I agree that candidate briefings are an effective tool. We have done both group and individual trainings and I have found the individual trainings very useful, as we can build personal relationships with members. Certainly the downside is that some members lose, but that is the nature of this business. I would not discount legislator briefings, as they help build camaraderie among members. I almost use them to build coalitions, rather than inform lawmakers. Having elected officials share a meal together has created deeper bonds that we can leverage to create voting blocks to move or block legislation.
