Most people use a lobbyist late in the day.
People will often step in too late. A week before the law is published in the Official Journal, or when the proposal is 3/4 through the legislative machinery of the EP and Council. A good lobbyist will give you a suitably grim and realistic prognosis. I’ve discovered that there are enough around to offer salvation at a late hour.
When should you make the call for help
If the area is new to you, or you don’t have a successful track record of getting the laws, policies, and decisions you want, it makes sense to call in outside help. Of course, you can try it alone, even though you don’t know what’s about to happen, or have a track of success in changing the outcome in your favour.
What I’d Look For
I’d want my lobbyist to be like my oncologist. I want my oncologists to be genuine experts in a narrow field of expertise, with many years of experience, a network of colleagues to draw on, a track record of success, and publications to boot. I’d not opt for someone who is trying out the procedure on me for the first time, with no supervision, no training and is winging it.
I’d look for a lobbyist who has real-life experience, knows the process at hand, knows the key decision-makers, and knows what makes them tick.
I’d want a lobbyist who can help take my story and re-articulate it so it lands with the decision-makers. I want them to know the trigger words and ideas that work to persuade the people (officials, politicians and advisers) and those that annoy.
I don’t want someone who does not tell me that my story/case, is not working. If it were just about telling your story clearly, you may still fail. Your case may become so crystal clear to the target audience that they repel in horror at your ideas, and reject it. Making an unpalatable idea clear still leads to the same outcome – defeat.
I’d want someone who can make sure that the story lands well with the audience of decision-makers and a majority of decision-makers co-opt it.
And, I want them to help me do what needs to be done.