As a species, throughout our history we have communicated primarily by the spoken word. It is literally hard wired into our DNA.
Whilst the written word has been around for a few thousand years it is an evolutionary blip. As a means of mass communication, it has been around for only a few hundred years.
Whether we like it or not the most effective way to communicate is through the spoken word.
As a lobbyist, your ability to communicate clearly and persuasively is vital. You’ll be able to do this well both in speaking and in writing. On top of this, you need to know the issue and the process. Very few lobbyists are good at all four.
In fact, many lobbyists act as if telepathy works. I sadly don’t believe in telepathy.
10 Things You Need to Do
For me a good lobbyist has mastered the oral skills of both logic and rhetoric. After all, emotion will always beat logic. Maybe in 10,000 years we will have evolved to to adhere to Vulcan logic. In the meantime, you’ll need to master the skills of rhetoric and emotional persuasion.
So, in the meantime, as a good lobbyist, you need to be able to:
1. Explain your issue clearly and logically
2. Draw out empathy
3. Escalate an issue through the degrees of knowledge
4. Look at the issue through your audience’s perspective
5. Anticipate your audience’s questions and answer them simply and clearly
6. Use metaphor and analogy. It’s been the main tool for communication for a few thousand year, so no need to get rid of it just yet.
7. In an ideal world, you can explain your issue persuasively, clearly , and deal with all and any question, emphatically.
8. You will be able to explain your issue to the following: receptionist, issue expert, official, Head of unit, Director, Director general, Cabinet, Commissioner, MEP and Press,
9. You will adapt to your audience. You’ll be able to take the level of complexity of discussion up and up and down as needed. You’ll be able to read the room naturally and adapt as and when necessary. You’ll be pleasant throughout. You wont indulge in feigned moral indignation if the decision makers don’t agree with your position. That’s going to happen a lot anyway, deal with it.
10. You won’t follow the majority of your fellow lobbyists. You’ll not whip out the PowerPoint like a gag reflex, and go through all 72 pages, no matter what questions are asked.
There are a very people who can do this. I have met them. It’s a pleasure to behold.