Your Facts Don’t Matter - And What To Do About It

Advocates spend countless hours preparing perfect arguments, gathering data, and crafting airtight arguments and persuasive messaging. But far too often, we walk into meetings, deliver our message, and… nothing happens.

Why?

Because your facts don’t matter until the person you’re talking to is interested in receiving them and listening to you.?

And it’s not enough for someone to just hear what you have to say, they need to also be listening.

Hearing v. Listening: The First Barrier to Persuasion

• Hearing is passive. We hear things all day long that we don’t interact with.
• Listening is active. It’s a choice. It requires attention, engagement, and a willingness to process what is being said.

Your first task as an advocate isn’t to make your case, it’s to make sure your audience is actually open to listening to you.?

This is where many people go wrong. They assume that because they secured the meeting or the platform to deliver their message, that the person or audience is ready and willing to receive it. That’s a mistake.

In reality, listening is a choice people make based on whether they trust, respect, or relate to you.

Step 1: Be Someone Others Choose To Listen To

You’ve probably heard the phrase “know, like, and trust” a lot when talking about sales, business, or advocacy. But in reality, someone can trust you, relate to you, listen to you, and even agree with you without truly knowing or even liking you.

Your goal is to be someone that people are willing to and choose to listen to, not just to be liked.

When you walk into a legislator’s office, step onto a stage, or engage with stakeholders, they are already making subconscious judgements about you:

?How do I feel about this person? Are they kind, abrasive, confident, arrogant?

?Do they care about me or only about themselves?

?Do I want to have this conversation? Do I have to have this conversation?

?Am I interested in what they have to say?

If the answer is no to these questions or you’ve rubbed them the wrong way, it doesn’t matter what you say or how strong your facts are, it won’t land.?

And worse, you can even turn someone against you if they feel disrespected, dismissed, or ignored.

Step 2: Establish Rapport and Connection - Even Briefly

Advocacy meetings, especially in legislative offices, can be short. You may only have five minutes to make your case. But even in that time, skipping the step of building any rapport is a mistake.?

? Genuinely care about the person. Instead of just asking “How’s your day?”, ask “How are you feeling today?”

? Seek out common ground or shared connections.?

? Find a moment of personal engagement. This doesn’t mean spending half of the meeting on small talk. Just genuinely care about people.

People are more willing to listen to someone when they feel like what they say matters.

Step 3: Read the Room, Observe

Before you jump into your talking points, take in the energy of the room. Observe, watch body language, listen with all of your senses.

?? Are they engaged or distracted?

?? Are they leaning in or pulling away?

?? Are they giving cues that they’re open, or are they just waiting for this to be over?

Tailor your discussion and approach appropriately.

Step 4: Listen First, Speak Responsively

You’ve gained the time to be heard, but now earn the benefit to be listened to by listening first and speaking responsively.

? Ask thoughtful questions before making your case

? Don’t make assumptions, check in first

? Acknowledge their perspective, questions, and concerns before sharing yours

? Pay attention to how they respond both verbally and nonverbally

A Simple Check-In Can Make Or Break Your Advocacy

Even if you’ve been briefed on where a legislator or stakeholder stands on an issue, take a moment to check-in first.?

?? “I understand you’re very familiar with this issue. Is there anything specific you’d like us to focus on today?”

?? “I know you’ve heard different perspectives on this. Are there any questions or concerns we can clarify?”

?? “Would it be helpful to start with the bigger picture, or do you want to dive into specifics?”

Don’t bulldoze through your talking points. Tailor your message to the signals, questions, and comments you’re receiving.?

If you sense hesitation, pause and adjust your approach.?

You can avoid wasting time on arguments they’ve already accepted or ones they’re not ready for yet, and it allows you to guide the conversation in a way that is relevant to them.

Many advocates make the mistake of talking past their audience or just talking at them, throwing out points without knowing what they actually need or want to hear.?

A simple check-in at the beginning and along the way eliminates that risk.

Step 5: Watch For Cues; Stop Before You Lose Them

Even when you’ve built rapport and earned listening time, you can still lose it. Watch for signs that your audience is disengaging:

?? Breaking eye contact, looking at their phone, or fidgeting

?? Short, distracted responses instead of meaningful engagement

?? Body language shifting away from you instead of toward you

If this starts to happen: Pause. Redirect. Regroup.

• Ask a question to bring them back in
• Check in if the information is helpful
• Adjust your approach. If they seem uninterested in your policy argument, shift to a personal story. If they seem overwhelmed, simplify.

Too many advocates power through their talking points even when it’s clear they’ve lost the audience. Be different and adapt in real time.

The Result: A Strategic and Persuasive Advocate

Your facts don’t matter until someone is ready to receive them.

To make that happen:

? Genuinely care about who someone is and what they want to know?

? Be someone they’ll choose to listen to

? Establish trust, credibility, and connection first

? Listen first, speak responsively

? Tailor your message to their perspective, not just your agenda

? Know when to pause, adjust, and read the room

?? Have you ever had a moment where you realized your facts weren’t enough? What did you do about it? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your perspective!