Go to church! That's the only way the Shinners' new 'Hug-a-Prod' policy will be taken seriously by Unionists.
Derry minister David Latimer's on-stage antics with Shinner deputy First Minister and former top Provo boss Marty McGuinness at Sinn Féin's annual shindig in Belfast have been dismissed by most Unionists as a well-rehearsed publicity stunt for the media.
Even right-thinking liberal Unionists will see through Davy and Marty's hug and handshake routine, with Latimer branded as nothing more than a convenient republican puppet.
But give credit to Sinn Féin. The party is going in the right direction if it is genuine about wanting to embrace its Unionist 'brethren and sisters'.
However, if republicans – and especially Sinn Féin – want to develop their 'Hug-a-Prod' strategy into more than simply an annual ard fheis circus act, then grassroots Shinners need to start attending Protestant church services and interacting with 'Prods in the pews'.
The real test for republicans is if they extend invitations to Protestant clerics – especially from the fundamentalist and evangelical wings – to address Sinn Féin branch meetings.
Latimer may be a mainstream Presbyterian, but he is not representative of the majority thinking within the North's largest Protestant denomination.
Equally, Unionists need to realise that such is the bond between the Provos and Sinn Féin, that for the party to snub ex-IRA jailbirds as candidates is tantamount to political heresy in republican terms.
And Sinn Féin must equally realise that sticking a maverick minister on a republican platform and letting him utter fine rhetoric about a key Shinner does not mean the Unionist community will ignore the generation of slaughter and hurt which the IRA inflicted on it.
If Sinn Féin does want to make meaningful public gestures to Unionists, then let its Stormont ministers stand for British National Anthem rather than sneaking in after it has been played.
Let republicans recognise the thousands of Catholics and Irish nationalists who fought, were wounded or died for the Crown in countless conflicts. Sinn Féin elected representatives, members and supporters should also be proud to recognise these servicemen and women and wear their red poppies with pride at Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day ceremonies.
Sinn Féin must work from the bottom up in reaching out the genuine hand of friendship to Unionists rather than adopt high profile media stunts.
Targeting the Presbyterian churches in this campaign would be a good start, given the role of that denomination in the United Irishmen's rebellion and Presbyterianism's link with the Irish language.
Sinn Féin should also build on disillusionment with middle class Unionist parties from working class loyalists.
Republicans should implement a strategy to stop Protestant homes being attacked at interfaces and getting loyalists their benefits.
Sinn Féin should also stamp on dissidents to stop them provoking a new generation of young militant loyalists from wanting to 'return the serve' against nationalists.
Protestant churches should hold 'Shinner Services' where they invite Sinn Féin members and politicians to attend ordinary Sunday services or weekly Bible studies.
And this policy should not just be adopted by Protestantism's Big Three – the Church of Ireland, Methodists and Presbyterians.
Privately, clerics from the Free Presbyterians – the church set up by Paisley senior in 1951 – and fundamentalist churches, such as the Baptists, Brethren, Pentecostalists, should not be afraid to share their Gospel messages with republicans.
Latimer had the right idea; Sinn Féin had the right approach – but both balls it up by choosing the wrong location. Latimer should have begun his outreach to republicans by addressing a Sinn Féin branch meeting in Derry's Bogside.
