Advocacy Without Communications? Good Luck.

bethany6152
Oct 12
3 min read

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with an organization that’s fired up about advocacy. They want to push harder, do better, mobilize more. And then I peek under the hood and realize…their communications game is shaky at best.

Here’s the hard truth: you can’t do effective advocacy without solid, strategic communications. It’s the lifeblood that keeps your work visible, relevant, and impactful.

Policy vs. Advocacy: What’s the Difference?

Policy is the what.

It’s about the rules: legislation, regulations, court decisions, and other formal actions.
It’s often technical and insider-facing: think white papers, testimony, legal briefs.
Its outcome measures: Did we influence, change, block, or defend a law or regulation?

Advocacy is the how.

It shapes the environment around policy: public will, community power, and pressure on decision-makers.
It leans on storytelling, mobilization, and communications to lift up voices of those impacted.
It’s participatory and public-facing: families, supporters, donors, allies.
Its outcome measures: Did we mobilize? Shift public opinion? Strengthen coalitions? Build political pressure?

Policy is the destination. Advocacy is the engine that gets us there.

Why Communications Is Non-Negotiable

Advocacy without communications is like shouting into the void. You may be doing great work—but if no one hears it, it doesn’t build power. Communications does three critical things for advocacy:

It tells your story. Advocates, allies, and even policymakers need to know what you’re doing and why it matters. If you’re not telling that story, someone else will fill the silence—with their own narrative.
It sustains momentum. Policy change is a long game—often years, even decades. If you only pop into your supporters’ inboxes when there’s a big policy win, you’ll lose them. But in between? You’ve got plenty of advocacy wins to share. These milestones keep your people connected and energized.
- The number of advocates engaged
- An op-ed you placed
- A key legislator you brought on as a co-sponsor.
It builds pressure. Decision-makers don’t act in a vacuum. They respond to public will, media narratives, and visible energy. Strategic communications amplifies all of that.

Advocacy Wins Matter—Even Before Policy Wins

Here’s the mindset shift: advocacy wins are wins. Every letter to the editor, every new partner at the table, every turnout at a rally is progress. They’re proof points that keep your community motivated and your movement growing—even when the big policy change is still on the horizon.

And you can only celebrate those wins if you communicate them.

The Bottom Line

If your organization is serious about advocacy, communications can’t be an afterthought. It’s not the “extra.” It is the work. It’s how you show up for your supporters, keep the movement alive, and ultimately build the power needed to win the policy fights.

Before you map out your advocacy strategy, make sure you’ve built the communications infrastructure to support it. Without that foundation, even the best advocacy plan will stall.

How Snyder Strategies Can Help

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Yep, that’s us—our advocacy is strong, but our communications could use a serious glow-up,” you’re in good company. That’s exactly where Snyder Strategies comes in.

I work with nonprofits, associations, and coalitions to:

Build communications strategies that keep people connected—so your supporters stay engaged between the big policy milestones.
Elevate advocacy stories through media, digital, and grassroots channels—because your wins deserve to be seen and heard.
Align policy goals with communications plans so you’re not just working for change—you’re bringing people along with you every step of the way.

Because here’s the truth: advocacy without communications isn’t really advocacy. Let’s make sure your voice carries, your story resonates, and your impact grows.

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