 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?  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! Attending rallies and protests no longer enough to bring real change  NOTE: I dedicate this piece to all my friends, all the warriors, all the servants of this movement who have given their life, breath, and endless energy to this movement. I hope this post - and this hour in our culture - will rally more support to their side, like never before. You are my heroes. I have to say what few have said. I must also say what will be uncomfortable to many. But someone has to peel back the bandaid and say truth.
If your idea of bringing change to society is to do protests, pickets, boycotts, and rallies - FOR ANY TOPIC - that is not enough. It will not bring the sustainable change that is needed. It is, in fact, the lazy way out if that is your only call to action. To bring the change needed in our state, our nation, our communities we need 3 things:
We have to get out and serve our communities.  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  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  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.  The “esteemed” Forbes magazine published this article, 7 Reasons Why Millennial Men Are Reinventing Masculinity. It details how masculinity is being recreated, redefined, and reinvented. The idea of men reinventing themselves from warriors to billboards of woke ideology makes me want to weep.
Instead, America needs bold voices to clarify men who embrace virtuous masculinity play an important role in our lives.  (Part 1 - Read here; continue below)
ADDRESSING ESTABLISHMENT One of the other well emphasized categories is “The Establishment.” To a newcomer listening into the conversation of a grassroots criticizing The Establishment they would think it was comparable to the Nazi Regime. Instead it simply means - to many grassroots - those who have been in the political arena for longer than 4:59 minutes and who do not do things according to the grassroots’ wishes. This one is a tricky topic: So much of what is seen and heard out in the marketplace is either false (of what goes on in the inside), mis-understood, not understood with the process, or taken out of context. We hear lots of demonization of “Establishment”. To you and me it grows wearisome and very very old. However, we are leaders, so I suggest we rise above it and change the conversation:  You are leaders in Michigan’s political arena. As you move forward to build the gap between grassroots and the “establishment”, please consider the following talking points for messaging and communication strategies. I implore you. After 20 years of serving in statewide politics, with a passion for good communication, I have observed our side drop the ball in a massive way. But if we can recalibrate from this moment forward, we can make incredible gains for the future.
New years bring moments of refreshing, recalibrating, and refocusing. As you work to be a better communicator and to leave a greater mark on your community consider the following when it comes to your online persona:  UPDATE PROFILES:
Review all social media profiles, bios, and account settings. Do you have new titles that need updating? Old contact information that needs removed? New accomplishments you should list? CLEAN HOUSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: It is always good to keep an eye on photos you are being tagged in online. Scroll through posts from the last few months: are there any that are outdated, in need of removing, no longer operating properly?  We forget the influence we have as citizens, taxpayers, parents, and business owners among our elected officials. For too long citizens have abdicated their role as “civic participant” and have lost the understanding of how our system of government works. It is beneficial to our wellbeing to remember: we are a nation of the people, by the people, for the people. And those who sit in local elected offices are there to represent us. So the question should be poised to all Michigan citizens: do your local leaders know where you stand on Law Enforcement?
In Michigan, there are 83 counties and collectively house over 600 County Commissioners. Each County has a board of elected leaders who make decisions on how things should be run in their individual counties. Their votes and decisions influence policies in the Health Departments, how money will be spent on parks and recreations, and to me one of the most important: they determine how well our Law Enforcement are cared for and loved.  There is pain in the arena of civic engagement. It is not all sunshine, lollypops, ease, and convenience. It hurts. It is slow. It gets personal. And at times there are setbacks.
For those who have been involved in the civic process of America for longer than 10 years, you know that there are ebbs and flows but that the high waves will calm down and the calm moments will get high again. You have to pace yourself, and keep your eye on the bigger picture. We are needed now more than ever. We cannot stay away because of the discomfort. We must admit sometimes the pain is worth it if it gets us to a better place. NEW YEAR NEW YOU So as you start this new year, committed to being involved, what are the top 2 things you can do to make a difference?
That’s it.  Big business, big Church, big ministry, big candidates, big causes. What do they need?
Their message told. Who tells their message? Their paid advertisements, their robocalls, their endless snail mailers, and periodic email lists. But their best source? People. Where do people hang out? Online. Should they? It’s not a matter of should they. They do. It's the current reality. WHY THIS SPACE MATTERS You as an entity who needs to mobilize the masses - be it 10 or 100,000 buyers, consumers, supporters etc need to understand facts: your audience is online, waiting to be engaged with by you, or someone who will quickly take your place. If you win them over, people are your best source of advertisement. They will perpetuate your story, invite more people into your community, and will become your biggest fans when they feel you have connected with them. But have you connected with them? Do they feel you are more - spammy and cold online? Or do they feel like they could invite you over for a cup of coffee because you, yes you as a brand, a candidate, a ministry, a business, an entity - are human? This, my friend, is why you need to do social media, email and good websites and do it well. |
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