Lobby Days: Tips & Tricks
Perseverance is critical during session, and - fortunately or unfortunately - the trajectory of legislative aims may down to the narrative. As a representative on-record with your position, you’ve shared your story. Thus, hosting a grassroots lobby day should be on your list. Lawmakers want to hear from their constituents, whether they are businesses operating within their district or residents.
Here are some tips for planning an effective lobby day.
Don’t delay - identify the best date, taking into consideration your bill status and the state’s legislative deadlines for hearings and amendments.
Scheduling is touch for one person; if possible, ask for help from other stakeholders with similar interests, contract lobbyists, or members of your GR team.
Finally, don’t start scheduling appointments too early - you’ll get lost in the calendar. Three weeks is the sweet spot for locking down meetings, which shouldn’t last more than 15-30 minutes.
Capitols are busy, and you aren’t the only one with a goal. Whether the state requires a legislative sponsor or has a scheduling office, be sure to ask what, if any, other groups have planned to host lobby days around the same time.
Craft a plan that begins with a timeline and responsibilities - who, what, and when? I need - and recommend - at least four months to plan to be comfortable, but recognize that isn’t always possible. No matter the timeline, breaking your plan down into quadrants (10-20-30 days, etc) is the best way to be sure you are on top of the project. Consider these essentials regardless of the size of your group:
Reserving the space;
Scheduling meetings;
Crafting collateral;
Planning a reception or lunch;
Inviting and preparing constituents; and
Tasking the day. Account for the time necessary to stuff folders with collateral, travel, food and beverages, parking, and other “day-of” logistics.
There are a variety of formats to consider depending on the number of advocates attending:
Plan ahead to schedule time with each advocates’ legislators, bill sponsor(s), and leadership.
If you are hosting a smaller group, bring everyone along to each meeting while asking the constituent to speak to their legislators.
The same applies if you are bringing a larger group. In my experience with a larger turnout, splitting attendees into groups of four to six people comprised of staff and advocates is effective. Set a goal of at least five in-office meetings for each group.
This is our job, but those attending a lobby day are guests. Be sure to make time for them to see the capitol, to take breaks, and - most importantly - to eat. If you have a smaller group, take them to lunch or dinner. For larger groups, a reception the evening before or afternoon of your lobby day is always a great idea.
Schedule appointments strategically; i.e., leadership or executives should meet with bill sponsors and/or committee chairs. If possible, the Pro Temp or Senate President and Speaker should be on the schedule.
Create Lobby Day Packets and do not be afraid to hand them out to lawmakers, staff, and participants. They should include:
An agenda of the day’s activities;
A map of office locations;
Collateral and District Data for legislators detailing why an issue is of such importance;
A specific ask - whether it is to oppose a bill, to support a bill, or to improve a bill with an amendment.
For larger, in-person groups - the team lead should take notes. Elected officials and staff often have questions that need to be addressed and must not be forgotten.
When planning large lobby days, I learned a great tip from a former co-worker, Samantha:
Prepare advocates with a pre-lobby day briefing or webinar. An Advocacy 101 session is a great idea, followed by in-depth briefings on your issues, plausible solutions, and some time for role-playing exercises to ease any jitters.
Media can be an exceptional boost for your issue, so be sure to explore inviting local or statewide media if the message resonates. At a minimum, use the tools at your disposal - like social media - to share the happenings of the day.
In the post-COVID world, virtual lobby days are a great option to explore. They are not necessarily easier to facilitate, but taking time to coordinate video or phone conversations between your advocates and elected officials is worthwhile.
Finally, once your lobby day is complete, you have a week of follow-up work:
First, make sure to appropriately thank advocates who took time from their day to support your legislative goals.
You also must review meeting notes from team leads, provide any follow-up information requested from lawmakers and their staff, and it is important to send a personal thank you note to every elected official with whom you met.