What to Look for in a Lobbyist?

Leaner Govt Relations,
What to look for in a Lobbyist

What to look for in a Lobbyist

When selecting a professional lobbyist for your organization, it’s vital to find a lobbyist that is a good fit for your needs, budget and style. Hopefully, this is a relationship that will benefit you for years to come, so making the right decision is critical. Keep in mind when searching for professional legislative representation, make sure they are…

  • Experienced: Does the individual or lobbying firm have experience working with issues in your industry? Is the lobbyist familiar with your industry’s regulatory and legislative issues? Do they know the regulations impacting your industry? Do they have actual experience working IN the government? Ask about their background in your field.
  • Lobbyist working with clientConnected: Does the prospective lobbyist have good and ongoing relationships with legislators and regulators, both state and federal? Do they use the latest technology to stay informed of changes in government and keep you informed of the latest developments? Is the lobbyist willing to work with other organizations, lobbyists to form coalitions to promote similar issues?
  • Reputable: Are they ethical lobbyists? What do other people you respect think of this lobbyist? Ask for references that can be checked.
  • Agile: Does the prospective lobbyist have the ability to react and adapt legislative strategies as agencies release regulations or elections change the game players or are they bogged down in their own bureaucracy? Do they need meetings to discuss the next meeting?
  • Focused: Do they have clients that may have conflicting interest from yours? How does the lobbyist handle that?
  • Successful: Does the lobbying firm have a proven track record of getting results? Do they get results for their clients?
  • Size of Lobbying Firm: You don’t necessarily need to hire the biggest firm on the block, but do make sure that whoever you hire has the resources at his or her disposal to get the job done.
    • Size of a lobbying agency will also dictate pricing to some degree. The larger the lobbying firm, the more expensive they are likely to be, meaning a good deal of your lobbying budget will go into labor overhead.
    • Size will also indicate how important you are to their bottom line. If your lobbying fees are just a drop in the bucket to their overall billing, larger clients will take precedence over your needs.
  • Cooperative: Probably the most critical aspect of choosing a lobbyist is the comfort level your organization feels with the firm and principal lobbyist.. The most effective lobbyists work side-by-side with their clients. You will want to seek out a representative that welcomes client input and involvement and always includes you in critical decisions.
Cansler Consulting government relations lobbyists At Cansler Consulting we understand that in Washington, D.C. change is the only constant. Advocacy in Washington is also changing and we are at the forefront using new technologies and data to help us focus on strategies that improve our client's return on investment. Our core lobbying strategies are driven by the value at stake from federal legislative & regulatory actions. Leading studies indicate that today's business value impacted by government and regulatory action, or inaction can reach as high as 30 percent of earnings for most companies. With as much as one-third of earnings at stake, it is imperative that companies, industries and organizations engage in government relations. If you need effective representation from a bipartisan, entrepreneurial government relations firm contact Cansler Consulting. We are certified by the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics and have decades of experience assisting clients in issue areas including Agriculture, Budget & Appropriations, Food Safety, Transportation & Infrastructure, International Trade and Energy. Through our relationships established in Washington, D.C. and throughout the U.S. for over two decades we can help you the legislative and regulatory processes on Capitol Hill and inside federal agencies. You can contact us at
Tim Cansler
Latest posts by Tim Cansler (see all)
Share
Share