3 ways associations should communicate like Hillary Clinton

The Clinton Presidential Library is releasing documents detailing communication strategies considered for Hillary Rodham Clinton during her years as first lady. Among them are recommendations one might apply to association communications.

The first approach that can benefit communications within associations is the recommendation of “be careful to ‘be real,'” made by advisor Mandy Grunwald as the first lady began her quest for a U.S. Senate seat.

An association has members who specialize in a given industry and nomenclature. Distilling those messages for the consumer, the policymaker, or another audience is where associations have to “be careful to ‘be real.'” In moments of crisis, an association has to watch what it says and how it says it to ensure that it stays in control of the crisis and supports the consumer’s best interest.