 The Founding Fathers knew what they were doing when they set up this beautiful nation all those years ago. We cannot abandon our duties now. You love America. Your heart hurts over how the nation is groaning, freedom is slipping through our fingers, and the fabric of what makes it great seems to be disentegrating before our eyes. It is not up to who is in the White House (though it helps), to save America. The freedom we have must be maintained, preserved, defended, and propagated for future generations - by you and me. Yes that means you. And your family. There are simple ways you can help save America. In this newest product I list:
This product has at least a 19.99 value (probably more) but I am only selling it for 1.99 for the moment. But it will go up soon!
It's easy to read, simple to digest and it gets you started on "what can I do to help save America?" Yes, what happens in our State Capitols and in Washington DC matters immensely. But what shows itself at the top often starts at the bottom. It is time that citizens start to take responsibility for what is happening in our local communities, if we want to change America. Please grab your copy and let me know what you think!
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 Too often marketplace leaders champion what needs to be done, or emphasize that something must be done but does not explain how to do what needs to be done.
This is the hour that we need to help people understand
So as leaders (anyone who has the heart to inform others is a leader) must ask how can we help people know the answers to their questions?  Democrats seize any and every opportunity to elevate their message, keep themselves in the media, and generate wins for their agenda.
Republicans have not yet figured out what “Public Relations” is. Yes, I am a Republican and this all hurts badly when your side just “doesn’t get it.” NOTE: For my Republican friends reading this - don’t be mad at me for saying the following. You know me. Please see the insight I’m shining a light on so that we can ALL benefit for our cause and our campaigns  Communication is way easier than you think. Stop avoiding it. Communication is just talking.
Communication is having a conversation, responding to questions, smiling, offering a speck of hope, and listening. I was at an event on Tuesday’s Election Night (big election day in Michigan this week!) and got to hear “the conversation” from the new Republican Party Chair of Michigan, Pete Hoekstra. What I heard from him was:
I walked away with an extra speck of hope. We must all learn TO communicate. We must stop hiding from it. And it’s time to stop assuming someone else is doing it. Talk with purpose and intentionality. Communicate with joy, interest, and a heart of service and watch how things get better. It can make all the difference. Silence and hiding from communication is no longer an option. It’s time to lean in and start to communicate. Thank you Chairman Hoekstra for encouraging me: there is hope on the horizon. Communication matters. And if we ever want to win again as conservatives, as leaders, as peers - we need to embrace it. Lean into some of these resources to start to take yourself to the next level!  You are created to communicate and communicate well. It was never meant to be “easy” or convenient or to always make you feel good. But it has been overlooked.
If good communication can make things better - and it can - isn't it worth the effort to improve your skills? Better communication can only help. We have to know what we are doing wrong if we ever want to see right results. Conservatives lose when:
 Many of our current elected leaders are doing good things, taking a stand, and getting creative. However, if those on the outside don’t hear it, see it, or read it, they won’t know it. Communication happens whether we want it to or not. WHY IT MATTERS Communication is not something you can assume someone else is doing. Well, not if you want to be a good leader, to bring change and to hold a team together. When conservatives and Republicans don’t communicate, someone or something else fills the void. Either, the Progressives (the opposition) or those who only have part truths (the conspiracy news sources for example) will flood the space with their message and their agenda. This perplexes me because as Conservatives we are the ones who advocate for solutions, hope, health, and independence. Is it that Conservatives don’t know how to message their topics? Or they are afraid of doing the work? The longer the communication void exists, the greater the silence, the more the distrust and agitation grows on the part of the concerned base. So what’s a solution? Communicate. HOW TO DO IT There are 6 easy steps to start making it a priority:
You have to be:
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT Is communicating inconvenient? Sure. Anything excellent is not easy. But is it worth it? Well, ask yourself if you enjoy tension and misery from your voting block, your target market, and how excited they will be when it comes to re-election?
Newsflash: never treat the voting block as “all the same.” There are soem incredible people out living life who are hungry to be part of what you are doing and to hear how they can help. Yes, communications is worth the trouble. It’s something Republicans and conservatives can no longer compromise. We must make communications a priority.
EXTRA RESOURCES
 I wrote this on a Sunday ... on a topic God is challenging me on. Drop your comments below to let me know what you think. ajh It feels so right we tell Ourselves boldly.
It sounds so good we whisper when doubt. It appears so delightful, tantalizing and free! Everyone else is doing it - I just want to be me! It lets us be first - always it seems. We can live by pure wants and human extremes. We can idolize, stoke, and please it with whims. We can go with our feelings again and again As a business you know your market, you have a good product, and you build relationships (for a lifetime) with the customers ...  It is time that Republicans start to see our party as a business. We are not just a clearing house for those who want a stepping stone to become a big deal. We should stop with the game of “social club” or behaving like we are in 8th grade where the cool kids fight for popularity. The Republican Party of America should be seen as:
We should be seen as the happy warriors not the sad and bitter girlfriend who didn’t get her way. (Am I wrong?) We are the universe where conservatives should know to go for:
Like a business there is profit and loss, accountability, and a deep understanding of the market. Therefore, we should be:
A girl can dream can’t she? What would happen if we started treating our parties like a business? Instead of how they are currently running? It’s time we win as conservatives again. Let’s run this ship like a business. Thoughts? Originally posted on Substack. Read it here.
