We have a new government!

Right now many of Britain’s new MPs will be settling into their new job with an email box full of requests. When a new government comes to power, organisations get very excited. And why not?

Government wants solutions and expertise from stakeholder groups when it comes to tackling the country’s problems. The new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, for example, has already asked for an independent investigation into the NHS. As a business or organisation, this is your chance to bring your solutions and expert recommendations to the door of power.

But from what we’ve seen and heard from our friends working in Westminster, many fire off their communications into the ether.

Why? Put simply, they often make two mistakes.

Firstly, many assume that MPs are well versed in the country’s problems. The scale and severity of the issue in relation to their own priorities is lost.

Secondly, they are not solutions focused. No one wants to sit down in a meeting or engage with an organisation that has little to offer.

There is therefore a fine balance to strike between relatable urgency and clear solution.

What does this mean in practice? When the Alliance for Heart Failure hosted its parliamentary roundtable off the back of its Call to Action report – they were able to communicate the seriousness of heart failure alongside a clear focus to tackle the problem.

Since then a lot of follow up and engagement with key stakeholders has been focused around the specific issue of early diagnosis. In reality, there are lots of different aspects to this: different diagnostic methods and pathways and the need to engage healthcare workers on everything from financial reimbursement to specialist training.

But for MPs and other senior stakeholders in government, opening up a conversation with all these different asks is just too much. First you need to get through the door.

Even if you’re not looking to engage parliamentarians, this simple ethos of giving a clear topline and a solutions-focused approach is an excellent starting point for any communications strategy.

If you’re interested in discussing your current communications challenges, feel free to book a free initial meeting.