20 Basic Rules for Lobbyists

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Here is my checklist for what I believe are the core rules for good lobbying. If you have others please send them in.

  1. Step in early.
  2. Have existing and long-standing relationships with the key players in an area, both in Brussels and in the Member States. Make sure you don’t turn up for the first time when you have a problem.
  3. Be trusted  by the key players and don’t betray confidences given.
  4. Bring relevant  data, evidence, anedotoal evidence allowed to the table early on.
  5. Make sure that the evidence is credible, objective and on point.
  6. Make sure the sources or people you are using to develop your evidence are trusted by the decision-makers.
  7. Bring a solution to the table and make sure it works.
  8. Present a solution to the decision-makers  sooner rather than later.  Ideally, do this before the issue has got the proposal drafting phase.  The longer it takes you to bring a solution to the table the less the chance there  is to  get  it taken up.
  9. Participate in the many chances there are to bring your voice, solution(s) and ideas  to the public consultation process. If you are asleep at the wheel, and wake up half way through the legislative adoption, it is likely you are going to be ignored.
  10. Make sure you are seen credible, civil, and pleasant.  No one will help misjonist bigot.
  11. Know the process for adopting and passing laws and decisions. If you don’t, you are lost.
  12. Know how to speak the language of your audience. I mean the political or regulatory.
  13. Understand the subtlety of the language. If someone says it is a ‘brave position’, it does not mean they are supporting you.
  14. Learn to tell a good story.
  15.  Don’t claim success for something you had nothing to do with.
  16. Don’t bad mouth people. Brussels is too small.
  17. Work across political and cultural divides.
  18. Understand the values of different groups. Speak to their values and not your own.
  19. Learn to keep re-learning. The rules of the game keep changing.
  20. Handle defeat well. It is the only thing that you can guarantee will happen. It is a great way to learn.