, translate into tangible policy gains for members.
Ultimately, PR provides a practical mechanism for associations to shape outcomes, rather than just commenting on them, and in the modern environment, investment in strategic communications is not an optional extra, but the critical pathway through which associations and trade bodies can influence public policy
Is your trade association considering how it can leverage PR to its advantage? Get in touch with our specialist team today
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