 If we want to save America (and we do) and we want the conservative cause to win (and we should), we have to have a professional plan for victory which includes a marketing and communication approach.
Is your local party ready?  There is a lot Michigan Republicans should not be saying:
Let’s identify what Republicans should be talking about right now:
Conservatives have these unique and wonderful minds:
We need to get out of our heads and out of our little “Lansing bubble” where everyone assumes the rest of the world cares and knows about what they are doing and address these principles in all forms of communication:
You won’t reach everyone but you will reach a lot of people and those people will turn around and reach others for you. But if you do not communicate, they won’t know and in your absence, they will build a message that will reverberate and hurt you. If Republicans don’t start upping their game NOW they can expect:
“Amy we know how to do communications,” you may say. Okay, then do it. Because what is happening right now is not working. It hasn’t worked for the past 3 + years and it’s time for some world changing messaging champions to rise and equip leaders to know:
*New Note: and if you don't want to win, get out of the political arena because this is what it will take. Come on Republicans, we have the best message. We have amazing leaders. We have incredible facts on our side. We have a state and a nation to save. Your friend, Amy Hawkins  If I was running the House or Senate Communications in a state, here is a starting point:
Assign to a staffer: 1. Have a master list of key people: plan to send them a brief run down every week of what is happening - good, bad, the highlights. All emails are bcc’d - it becomes a place that you can give a firm delivery of what is happening. They are encouraged to share the info with others. I.e. you are a form of media and you are delivering what you want out. 2. In your communications (noted in point 1) make it clear WHERE you are publishing info through-out the week: FB, website, etc. Repeat, repeat, repeat, who and where to follow so they know where to look and so they know it will be consistent and something they can count on. 3. Have a list of friendly media contacts and a comprehensive list of media contacts; at least one press release should be going out weekly … 4. Have a list of suggested talking points that go out to the team (legislators every week). 5. Have someone responsible for pitching top leaders on radio interviews weekly. 6. Schedule a weekly LIVE update from some member of the caucus … always smiling, always excited, always talking about what they are doing for Michigan citizens. 7. Publish updates on website, make sure things are up to date, consistently. 8. Identify key grassroots leaders who have massive email lists. Include them on item 1 - and make sure they know you are grateful for them would they share the info. Always have a call to action. 9. Highlight the legislators that ARE communicating. 10. Pretend like we ARE in the majority as far as media goes. YOU call the press conference. YOU run with the story … “This week we want to draw the media’s attention to …” or “This week, we have a list of questions we want the media to ask the democrats …” or “This week we are going to do a round table briefing on the front lawn of the capitol and highlight everything NOT being discussed by Governor Whitmer to us…” or “this week we are going to celebrate law enforcement …” or “this week we are going to do a tour of the state to highlight some of the economic successes going on…” And one bonus tip: Once a month there should be Op Eds that are being run and pitched to publish. I can hear conservatives say “we don’t have the media” … so then build relationships with the media so they WANT TO COME TO YOU … give them intriguing things to cover … build relationships with them. Never assume they hear what you hear or see what you see or know what you know. Communicate more - not less and let it be known that you are communicating. I can also hear legislators saying “we don’t have a big email list” - then make one. These are some of my initial suggestions. I will work to get more out soon. Please note I am still learning too; but I have been studying communications and working in the political arena for over 20 years. I have pitched info to media, been on media, and written content that has hit thousands of inboxes statewide. I have written Press Releases, Op Eds, and am currently studying how to be more effective with media. I want my side and our causes to win. Email me with your top "We want to see Leadership doing ____" suggestions. amy@generationstrategies.com. We have a nation to change! - Amy  I’d love to walk into a kitchen, demand a gourmet cake exactly as I envision it and have the chef present it to me within 10 seconds or less. But wishes - like this - are not reality. It is physically impossible but even more-so it belittles the craft, demeans the quality and mocks the artisian’s end product. A one of a kind cake takes time and process.
Or good luck demanding a 5 star tree fort in a snap from a loving father. He loves the child too much to slap something together in a hurry and then say, “go ahead! It’s safe! Have fun!” A strong, reliable, quality fort takes research, calculations, construction, assessment, refining, and patience. To demand anything less speaks more of the requester than it does the item: they are beholden to whims and emotions and not interested in quality or security. They don’t yet understand or value the process that goes into making something of worth and stability. As conservatives, we rejoice in the growing presence of engaged citizens in the civic arena. But many are missing the greatest anchor: the process.  During World War II a realization was made by military leaders: our soldiers don’t know why they are fighting. Philosopher and author Russell Kirk, based in Michigan, was commissioned to write a book: The American Cause.
I believe its origin reminds us of our own responsibility in this hour if we are going to keep the American dream alive and its paradigm for freedom. BACKGROUND Russell Kirk is a founding member of the traditional conservative movement. He was dreaming up another book when he was commissioned to write the American Cause by friend Henry Regenery in 1956.  Conservatives believe in the individual.
Frankly, it would seem that all Americans would agree with this sentiment: an individual has value and that individual American should have the rights and freedoms to do as they see best. So wouldn’t it mean that all Americans should be conservatives? |
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