Why Hire a Public Policy Advocate
Hiring a Public Policy Advocate is the single most important step your group or your company can take when you need to persuade an elected or non-elected official towards your views.
Public Policy Advocates maintain the contacts and have the knowledge and experience to bring your issue to key decision-makers, parliamentary committees, state agencies. Public Policy Advocacy isn’t just about contacting elected or non-elected officials. It is about contacting the right people.
- Always make sure that the Public Policy Advocate you intend to employ believes in your issue.
- Always question a Public Policy Advocate's motive and ability to present your issue.
The most effective way to deal with a Public Policy Advocate is to check their references and reputation.
Reasons to hire a Public Policy Advocate :
- Results - Hiring a Public Policy Advocate is of the most important and effective steps you can take for your group to advocate for your issue. There is no replacement for having representation in the center of political influence, advocating for your interests with a daily presence at EU or national level. Having a full-time representation builds your credibility and demonstrates your commitment to your issue.
- Cost Effective - Information gathered with real time technologies and knowing the background on stories and issues will help you make decisions with the best available knowledge. Gathering information on who to talk to, where to find them, when to meet them, and what to say, is time and labor intensive and often not cost effective for many groups or individuals. A Public Policy Advocate can have this information in advance of your retaining their services and can advocate for many clients at one time.
- Knowledge is power - Knowing the political landscape is crucial for your organization, company or industry. Public Policy Advocates provide important services such as legislative knowledge, contacts, the skills of negotiations and consensus-building, knowing which elected or appointed official to contact for your specific issue. Knowing who to communicate with gets results. Knowing people and personalities, party leaders, committee chairpersons and their staff is half the battle.
- Relationships - A good Public Policy Advocate can be counted on to have the relationships and network of contacts. Moving elected officials with impassioned pleas requires someone in the presence of legislators, smoothing corners and making connections on your behalf.
- Experience with government process - Processes such as grassroots, issues management helps a Public Policy Advocate understand elected officials particular and specific challenges, whether your organization needs a government grant, a government contract, an experienced Public Policy Advocate understands politician’s obstacles to getting intervention and resolution for your issue.
- Experience with marketing - Advertising and/or public relations can prepare a Public Policy Advocate for the many ways a client can communicate their message to the public or elected officials and can assist with you indentifying your target audience, as well as assist you with developing your message.
- Reputation - Above all an excellent Public Policy Advocate has a good reputation in their community and good relations with individuals. A Public Policy Advocate with a good reputation, choosing reputable clients with rational issues, charging reasonable rates, can act ethically on their client’s behalf.