So, you have decided that your business needs to appoint a lobbyist firm to ensure that it can have enough say in policy making of the government. Once you have taken the decision now it comes to deciding the particular firm that you should appoint for the task. A lobbyist can be very helpful to influence the state legislations and to help in formation of new rules and alteration of the old ones in favor of your business, but you can have all that benefits only when you appoint the best ones from the lot. Here is a list of things that you should consider before appointing any firm for the job. This guideline will help you to pick a firm that can actually deliver what they claim without reaping you off. So, read on,
- Reputation is important: This is surely the first thing to consider when it comes to appointing lobby firms. Lobbying is not a simple thing and as it influences that government policies hence it is very important that the professional taking the task upon himself has the best experience and knowledge. It is only the highly reputed firms that house the most experienced and well-known lobbyists who do not only promise, but are actually able to influence the decisions of the government.
- Clientele: This is another thing that can tell you a lot about the lobbyist firms you have shortlisted. You should check out for the lobbying firms that has been serving or has served companies of similar or high stature and if possible have a talk with the other clients of the service before making anything final. A rich client base of a lobbyist firm can directly indicate towards their efficiency and effectiveness, hence never miss to check this aspect.
- The pricing: Never opt for lobby firms that do not give you clear and documented details about their charges for the service. The charges of these services usually vary depending on the tire of politicians you need to influence. However, no matter what the charges are, they should be clearly stated beforehand and decided upon before opting for the final contract. Hefty and unclear charging by your lobbyist firm can actually damage your company even if they deliver what they promised, so before you move forward always consider what you will have to pay for the service.
- The mode of communication and reporting: Before hiring a lobbyist firm, have a clear discussion about the modes they will use for communicating with your company. If you are hiring for an in-house consultant cum lobbyist, make it sure that you will have his assistance also for running your business processes according to the policies. Reputed lobbyist firms should present you with detailed monthly or weekly reports about the developments and ensure a regular mode of communication with your company.
So, before you appoint a lobbying firm, check out the above things and then only make your final call.