Role Play Scenarios

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Decision Maker 1: Samuel Schmirdlap has been in the legislature for many years. He is currently the chair of the finance committee of the legislature. Widely considered ambitious, he has expressed a desire to trade up to a higher political office. His attention span is short; typically, he is not able to concentrate for more than 15 minutes on a particular issue. He is divorced and the father of three children who are being raised by his ex-wife. His interests include soccer and golf. He is active on Facebook.

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What type of research would you have done about the decision maker to your meeting? Are there other things not included in the descriptions that you would like to have known?

Summary Sheet – We need more affordable high-quality care for our children

Problem – Parents can’t work when they can’t find an affordable high-quality care for their children

Solution – More affordable high-quality care for our children

Since he’s in finance committee, he likes numbers and graph/visual. I would have done quantitative research that shows numbers/graph/visual to the decision maker during the meeting. The content has to be brief since he can’t concentrate more than 15 minutes,

Since he’s divorced with 3 kids, I will do research to talk about common issues that are related to divorce families with multiple kids.

1. How many parents lose their job because they don’t go to work to take care of their sick kids.

2. How many parents can’t work because they can’t find an affordable high-quality care for children.

3. How many children fail in school because their parents are too busy with their work and has no time to help with their children’s study

4. What’s the lifelong impact ($$ amount) to the children as they are left behind?

5. The ROI ($$) that we will get with our investment

 

To be able to make the content more relatable to him, I need couple more information.

1. His life as a child – did he come from poor families? Does he have a friend that was poor?

2. How old are the children? How’s the children’s grade?

3. Why are they divorced?

Since he’s active in Facebook, I will use social media/Facebook to connect with him. First, I will look at his Facebook account and see if he belongs to any groups. Second, I will join the groups that he belongs. Third, I will post my advocacy content to the group so he will be able to see it on his Facebook page.

Last, I can create Facebook ads to publish the paid content ads and make the content shown based on his demographic (age, job, zip, single/divorced, multiple children).

 

How specifically would you use the background information to interact with the decision maker in your meeting?

I would use the background information to interact with the decision maker in my meeting by doing research on issues that he can related and care about since it might happen to him as well.

Since he’s divorced with 3 kids, I’ll research about common issues that are related to divorce families with multiple kids.

1. How many parents lose their job because they don’t go to work to take care of their sick kids.

2. How many parents can’t work because they can’t find an affordable high-quality care for children.

3. How many children fail in school because their parents are too busy with their work and has no time to help with their children’s study

4. What’s the lifelong impact ($$ amount) to the children as they are left behind?

5. The ROI ($$) that we will get with our investment

 

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Gatekeeper 2: Mark Lin is a staff member for a powerful legislator and his right-hand man. He tells people that he knows the secrets of how to get to his boss and that people need to work with him. If you can play along with him, he’ll go through the process with you to get you to the decision maker. As part of the process, he wants to know enough about your issue to look good to his boss. He is ambitions and enjoys working with others. During his free time, he surfs and bicycles. He is in his early 30s and is single.

What type of research would you have done about the decision maker or gatekeeper prior to your meeting? Are there other things not included in the descriptions that you would like to have known?

Summary Sheet – Reduce Crime Rate by Investing in Affordable High-Quality Care

Problem – USA have higher crime rate. People can’t work because they can’t find afford high-quality care for their kids

I would have done a qualitative research about the gate keeper prior to my meeting since he like to learn enough about my issue before he is willing to help you.

Since he’s in early 30s and is single, I can talk about recent events that he can relate as young man

1. Study shows increase in crimes that make it unsafe for biking/walking by yourself

2. Study shows the relationship between welfare/crime rate & poverty

3. Study shows how affordable high-quality care can reduce poverty level – parents can work when their kids have an affordable high-quality care

4. What’s the lifelong impact ($$ amount) to society when they have more poverty?

5. The ROI ($$) that we will get with our investment

 

To be able to make the content more relatable to him, I need couple more information.

1. His life as a child – does he live in poverty? Or know anyone that impacted by poverty?

2. His current life – does he feel safe while he’s biking or surfing?

 

How specifically would you use the background information to interact with the decision maker in your meeting?

I would use the specific background information to interact with the decision maker in my meeting by bringing topics that he cares and relatable.

Since he like to learn more about the issue before he supports you, I will provide qualitative studies so he can learn more about the issue

1. Study shows increase in crimes that make it unsafe for biking/walking by yourself

2. Study shows the relationship between welfare/crime rate & poverty

3. Study shows how affordable high-quality care can reduce poverty level – parents can work when their kids have an affordable high-quality care

4. What’s the lifelong impact ($$ amount) to society when they have more poverty?

5. The ROI ($$) that we will get with our investment

 

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General Meeting Considerations Based on Scenarios

Based on your chosen Decision Maker and Gatekeeper, what other types of people would you choose to bring to your meeting? Be very specific.

I will bring people that have similar interest to advocate together for the same issue

For Decision Maker – divorced father

1. I will bring divorced father with multiple kids that face similar issue with him

2. I also will bring statistician that show visual content in graphs and make sure it’s less than 15 mins long

 

For the Gate Keeper – 30 years old active & single

1. I will bring advocates (25-35 years old male & females) – maybe victim of crimes, maybe living in poverty because they can’t work due to limited affordable high-quality care for their children

2. I also will bring statistician that show visual content in pictures & graphs

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How would these people fit with your issue and building connections with the decision maker or gatekeeper? Be specific in naming who these persons are and the clear role they would play.

These people fit with my issue and building connections with the decision makers or gatekeeper as they have similar profile and similar needs

 

For the decision makers –

1. You can be the lead or the speaker during the meeting

2. Divorced fathers with multiple kids to share similar family’s issues with the decision makers. Their role is to advocate for same issue and relatable to the decision makers

3. The statistician provides credibility in the high-quality/reliable research content that shows numbers, graphs, stats that help decision makers to learn and to leverage to become a policy. His role is to answer any research questions to show the credibility of the research

For the gate keeper –

1. You can be the lead or the speaker during the meeting

2. 25-35 years old male & females with personal experience – maybe victim of crimes, maybe they can’t work due to limited affordable high-quality care for their children. Their role is to advocate for same issue and relatable to the decision makers

3. The statistician provides credibility in the high-quality/reliable research content that shows numbers, graphs, stats that help decision makers to learn and to leverage to become a policy. His role is to answer any research questions to show the credibility of the research