Summer break is here… 

Or that’s how it may feel now that legislative sessions across most of the country have gaveled out.

Aside from an ad-hoc meeting here or there, lawmakers, staffers, and lobbyists have vacated their respective state capitals and headed home. 

For public affairs managers that must mean that there’s nothing for your organization to do until Session resumes, right? 

Wrong.

Here are four digital priorities that your organization should be focusing on over the “summer break.”

Don’t Go Dark
Now is the time to educate and activate your members and stakeholders, not go quiet.

Host a policy deep-dive webinar. Send issue updates. Spotlight a member who’s been active. The more informed your base is now, the easier it’ll be to mobilize them when it’s time to fight again.

From a digital standpoint, now is not the time to pause your advertising. In fact, with fewer organizations running ads, your budget will stretch further. Take this opportunity to A/B test messaging and creative formats to see what plays with your audience. 

It’s also a smart time to build your house file with lead-generation ads. Don’t get caught list building and testing during Session, see what moves the needle and build your lists before the chaos begins. 

Map the Road Ahead
Whether you just won a big fight or dodged a bullet, now’s the time to regroup, not relax.

Monitor pre-filed bills, track interim hearings, and identify where your issues are likely to resurface. Then let your digital team know how things are looking and we can prepare a plan for whenever Session gavels back in. 

When we know what we’re up against we’re able to get audience models rolling, ad concepts produced, and legislator contact campaigns teed up well in advance of Session starting. 

Control the “Search” Narrative
Before Session ramps up, take control of what people see when they search your issue.

Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google search ads to get ahead. Target keywords related to your issue, organization, and key terms in your policy space.

By the time a bill hits committee, your narrative will already be shaping public perception. Because you planned for it.

AI is Here and it’s Here to Stay
Public affairs and policy might not seem like the most obvious places for AI to take hold… but believe us, they are.

If you’re not leveraging AI in your campaigns as much as possible, you’re doing yourself and your organization a disservice.

From messaging to targeting and creative, AI has the ability to be a powerful force multiplier… if you know how to use it. 

The Bottom Line is This:
Don’t get complacent in the “off-season”. 

The down time in between Sessions is the perfect time to be testing, building, and shaping the narrative. 

Lucky for you, you have a team of digital professionals standing by to help you step up your game before Session starts.

Lucas Kuklinski serves as Senior Account Executive at Drive Public Affairs.