Nuts & Bolts of Lobbying:
Tips for Effective Meetings with
Lawmakers and Staffers
Contents
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Effective meetings: before, during, and after
Reciprocity
Coalitions
Media
Practice
Golden rules
Tips for lobbying effectively:
Preparing for your meeting(s)
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Always make an appointment
Send your topics in advance when confirming your meeting.
Staffers love the organization, and it helps maximize
everyone’s time
Know ALL sides of the issue(s). They’ve been hearing from
all sides, so be prepared to answer questions persuasively
Know the legislator: Look at sponsored legislation and the
policymaker’s website (including affiliations)
Know the power of your institution within your district:
employment created by the university, economic impact, etc.
Don’t insist on seeing the representative – staffers are there
for a reason!
Tips for lobbying effectively:
During your meeting(s)
Academic Freedom Is Not Free
Whatever your medium, keep it short.
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Paper: Master the one-page memo
Telephone: Focus on a single topic and be specific
about the points you are trying to make
In person: Practice your presentation before the
meeting and limit it to ten minutes
Always leave contact information: Leave contact
information for you and the AAUP Government
Relations staff
Tips for lobbying effectively:
During your meeting(s)
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Always be specific: refer to the bill number and official title
On average, 10,000 bills introduced at the federal level (each
2-year) session. So - referring to “the education bill” won’t
cut it!
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If there is no active legislation pending on your issue, come
ready with some draft language and/or specific talking points
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STAY ON MESSAGE
Tips for lobbying effectively:
During your meeting(s)
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Always bring it back to the constituents. How does
your cause benefit the district or the state? Framing
issues in right/ wrong, or good/bad, will only get you
so far
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Be as specific as possible about the benefits for the
greater good, and you’re actually helping the
congressperson sell your ideas back home
Consider your audience
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Presentation style (brief)
Acknowledge the other point of view – then
counter it
Don’t be confrontational
Words matter: rather than using words like
“educating”, try “partnering” or “supporting.”
Stress collaboration over persuasion.
Tips for lobbying effectively:
During your meeting(s)
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There are many things you can ask your
representative to do besides vote yes or no:
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An entry in the congressional record
A visit to your institution
A meeting or event in the home district
Write an op-ed piece
Reciprocity
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What can you do for your representative?
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As a well-informed, civically engaged citizen,
you are a great asset
Consider drafting questions for upcoming
hearings or suggesting a knowledgeable colleague
as a witness
Ask how you can help publicize or organize
events in the home district
Tips for lobbying effectively: follow-up
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Always say thank you! Sending a thank-you note or email is
also a good time to pass along an article or other small bit of
follow-up information
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Establish yourself as a resource: make yourself available to
provide further information in the future
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Maintain the relationship – the time to visit/call is not simply
when you want something. Reciprocity helps build true
partnerships
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If the first response you receive is generic, write back again
with specific questions. Don’t be afraid to engage
Tips for lobbying effectively:
Get your message out
How can the media be involved?
- Op-eds
Pitch factual news stories to raise awareness
Press conferences
Hold events where media can be invited
Speak THEIR language
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Tips for lobbying effectively:
Build coalitions
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Think bigger: who shares your goals/interests on a particular
bill or topic?
How can you reach out to them?
Can resources be shared for maximum impact?
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Who has ties to which policymakers?
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Fine print
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Lobbying Disclosure Act requirements
- unless you are a registered lobbyist (i.e. you receive
compensation for lobbying), you do not have to disclose
contacts
The new ethics rules are stricter about gifts and meals – when
in doubt, don’t do it!
Faculty-specific points of caution
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Differences between your job and theirs:
knowledge for knowledge vs knowledge as means to an end
(pragmatism)
Avoid lecturing or “educating”
The Hill is largely run by 20-somethings, please speak to
them as peers, not students
Make sure you address government, not governance – a
common newbie mistake
Practice! Practice! Practice!
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Brainstorming on coalition partners
Condensing complex issues into talking points
“Speed-lobbying”
Rules to live by
#1 Bypass the interns - get the name of the staffer working on
your issue(s) and address your letter, email or meeting
request directly to them. Request a response. If you get a
generic response the first time, write again with specific
questions – ENGAGE
#2 Always make an appointment in advance.
It is not likely that the person you seek will be available if
you come by unannounced. Once you’ve made an
appointment, remember to send topic information in advance
of the meeting – staffers appreciate the preparation
immensely
Rules to live by
#3 Be aware of political context: what’s happening politically?
What is the timing of bills on other major issues? Is this issue
part of a larger issue?
** Broad Attention, Focused Action **
#4 Bigger is better. The more outreach you do, and the bigger the
coalition you can put together, the louder your voice is.
Don’t be afraid of strange bedfellows unless you think they
could undermine your credibility – do your homework!
Rules to live by
#5 Offer assistance. You’re an expert on higher ed. and faculty
issues, so offer yourself as a resource to staffers. This is
especially useful if you can anticipate upcoming needs – e.g.
submitting questions for scheduled hearings, etc.
BUT remember to be careful about how you frame the offer:
“Educating” vs. “Partnering”
Rules to live by
#6 Offer a business card whenever possible to get one in return. It
makes follow-up much easier. And when a staffer wants to
solicit opinions on a higher ed. bill, your number is right at
their fingertips
#7 Don’t just sell your position TO the legislator, sell it FOR the
legislator. If you make a solid case for how it directly
benefits constituents, you’ve done the hard part of their job
for them