Everyone knows that it’s vital to keep legislators informed about your side of the story. “If you don’t say anything, no one knows what you’re thinking,” Alsaker said. “Just by participating and making my voice heard, I found that someone listened.”

As a busy retailer running multiple stores, Alsaker knows how difficult it can be to find time for advocacy. He recommended retailers start by getting involved in their local Chamber of Commerce, which often holds monthly lunches. “A lunch hour wasn’t taking a lot of my time,” he said.

Alsaker also reminded convenience store operators of the hometown advantage. “You don’t have to go to D.C.—all these people [lawmakers] come back home. I’m at their home and I’m a voter,” he said, “so I could [meet] with them when they came home.”

Advocacy involves more than just meeting with congressional or state representatives—it’s also about marketing and making connections with the community. Alsaker often connected with legislative staffers at local Chamber of Commerce events or luncheons, which segued into meetings with senators or representatives both at home and in Washington. He described his first meetings with a member of Congress: “Being shy, I migrated to a staff member first. … Little did I know then that a lot of stuff behind the scenes is going on with staffers.”

By educating staff members, Alsaker is able to have more influence with the member of Congress because his staff is knowledgeable about what Alsaker can bring to the table. “You become that expert,” he said.

Each week a new Convenience Matters episode is released. The podcast can be downloaded on iTunes, Google Play and other podcast apps, and at www.ConvenienceMatters.com. Episodes have been downloaded by listeners more than 50,000 times in more than 80 countries.

About NACS
National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

NACS Contact:
Jeff Lenard
V.P., Strategic Industry Initiatives
703-518-4272