What does it take to be an effective lobbyist? Do legislators favor smooth-talking good ole boys with political ties and PAC donations? Or, is the best lobbyist the person with the best information? Friendship vs. documentation: Which persuades lawmakers more? Actually, success depends on style and substance, on razzle-dazzle and nitty-gritty.
The prevailing image is that politically connected insiders have the upper hand over lobbyists who rely more on hard facts. But it’s not that cut and dried. Both approaches are inextricably linked. Legislators do tend to vote for whom more than for what, but one of the greatest urges of the human species is to be correct and to act appropriately. Therefore, there is an instinctive need for credible information.
Either approach — good ole boy or hard facts — it all comes down to trust, and that presents a key point: Be a credible source of trusted information.
Legislators have personal lives, with demands and obligations beyond making laws for society. They have families and jobs to tend to; they have huge time constraints just like the rest of us. As a result, no legislator has the time to become an expert on all issues he must vote on, and therein lies an invitation to lobbyists.
Legislators who collect the most information on the issues tend to have the greatest success as politicians. So they welcome lobbyists who can provide them with important and trusted facts.
Success of any kind depends on filling a need. For lobbyists, that can mean providing legislators with valuable information, which may sound easy but isn’t, because it involves more than just facts; it demands trusted facts, and trust is a slow-growing plant.
[More in the book.]
