3 Essential Tips When Lobbying For A Just Cause
If you believe in a just cause -- whether it's to end world hunger or to provide stray animals with more shelter -- lobbying is something in which you can participate. You can arrange peaceful protests, hire demonstrations, and work with legislators to make a change for the better. If you're looking to get involved in lobbying, be sure to remember these tips:
Conduct Research
Before you dive headfirst into any particular cause, you need to find out more about it through research. Start by seeing what organizations in your area are currently doing. Are there already concerted efforts to get legislation passed on a particular cause or do you need to start from the ground up?
After establishing where your community stands, you can start researching on the national level. Look into similar causes like yours and see what lobbying tactics they've used; then you'll have some ideas of how you can make your campaign more effective and sustainable long-term.
Make a Request
For your lobbying actions to get noticed, you can't just sit around hoping for change; instead, you need to make an actual request to the appropriate legislative members that oversee the particular issue you're hoping to resolve.
This request needs to be as specific as possible, whether it's to create a new bill or to have a current bill fast-tracked in the system. Once this request is made, generally a legislator will keep you posted regarding its status. Be sure to stay in touch with this representative so that you know if your hard work paid off.
Choose a Lobbying Strategy
Today, there are many ways you can lobby for a particular cause. You can do so via mail, email, telephone, and in person. If you choose to do so over the phone or online, make sure you're concise. After all, legislators have busy schedules. The more direct your message and requests are, the more effective they'll ultimately be.
However, if you decide to lobby in person, you need to maintain a professional image. Dress the part, be courteous, and make sure you show up to the meeting early. These simple tips can help you make the right impression and get legislators invested in what you're trying to do.
Lobbying is a long road that's often filled with obstacles and disappointment, but it's important to move forward and make an effort to change the world for the better. Patience, research, and the right strategy can help you get through this lengthy process.
