Lobbying Tips from Meredith McGehee

Lobbying Tips

from Meredith McGehee

 

 

Before the meeting

-- know your subject

            -- have a one-pager ready that tracks the argument you are going to make

            -- source your facts

 

-- do your homework

            -- know what public official has done or said on the topic

 

-- decide on your topic for the meeting, no more than 3 issues and know ahead of time your "ask"

            -- the "ask" should be something within the official's power

            -- if it's important, include in the "ask" how you expect the politician to accomplish it

 

-- if possible, partner with strange bedfellows e.g., business and labor; Rs and Ds

 

-- be clear about who you are speaking for; don't represent yourself as speaking for a group unless you are authorized to do so

 

-- figure out the questions you want to ask to engage the official in a discussion

            -- questions should elicit information, not just yes or no e.g., so how do you think this through?

 

-- try not to impugn the motives of opponents but counter their arguments

 

-- dress appropriately, don't wear something that distracts from the topic you are going to discuss

 

At the meeting

-- make request for a meeting succinctly and be clear about topic you want to discuss

 

-- if possible, go with a buddy

            --have more than 2, decide ahead of time who will be lead spokesperson and divide up other topics

            -- introduce everyone at beginning and make sure you get names of all Staffers who are at meeting

 

-- have no more than 3 topics; don't throw in a subject or say "while I'm here let me tell you how I feel about a totally unrelated topic

 

-- don't speak for longer than 10 minutes, hopefully less. If someone in your group starts going on too long, have a signal to stop them

            --be aware of the official "filibustering" you i.e., talking and not letting you talk

            -- if that happens, find a moment to jump in and get on topic

 

-- ask the questions you've prepared if it fits the flow of the meeting

 

-- be sure before the meeting is ended you have made your ask; designate someone to do so;

 

-- don’t argue, berate, or become hostile

 

-- follow up with a thank you and send any information you discussed

Meredith McGehee is Executive Director of Issue One. She is one of the nation’s foremost experts on Congress and ethics in politics and has been described as one of the most in-the-know persons about lobbying, money-in-politics, media policy and the Washington, D.C. political scene. She has been recognized 14 times by The Hill newspaper, including the current year, as one of the top nonprofit grassroots advocates in Washington. McGehee is frequently sought out in the national print and television news media as an honest broker and veteran policy expert who holds both parties accountable to the same standards. She is a regular speaker at universities and organizations around the country. Prior to serving as executive director of Issue One, she spent decades working across the ethics and political reform landscape both in Washington and in states around the country. She also worked on Capitol Hill for six years and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, West Africa and is a Phi Beta Kappa, cum laude graduate of Pomona College in California.