TALKING GLOBAL ISSUES WITH THE PUBLIC
Good Advocacy Communications...Briefly: Simple Tips to Get You Started

Set up your ideas clearly...

•  Don't fuel the “big-bad-world” belief. Don’t show us chaos. You should talk about your global problem, but avoid making the world “out there” into a scary place where only bad things happen.

• Put your argument in the context of an interconnected world. When you prompt Americans to consider how we’re linked to the rest of the world, it’s easier to understand that we’re not all alone on this great big rock.

• Our foreign policy — how we relate to governments, people, and problems around the world — is crucial to shaping the world and to solving global problems. So talk about the kind of country you want America to be in the world.

• You can evoke big ideas in multiple ways. For instance, if you wanted to talk about global environmental problems with the big idea of safeguarding the planet for future generations, you could do so literally by saying, “This is about the kind of legacy we leave for future generations..." or indirectly by saying, "My dad took me fishing all the time when I was a kid, and someday I want to be able to share the same joys with my children and my grandchildren..."

Help your audience understand what can be done (by whom) to make a difference...

• Give an answer to “so what can be done about it?” If you don’t help people understand what can be done, you may leave audiences confused and apathetic. So make sure you leave listeners with a clear sense of your judgment about the levers America should pull to create the kind of change you want.

• Stress a “can-do” approach. Inspire listeners with your vision of how America can work with other countries to make the world safer and better.

• Empower listeners by telling them what they can do to help. People want to know what they can do! But when it comes to foreign policy issues, citizens often have no idea how to make a difference. If you have some ideas—both general and specific—for how citizens can get involved in working toward solutions, don’t forget to say so!

+ SEE ALSO: U.S. in the World: Talking Global Issues with American - A Practical Guide

Updated January 19, 2006

Communications Trainings: U.S. in the World
+ READ about training opportunities!

ORGANIZING FOR GLOBAL CHANGE: What Americans Really Think About U.S. Global Engagement . . . & Which Messages Resonate
On April 2, 2004, Citizens for Global Solutions presented "Organizing for Global Change" at a Des Moines, Iowa conference. The Power Point presentation contains information on the interaction between public opinion and foreign policy, what the public really thinks about multilateralism, and what recent research reveals about "framing the debate."
+ DOWNLOAD POWER POINT (requires  Microsoft Power Point)